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Old 08-17-2020, 05:22 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: little town in no. central FL
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Cool wanna be newbie; looking right now

hi folks. my name = Rodd. I live in Ft. White FL, little place 35 miles no. of Gainesville. I'm severely interested in a skoolie to drive to Guatemala and then leave it there to be used as my "snow bird" house in a sleepy little village on the Pacific Ocean during winter. I already have land squared away, just need to move a lot of stuff down there and then leave it. it will be a 1 way trip. Probably looking for a long body but open to all ideas suggestions. Is there a group of skoolies anywhere near Gainesville, where I can get on-site info?

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Old 08-17-2020, 06:06 PM   #2
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You are at the best place on the planet for Skoolie info. First thing you'll learn is you don't want to buy a bus from Fla. They are usually low end units, run hard, put up wet and cannibalized before they let them go. It pays to look and travel to an area that has known rust free buses.
Guatamala, not on my vacation list with the crime and corruption going on there. It's worse than Chicago.
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Old 08-18-2020, 02:16 AM   #3
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I wish you the best of luck realizing your goal.
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Old 08-18-2020, 02:46 PM   #4
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I like it there

I have traveled to 5 countries in Central America and have found the people in all the countries to be awesome. one trip was for 2 months in 2 countries. in the 8 weeks I was there I had invitations to spend the night in the homes of 6 people. so I found a lot in this sleepy little village where life will be good, either as a 4 months a year snow bird, or as a 24/7/365/ for the rest of my life resident. now I'm just trying to figure out the best way, perhaps the least expensive way to get stuff there. hence the skoolie.
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Old 08-18-2020, 02:54 PM   #5
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You know the roads are horrible through mexico, in a straight axle bus, ugh.
I would think shipping container might be a better way.
And then use the shipping container once there for storage or housing..
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Old 08-18-2020, 03:15 PM   #6
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I'm looking at all possible options. quotes from a company called U-BOX, owned by U-Haul, is $2500+; another company was $3500+. with either of those I would have to jettison a LOT of stuff where with a bus, a long one, I could take EVERYTHING. so just doing my homework, my research to see which method is best, considering ALL factors.
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Old 08-18-2020, 04:01 PM   #7
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A shipping container (as referred to above) is also known as an intermodal container. They are standardized sizes:


Code:
20FT General    L - 5.89M W - 2.35M H - 2.36M   32.7 cu M (1153.6 cu f)
20FT High Cube  L - 5.89M W - 2.35M H - 2.69M   37.2 cu M (1314.9 cu f)

40FT General    L - 12.05M W - 2.35M H - 2.36M  66.8 cu M (2360.1 cu f)
40FT High Cube  L - 12.05M W - 2.35M H - 2.69M  76.2 cu M (2690.1 cu f)
A 40' bus has a useable volume of L - 35' x W -7.5' x H 6.0' = 1575 cubic feet.
Thus, you can put almost the same amount in a 20' container as you can in a full-size bus.


Since you are only going to use it the one time then use it as a home, the container may be an economical choice. You should consider the fuel cost as a shipping cost. Of course, with a container you will have to pay shipping, loading, unloading, transportation to the post and transportation to the home site along with any fees.


The U-Pack, and others like that, only let you use the container for the shipping and will charge rent for any time you have the container beyond the agreed transportation time. Be careful of the multitude of clauses in their contracts.
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Old 08-18-2020, 04:09 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Native View Post
A shipping container (as referred to above) is also known as an intermodal container. They are standardized sizes:


Code:
20FT General    L - 5.89M W - 2.35M H - 2.36M   32.7 cu M (1153.6 cu f)
20FT High Cube  L - 5.89M W - 2.35M H - 2.69M   37.2 cu M (1314.9 cu f)

40FT General    L - 12.05M W - 2.35M H - 2.36M  66.8 cu M (2360.1 cu f)
40FT High Cube  L - 12.05M W - 2.35M H - 2.69M  76.2 cu M (2690.1 cu f)
A 40' bus has a useable volume of L - 35' x W -7.5' x H 6.0' = 1575 cubic feet.
Thus, you can put almost the same amount in a 20' container as you can in a full-size bus.


Since you are only going to use it the one time then use it as a home, the container may be an economical choice. You should consider the fuel cost as a shipping cost. Of course, with a container you will have to pay shipping, loading, unloading, transportation to the post and transportation to the home site along with any fees.


The U-Pack, and others like that, only let you use the container for the shipping and will charge rent for any time you have the container beyond the agreed transportation time. Be careful of the multitude of clauses in their contracts.

so, the stuff goes in the bus

and the bus goes in the box

and the box goes on the ship

nice
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Old 08-18-2020, 04:30 PM   #9
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The other consideration is what happens if the bus breaks down. With all your stuff, can't just leave it by the side of the road. You can also pile junk on top of a school bus for more space, just secure it well.

I think a trailer is better option, get a thrashed travel trailer and tow it with a short bus and/or camper van or camper truck or maybe an ambulance.

Mexico use to have cheap diesel, don't know what it is now.

Or this, find a really big junky 50ft sailboat, they go real cheap..sailing south is easy. I considered this to transport my housing material to southern baja.
In fact, was going to make it remote controlled so I didn't even have to be on the boat, and just control it from shore as I drove down. Building materials have no sentimental value.
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Old 08-18-2020, 04:33 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by BeNimble View Post

Or this, find a really big junky 50ft sailboat, they go real cheap..sailing south is easy. I considered this to transport my housing material to southern baja.
In fact, was going to make it remote controlled so I didn't even have to be on the boat, and just control it from shore as I drove down. Building materials have no sentimental value.
This is the biggest load of horseshit I ever heard of

a remote control, 50ft, cheap sailboat

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Old 08-18-2020, 05:30 PM   #11
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Here is a free 36ft sailboat..took me all of 5 minutes to find.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/boa...179672553.html



65 ft barge in Florida. NEED IT GONE ASAP...



Remote controlled cargo ships...



https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/...argo-shipping/
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Old 08-18-2020, 05:38 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BeNimble View Post
Here is a free 36ft sailboat..took me all of 5 minutes to find.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/boa...179672553.html



65 ft barge in Florida. NEED IT GONE ASAP...

yeah, I've been in the sailing community for years...
I am a moderator of a restoration community on FB with over 14k members

so no such thing as a "free boat" lol



and not gonna remote pilot it either

thats funny
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Old 08-18-2020, 06:22 PM   #13
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dont forget?
they are in.
nevermind that gets into politics?
sorry
sorry
please delete this before someone doesnt like me?
wait a minute?
i dont have many/almost any friends anyway.
i love camping. the true social distancing well unless you have a boat?
but then you have other things to worry about besides remote controling it while you you are driving down the pacific byway?
thats a dream that should be left to programming robots that caint do it yet.
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Old 08-18-2020, 06:30 PM   #14
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im sure I could build the renote control and monitor system for such a boat.. that could be a fun as hell project!


just have to have deep pockets for the SAT data service you will need to remotely run the boat


seems might be easier to put a 40 ft high cube on a train..
then turn the high cube into a house.. although if you buy the right bus then you could get $$ for the engine / trans once you arrived in south america and parked the bus for good
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Old 08-18-2020, 06:42 PM   #15
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One could just use GPS and follow preprogrammed route, don't need real-time control, just check in and make sure it hasn't broken and going in circles or heading straight into shore or something else dangerous and hope the 'sink' command works..

It is 106F today, i am delirious from heat working inside the Nautibus.

Now you got me looking at boats...Here is a 92ft $1.5 million yacht that was tattered in Irma storm, now only $200,000!!! Fixer Upper. Fix it and take it down there, it is a PALACE, rent it out at the dock.



lol, let's to the other way, here it is, $2,000 (sorry not free, probabhly $200 if you really have cash..) 38ft
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Old 08-18-2020, 10:30 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by BeNimble View Post
One could just use GPS and follow preprogrammed route, don't need real-time control, just check in and make sure it hasn't broken and going in circles or heading straight into shore or something else dangerous and hope the 'sink' command works..


Yeah you should stick to the bus stuff ...

obviously you know nothing about boats and it shows
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Old 08-22-2020, 05:51 PM   #17
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We are in Inglis/Yankeetown. 40 north west of Gainesville.
We got our bus in Ocala are.

Let me know if you want our email?

Wendy
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Old 08-22-2020, 07:10 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by hatman View Post
I have traveled to 5 countries in Central America and have found the people in all the countries to be awesome. one trip was for 2 months in 2 countries. in the 8 weeks I was there I had invitations to spend the night in the homes of 6 people. so I found a lot in this sleepy little village where life will be good, either as a 4 months a year snow bird, or as a 24/7/365/ for the rest of my life resident. now I'm just trying to figure out the best way, perhaps the least expensive way to get stuff there. hence the skoolie.
Please don't try to convince the uninformed that being in Mexico, Central, and/or South America is Amazing, inexpensive, and Spectacularly Beautiful. Let them continue to think all the locals are crazed machete wielding criminals who live in mud huts without running water or electricity. Let's try and keep it the hidden gem that it's been for centuries. The last thing I want is Latin America turning into another Chicago, Detroit or Atlanta!!!

There is a YouTube couple that drove down all the way through Mexico to Argentina in a van. Might pick up a few tips from their channel >>> "Trent and Allie".

There are some quirky laws/costs when bringing a vehicle each time you cross a new border.
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Old 08-22-2020, 07:27 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BeNimble View Post
Or this, find a really big junky 50ft sailboat, they go real cheap..sailing south is easy. I considered this to transport my housing material to southern baja.
In fact, was going to make it remote controlled so I didn't even have to be on the boat, and just control it from shore as I drove down. Building materials have no sentimental value.
What a brilliant idea!! I think it just might work ... Please set up a YouTube channel so we can all follow along on your journey. I was never aware how much easier it is to sail a boat south than north. Makes perfect sense though... It's all down hill, right?
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Old 08-22-2020, 08:48 PM   #20
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theres no such thing as a free boat just like there is no such thing as a free puppy. all the expenses come later.
its easier to sail south because its all down hill. that only works until you get to the equator then you go back up again.
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