Whether on the road or through social media, Truck Camper Adventure is always on the lookout for inspirational DIY truck camper builds. One such build that caught our eye was an all-wood, nautically-inspired camper built by David Bruhn, a retired U.S. Navy Commander. Why build a truck camper rather than by one like most of us? Because of a promise he made to his son. David’s unique build took a full six months and results are inspiring to say the least. As a matter of fact, David was so impressed with the result that he wrote a book about his all-wood camper entitled Land Yacht Seaward: Building a Cozy Wooden Camper for a Small Truck. To learn more about his amazing, DIY build, David was kind enough to answer several questions.
Hi David. Tell us about yourself. Where are you from?
David Bruhn: I live in northern California with my wife Nancy. I retired as a Commander after 22 years of active duty service, serving as both an enlisted man and as an officer from 1977 and 2001. Following military service, I worked as a high school teacher and track coach for 10 years, and remain an avid track and field fan. I have two grown sons, David and Michael. I’ve authored 31 books, which include 26 on naval history and one on shipboard engineering. In other subjects, three are related to sports—Toe the Mark, Stride Out, and Distant Finish about competitive running in the 1970s—and one about this truck camper build called Land Yacht Seaward: Building a Cozy Wooden Camper for a Small Truck.
When did you build Seaward?
David Bruhn: The build and outfitting was completed in November 2023 and the interior wiring completed in April 2024. We have been using the completed camper since May 2024.
Can you tell us about your truck camper and why you chose to build a DIY camper rather than buy one?
David Bruhn: For years I told my older son, who had a Nissan Frontier, “someday I’m going to build a ‘yacht in a truck’ for you.” By this, I meant that I intended to construct him a wooden camper with as many amenities as possible, considering the payload constraints associated with a small truck. Finally, this past summer, I decided to carry out this goal. I am not a builder nor a master woodworker, just a retired naval officer and author who possesses a table saw, a chop saw (radial arm saw), small electric and hand tools, and who has access to a friend’s drill press.
Tell us about Seaward? How long did it take to build?
David Bruhn: I embarked on this project in late July 2023, and worked about three days a week on it until early October 2024. Three days a week was about the right amount. I had an overall idea of what I wanted to do. But, because I was essentially designing the camper as I went along, I needed time to think, problem solve, and search for and obtain the necessary materials to proceed with the project.
Following completion of the build, outfitting was required. This involved having two small custom mattresses made, and my wife Nancy picking out bedding and curtain materials aided by designer Diane Whiteman. Denise VanLaan, who is an expert quilter and seamstress, voluntarily took the acquired materials and tailor-made everything for the “land yacht.” She did a superlative job. Her efforts, in conjunction with the teak name board Seaward (meaning headed for the beach), converted my wife from an “I don’t know about this” standoffish observer into an eager crew member—one willing to forgo more accommodating, albeit restrictive, hotel lodgings for coastal exploration and adventure.
How exactly was Seaward built?
David Bruhn: If you are thinking about building a wooden camper for a small truck, consideration of the following factors is important before purchasing the necessary lumber and plywood if the latter will be used:
- Functionality
- Cost
- Attractiveness
- Strength
- Durability
- Weight
My guiding philosophy was that, considering the amount of labor involved, I should use higher quality materials to ensure long life of the resultant product. In the case of Seaward, this involved a shell of Philippine mahogany marine-grade plywood over poplar hardwood framing.
Five sheets of Philippine mahogany were the heart of the Seaward project, and the most expensive material used to build and outfit the land yacht. I consider their use well worth the cost owing to the beauty, durability, and rot resistance of this hardwood.
Depending on where you live, poplar may not be a common wood. Fortunately, I was able to obtain the wood at a local yard specializing in hardwoods. I purchased 10-foot lengths, 2-inches thick. This wood was actually 1.25-inches thick, and I ripped the boards (cut lengthwise with a table saw) into 1.25-inch wide strips.
How exactly were the sides of the camper fabricated?
David Bruhn: Fabricating the sides was relatively easy. I built and framed the individual sides as modular units. The first step in fabricating the sides from 4×8-foot sheets of plywood was sawing-out the cutouts at the front and back of both sides; the cutout for the window on the starboard side; and the cutouts for the escape hatch and porthole on the port side. Then I attached the framing pieces to the plywood with glue and screws. Note that because of the rigidity of the plywood, building a complete frame and then attaching the plywood to it would have resulted in gaps in some places between the plywood and framing, and would have compromised the overall strength.
What sets your DIY camper apart from others you’ve seen on Truck Camper Adventure?
David Bruhn: Several things. Use of half-inch instead of thicker plywood and the absence of interior paneling are two big things. I chose to leave framing exposed inside to enjoy its beauty and to save weight. I also retained the truck’s tailgate instead of removing it. Use of red (port), green (starboard), and stern running lights were used to enhance the nautical theme of the camper.
It seems like retention of the tailgate was important to you. Why?
David Bruhn: The decision about whether to retain or remove the truck’s tailgate is important as it affects the camper design. Removing the tailgate obviously reduces weight, whereas leaving it in place provides added security—providing it’s a locking tailgate. If you were inside the camper, and someone shut the tailgate, you would be locked in, unless there was a sliding window at the front of the camper and one at the rear of the truck cab to access the truck. Short of this, one choice is to install a Dutch door, enabling the top of the door to swing open over the top of the closed tailgate.
I chose instead to provide an “escape hatch” on the port side of Seaward. Concerned about the possibility of rain water intrusion into the camper, Seaward’s plywood hatch panel has U-shaped aluminum trim around the edges, as does the opening, to protect the wood from delaminating. There is a rubber gasket behind the panel as well. The panel is secured in place by pins on the inside of the camper which can be easily removed, enabling the panel to be lifted out/removed when desired for ventilation.
Very cool. Can you tell us about Seaward’s electrical system?
David Bruhn: Land Yacht Seaward has a 12-volt electrical system. Two 6-volt deep-cycle batteries are wired in series to create one 12-volt battery. They are stored inside a black plastic battery box on the right side of the pickup bed, aft by the tailgate, and directly below the electrical panel. The battery is charged by the truck’s alternator whenever the truck engine is running. This battery powers a fan made by the Amish, three interior and three exterior lights with LED lighting, a volt meter, and a USB port to charge a cell phone.
In finalizing a philosophy for Seaward, I decided that I only desired sufficient electricity to run a fan, interior lights, exterior lights, power a volt meter, and to charge a cell phone. To eliminate unnecessary electricity waste, I omitted the inverter required to convert direct current (DC) battery current to alternating (AC) current. When DC current is converted to AC current, which occurs with solar panels providing electrical power for household use, there is some loss of electricity.
To utilize DC current, I purchased a portable DC fan manufactured by an Amish business. The Amish people are a conservative group that emphasizes humility, family, community and separation from the non-Amish world. Their beliefs include a reluctance to adopt modern conveniences such as electricity, but apparently the use of fans powered by car batteries is allowed. My fan arrived with cables and cable clips for attachment to battery terminals. The interior and exterior lights, power for a volt meter, and for charging a cell phone, are also all direct current.
Mahogany slats, slid through drawer handles mounted vertically, are used to keep items on adjacent shelves from “going adrift” when the truck is on the road. The slat used to keep the Amish fan in place is removed when Seaward is at rest and use of the fan is desired.
What aspects of your build are you particularly proud of?
David Bruhn: The build was both a maximization and minimization challenge. Maximize the amenities achievable when working with a small truck, while concurrently minimizing weight and cost within the constraints of the available budget.
After completing construction of Seaward, I took the camper to a local RV sales/repair business. Upon seeing it, a guy ran out from the open bay of the shop, and said, “that is awesome.” I assumed that he was a mechanic or electrician by trade, and asked him what he did there. He told me that he sold RVs. In addition to the charm of the camper, he was most impressed that the associated weight did not cause the rear of the truck bed to to sag—signifying that weight was not a problem.
Friends and neighbors regularly compliment me on the attractiveness of the land yacht. Building a camper on a small truck eliminates a possible requirement for expensive storage for a much larger RV or trailer—but your resultant product should look good, as well as being practical.
Do you have any particular pieces of gear or truck camper mods that you would recommend to others?
David Bruhn: Following the build, I added a towing hitch to which could be affixed a bike rack, so that my wife and could take mountain bikes with us on trips. I also added a removable awning aft to provide shade and protection from rain water intrusion when the truck tailgate is down and camper doors are open. I also had a custom cover fabricated to protect Seaward from sun and rain when she is moored in front of our home.
Have you had your rig weighed?
David Bruhn: No, not yet.
Do you have any regrets in any of your truck and camper choices? Anything you wished that you had done differently?
David Bruhn: No. None.
What kind of mileage are you getting with your setup?
David Bruhn: 24.6 mpg for a recent 477-mile roundtrip from our home in inland northern California to the coast and back, which required traversing the coastal mountain range. I drive the truck at a maximum speed of 55-60 miles per hour, depending on road type/steepness.
What kind of places are you planning to visit in your truck camper rig?
David Bruhn: The name Seaward is meant to convey trips to the coast, so that’s where we intend on taking it.
Do you have a website and/or social media channels that our readers can follow?
David Bruhn: My author website is www.davidbruhn.com. I don’t use social media.
Do you have any closing words of advice for your readers relating to truck campers and building your own DIY camper?
David Bruhn: It’s possible to build a camper such as Seaward, or some variant of it, by use of a chop saw, a table saw, and some hand tools. If you desire to pursue this option, I recommend that you obtain a copy of my book Land Yacht Seaward, which will help guide you through the process by explaining in details the various steps necessary, and philosophy behind why I chose certain actions over other possibilities.
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