Over the course of the last nine years RVing in our Keystone Cougar Fifth Wheel Trailer I have made a fair number of improvements. As you live in a trailer full time you begin to want to make it better suited for your unique RVing lifestyle.
I like to call these “Mods”. Here is a list of all my mods and upgrades I’ve made to the rig so far. The more time we spend in it the more I start to come up with things I can change to improve it. I’m sure this list will grow.
Vatrer 460AH LiFePO4 Battery Review – Bow Thruster/Windless Power Source Test
I recently took on an interesting project to install a dedicated lithium battery to power our boat’s bow thruster and anchor windlass. I’m pleased to share the experience with you….
High Water Bilge Alarm Installation & Demo
In the video, I installed a high-water bilge alarm from Johnson Pump as an extra safety upgrade on the boat. This little unit sits just above the normal bilge pump…
Em-Trak B954 AIS Transceiver Installation & Initial Tests
In this video, I install a new safety and navigation aid called AIS on our 34-foot CHB trawler. The AIS (Automatic Identification System) will use our VHF antenna to send…
SideShift Bow Thruster 24V Motor Upgrade Installation
I’m back working on the boat, and today’s project was installing the new 24-volt motor for its SideShift bow thruster. The existing 12-volt unit is about eight years old and…
RV 30A Power Connection Upgrade – SmartPlug Combo Plug/Receptacle
Today, I’m upgrading the 30-amp power inlet connection on the RV to a SmartPlug. I’ve been wanting one for a while. I already have one installed on our boat, and…
Renogy Off Grid RV Power System Installation
Over the years, I’ve had requests to do a video series showing the installation of a typical boondocking system from start to finish. Something a little more basic than the…
Modded Weber Q Grill for Low Pressure RV LP Gas Port Use
Quick update on my Weber Q1000 grill that Anne got me for Christmas last year. The regulator kept clogging this summer on the boat trip. I cleared it with electrical…
Side Shift Bow Thruster Repair – Converted to Hard Wired Operation
I recently tackled an issue with our boat’s Side Shift bow thruster. After a complete overhaul last year, which included sanding, repainting, and upgrading the wiring with a lithium battery…
Lithium Powered Bow Thruster Experiment – 280Ah WattCycle Batteries
I’m experimenting with upgrading my boat’s bow thruster by switching from AGM to lithium batteries to shorten wire runs. The Side Shift brand thruster, externally mounted at the bow, originally…
Bluetti Charger 1 Install & Demo on Our Boat
I recently installed a Bluetti Charger One on my boat to charge my Bluetti power station using the alternator. Back in the winter, I reviewed this DC-to-DC charger, testing it…
Installing a GoBluTech UV Water Purification Faucet
In this video, I install a UVC purification faucet on our vintage CHB trawler that we use as a liveaboard home in the summers on the British Columbia coast. With…
Boat Deck Lighting Upgrade – LED Flood Lights for Bow & Stern
I recently upgraded the deck lighting on my boat to enhance safety, particularly when anchoring in dark conditions. I chose 45-watt LED floodlights from Amazon, called Jaslites, with 5,500 lumens…
Boat Prep for Summer 2025 Part 3 – 1976 CHB Trawler
I’ve been hard at work getting our boat ready for the summer. I wrapped up the electrical upgrades, installing a lithium battery for the windlass and bow thruster with a…
Boat Prep 2025 Part 2 – Bow and More Gunwale Teak Work
Anne and I are continuing to prepare our 1976 CHB trawler for summer cruising. Part two shows you my work at the boat’s bow: cleaning and rewiring the Side Shift…
Added an Aluminum Fold Up Shelf to the RV Bedroom
In this RV mod video, I add a folding aluminium wall shelf to our RV bedroom. Measuring about 6″ by 12″, it’s a convenient spot for Anne to keep items…
Inline Vent Booster Fan – Better Furnace Airflow into Bedroom
In this video, I install a Titan 12V inline vent fan to boost the airflow into our fifth-wheel trailer bedroom using the RV furnace. Due to the location of the…
Installing the SimPure Under Sink RO/UV Water Purifier
In this video, I install an under-sink reverse osmosis water filter system with UV purification. Model Q3-600UV from SimPure. The installation went well overall, except for a problem with the…
Uniquely Designed AC/DC Cooling Fan with Remote
I’m back with another product review—this time, it’s a fan from Titan, a company out of Taiwan. I’ve been using their fans to keep my RV fridge running efficiently by…
RV Trailer Underbelly Removed for Inspection & Maintenance
Recently, I wanted to examine the various systems underneath our 2011 Keystone Cougar 267RLSWE fifth-wheel trailer. I removed the coroplast underbelly for maintenance and a thorough inspection. In this video,…
Water Heater Connection Leak Repair & Routine Maintenance
Today, I decided to tackle some plumbing maintenance on my RV, specifically focusing on a leak I noticed around my water heater connections. Over the last few weeks, I’ve seen…
Installed a USB Wall Outlet into our RV
In this RV mod/upgrade, I installed a USB outlet plate in this video into my RV. The Wattcycle USB power panel features a USB-C and USB-A outlet with blue backlighting,…
Various RV Shower Mods and Add-ons
Quick look at some of the stuff I have added to and modded in our RV shower. Our trailer is a 2011 Keystone Cougar fifth wheel. Related Links: Shower Racks…
Bluetti Charger 1 Review – Vehicle to Power Station Charging up to 560 Watts
In this video, I hook up and test the new Charger 1 from Bluetti. The Charger 1 device transfers up to 560 watts of charging power from your vehicle’s battery/alternator…
Haloview RV Rear Monitor with Built-in Tire Pressure Monitor
In this video, I introduce a new product from Haloview called the BT7 Touch TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitor System). It’s a wireless camera system for RV, just like the Btye…
Vestri’s Bottom Restoration and Paint – Photos & Details from Anne
Anne reviews the recent major boat work on our 1976 CHB trawler, Vestri. She narrates a slide show of the job, from sanding through layers of old paint down to…
Our Boat’s Lithium Battery Power System – (July 2024 Revision)
In this video, a look at the latest incarnation of our boat’s primary house battery bank system. When we bought the 34″ tri-cabin trawler named “Vestri” last summer, it came…
Upper Helm Seat Upgrade – Seamander Seat & Smooth Moves Suspension
In this video, I show you a recent DIY upgrade we did for our CHB trawler’s upper helm captain’s seat. Sadly, the original bench-type seating lacked both comfort and visibility….
Raw Sea Water Pump Upgrade – Ford Lehman 120HP
In this video, I replace/upgrade the OEM Jabsco raw seawater pump with a Johnson ordered from American Diesel Corp. The upgraded pump is a one-piece design, increasing reliability. The AD…
Love Your RV! Off Grid Power System – Current State of Things, Jan 2024
Our off-grid power system has constantly grown and evolved over the last 13 years of RVing with our Keystone Cougar fifth-wheel trailer. Each snowbird season, I tinker with and improve…
Viofo A139 Pro Dash Cam Kit Review
I unbox & install the Viofo A139 Pro Dash Cam Kit into my 2018 Ram 3500 pickup truck. The installation process is followed by a look at the smartphone app…