01 What makes it unique
Coachmen lists the 2023 Clipper 3K 17CFQ at 2,910 lb dry, a GVWR of 3,850 lb, a net carrying capacity of 940 lb and a tongue weight of 330 lb. Its dry weight plus its carrying capacity comes to exactly its GVWR.
It is 20' 5" long and 10' high. Coachmen prints its tanks as 27 gal fresh, 27 gal grey, 27 gal black.
Among the 13 Clipper floorplans Coachmen’s 2023 Clipper brochure lists with a published dry weight, it is number 5 from the lightest, in a range from 2,450 lb (Clipper 3K 14CR) to 6,226 lb (Clipper 6K 262BHS). Every figure in that comparison is Coachmen’s, for the same model year.
Every number on this page was read on 5 Nov 2026 from Coachmen’s 2023 Clipper brochure, the maker’s own dated document for model year 2023.
How the 17CFQ differs from the other twelve Clipper floorplans. Most distinctive first. How these ranks are worked out.
- Dry weight, 2,910 lb: fifth-lightest of thirteen, between the 17CBH (2,896 lb) and the 162RBU (3,250 lb).
- Cargo capacity as a share of GVWR, 24.4%: sixth-largest of twelve, between the 18BH and 18FQ (17.1%) and the 272RLS (25.4%).
- GVWR, 3,850 lb: shared with the 16CFB; of thirteen, two lower and nine higher, nearest the 15CBH (3,830 lb) and the 162RBU (3,880 lb).
- Cargo capacity, 940 lb: seventh-smallest of thirteen, between the 18BHS (735 lb) and the 17CBH (1,047 lb).
- Tongue weight, 330 lb: shared with the 15CBH; of thirteen, two lighter and nine heavier, nearest the 17CBH (300 lb) and the 16CFB (350 lb).
- Fresh tank, 27 gal: smallest of thirteen, level with the 14CR, 15CBH and two others; next are the 162RBU, 17MBS and six others (40 gal).
- Grey tank, 27 gal: smallest of thirteen, level with the 14CR, 15CBH and two others; next are the 162RBU, 17MBS and six others (32 gal).
- Black tank, 27 gal: smallest of thirteen, level with the 14CR, 15CBH and two others; next are the 162RBU, 17MBS and six others (32 gal).
- Tongue weight as a share of dry weight, 11.3%: shared with the 17MBS; of thirteen, five smaller and six larger, nearest the 18BHS (11.2%) and the 262BHS (11.6%).
- Length, 20 ft 5 in: shared with the 17CBH, 17MBS and two others; of thirteen, four shorter and four longer, nearest the 162RBU (19 ft 9 in) and the 18BHS (21 ft 6 in).
Next to the 17CBH, the nearest lighter floorplan by dry weight, the 17CFQ is 14 lb heavier by dry weight, has a GVWR 93 lb lower, has 107 lb less cargo capacity and has a tongue weight 30 lb heavier; the two publish the same length, exterior height, interior height, fresh tank, grey tank and black tank.
Next to the 162RBU, the nearest heavier floorplan by dry weight, the 17CFQ is 340 lb lighter by dry weight, has a GVWR 30 lb lower, has 310 lb more cargo capacity, has a tongue weight 30 lb lighter, is 8 in longer, has a fresh tank 13 gal smaller, has a grey tank 5 gal smaller and has a black tank 5 gal smaller; the two publish the same exterior height and interior height.
02 Full specifications
Dimensions
- Exterior length
- 20' 5"
- Exterior height
- 10'
- Exterior width
- 7'
- Interior height
- 6' 6"
Weights
- Dry / unit base weight (UVW)
- 2,910 lb
- GVWR (max loaded)
- 3,850 lb
- Net cargo / payload (CCC)
- 940 lb
- Hitch / tongue weight
- 330 lb
Capacities
- Fresh water
- 27 gal
- Grey water
- 27 gal
- Black water
- 27 gal
Running gear
- Hitch type
- Bumper pull
- Tire size
- Not published by Coachmen
Sleeping & layout
- Sleeps
- Not published by Coachmen
- Spec table heading
- Coachmen heads this table "May include estimated values"
- Weight class (as printed)
- 3K SERIES
- LP capacity (as printed)
- 4.5
- Awning
- 12'
How these published figures sit against the rest of the catalogue: travel trailer tongue weight by size; fresh, grey and black tank sizes; camper trailer size chart.
Drawn to scale
Weight budget
Size, with end view
Holding tanks
Axles, wheels and nose shape are schematic; not a floorplan. Data: dataset.
Towing it
Check your vehicle. Enter the ratings from your owner’s manual and the door-pillar placard.
Compares your figures with this page’s published GVWR (3,850 lb) and the upper loaded tongue estimate (578 lb, a rule of thumb). Your vehicle’s placard and the trailer’s own weight label govern.
Loaded range: 10–15% of GVWR on the tongue, a rule of thumb, not a measurement of this unit. No truck ratings or hitch classes (why; NHTSA, DOT HS 809 433).
03 The Clipper floorplan family
Coachmen’s 2023 Clipper brochure lists 15 Clipper floorplans; every one with a printed weight has a page here.
| Floorplan | Nominal | Sleeps | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clipper 3K 14CR | 16' 6" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 3K 15CBH | 17' 10" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 3K 16CFB | 18' 6" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 3K 17CBH | 20' 5" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 3K 17CFQ | 20' 5" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 4K 162RBU | 19' 9" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 4K 18FQ | 20' 5" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 4K 18BH | 20' 5" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 4K 17MBS | 20' 5" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 4K 18BHS | 21' 6" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 4K 182DBU | 22' 3" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 6K 272RLS | 31' 10" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 6K 262BHS | 32' | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 5K 251RBS | 27' 1" | — | Catalogued · Coachmen prints its weights as TBD |
| Clipper 5K 252DBUS | 25' 6" | — | Catalogued · Coachmen prints its weights as TBD |
Coachmen’s 2023 Clipper brochure lists 15 Clipper floorplans. Every one with a printed weight has a page here.
04 Notes on this floorplan
What Coachmen does not publish for the Clipper 3K 17CFQ
Coachmen prints no tire size, sleeping capacity for this model, so none is given. Nothing is filled from a sibling model, a different model year or a dealer listing.
Read the label on the trailer
Federal rules put a load-carrying label inside every RV trailer: its unloaded weight with full propane, its cargo carrying capacity and its GVWR (49 CFR 571.110 and 571.120). Those figures come from the trailer itself and govern the towing decision.
05 How it compares
2,896 lb dry and 3,943 lb GVWR, against this model’s 2,910 lb and 3,850 lb.
3,250 lb dry and 3,880 lb GVWR, against this model’s 2,910 lb and 3,850 lb.
06 Loading it for a trip
A full 27-gallon fresh tank is about 224 lb of water (water counts as cargo: 49 CFR 571.110 S9.3.2), 24% of the Clipper 3K 17CFQ’s 940 lb cargo capacity, leaving 716 lb. Across 13 Clipper floorplans the water share runs 16% to 67%, and 6 give up more than this one. Nearest on that share: Clipper 6K 262BHS at 22% and Clipper 4K 18BHS at 45%. Your own unit’s figure is on the label inside its entry door (49 CFR 571.110 S9.3.3).
07 Where this floorplan sits
Closest sibling: the Clipper 3K 17CBH, nearest on the published figures. It differs on 4 of the 8 fields both publish (this plan first): dry weight 2,910 lb vs 2,896 lb; GVWR 3,850 lb vs 3,943 lb; cargo capacity 940 lb vs 1,047 lb; hitch weight 330 lb vs 300 lb. They match on length, fresh tank, grey tank and black tank.
| Clipper plans | This plan | Position, low to high | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| GVWR (lb) | 3,850 | 3–4 of 13 | 3,750–7,946 |
| Dry weight (lb) | 2,910 | 5 of 13 | 2,450–6,226 |
| Cargo capacity (lb) | 940 | 7 of 13 | 493–2,018 |
| Hitch weight (lb) | 330 | 3–4 of 13 | 250–946 |
| Length | 20 ft 5 in | 5–9 of 13 | 16 ft 6 in–32 ft 0 in |
| Fresh tank (gal) | 27 | 1–5 of 13 | 27–40 |
| Grey tank (gal) | 27 | 1–5 of 13 | 27–32 |
| Black tank (gal) | 27 | 1–5 of 13 | 27–32 |
Either side of it by GVWR: Clipper 3K 16CFB matches it at 3,850 lb GVWR; Clipper 4K 162RBU is 30 lb heavier (3,880 lb GVWR).
| Nearest Clipper siblings | Length | Sleeps | Dry (lb) | GVWR (lb) | CCC (lb) | Hitch (lb) | Fresh (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clipper 3K 17CFQ | 20 ft 5 in | — | 2,910 | 3,850 | 940 | 330 | 27 |
| Clipper 3K 17CBH | 20 ft 5 in | — | 2,896 | 3,943 | 1,047 | 300 | 27 |
| Clipper 3K 16CFB | 18 ft 6 in | — | 2,710 | 3,850 | 1,140 | 350 | 27 |
| Clipper 3K 15CBH | 17 ft 10 in | — | 2,540 | 3,830 | 1,290 | 330 | 27 |
| Clipper 3K 14CR | 16 ft 6 in | — | 2,450 | 3,750 | 1,300 | 250 | 27 |
| Clipper 4K 162RBU | 19 ft 9 in | — | 3,250 | 3,880 | 630 | 360 | 40 |
All 13 Clipper floorplans: Clipper line hub.
| Other lines, nearest by GVWR | GVWR (lb) | Dry (lb) | Sleeps | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clipper 3K 17CFQ | 3,850 | 2,910 | — | 20 ft 5 in |
| Jay Flight 170FQ | 3,850 | 3,060 | 4 | 21 ft 5 in |
| Sportsmen Classic 160QB | 3,850 | 3,160 | 4 | 21 ft 8 in |
| Viking 17FQ | 3,850 | 3,084 | — | 20 ft 5 in |
| Puma Camping Edition 12FBCE | 3,855 | 2,869 | — | 18 ft 6 in |
| Embrace 17BH | 3,860 | 3,080 | 6 | 20 ft 10 in |
| Ozark 1610FBLE | 3,860 | 3,014 | — | 20 ft 1 in |
Against the Clipper 3K 17CFQ: the Jay Flight 170FQ is 1 ft longer; the Sportsmen Classic 160QB is 1 ft longer.
08 Common questions about the Clipper 3K 17CFQ
How much does the Clipper 3K 17CFQ weigh?
2,910 lb dry; 3,850 lb GVWR, the most it may weigh loaded.
How much can the Clipper 3K 17CFQ carry?
940 lb, 24% of its GVWR (median across 1,416 travel trailers here: 23%). A full fresh tank uses 224 lb of it.
What is the tongue weight of the Clipper 3K 17CFQ?
330 lb as published, 11% of the dry weight (median across 2,002 travel trailers here: 12%).
What size tow vehicle does the Clipper 3K 17CFQ need?
A tow rating of at least 3,850 lb, plus payload for the loaded tongue weight, passengers and cargo.
What are the tank capacities on the Clipper 3K 17CFQ?
Fresh 27, grey 27, black 27 gallons. Off hookups, fresh water runs out first.
How long is the Clipper 3K 17CFQ?
20' 5" overall, tongue or pin box included.
From the figures above.
09 What this page publishes, and what it does not
12 of the 18 fields this catalogue tracks are published for the Clipper 3K 17CFQ. Not published: sleeps, slide count, axle count, tire specification, refrigerator, air conditioning.
Sourcing rules: methodology.
10 Manuals & documents
Sources: forestriverinc.com, library.rvusa.com (linked below); the full source note is at the foot of the page.
11 NHTSA safety record
NHTSA holds 12 recall campaigns and 9 owner complaints (model years 2005 on) against the Clipper line (a recall and a complaint are not the same thing).
Too few reports to show a pattern. 9 complaints have been filed on this line — not enough to say what fails most often. They cover unknown or other, structure, service brakes, suspension and trailer hitches.
Recall coverage here is not complete, and complaints are owners’ unverified reports (how this record is built). Check a specific VIN at NHTSA before you buy. Full tables are on the Clipper line page.