Awning ??

Janeyb69
Janeyb69 Forum Participant Posts: 16

Well we got the awning out today in the garden, just to see how hard it was going to be to put it up at the weekend. OMG talk about complicated!  DH says it will be fine we will see lol, think i might be knocking on some doors lol

Comments

  • G Cherokee
    G Cherokee Forum Participant Posts: 402
    100 Comments
    edited September 2016 #2

    Hi Janey, 

    Yes, daunting, but a couple of times and you`ll be ok, I colour coded my poles with different coloured insulation tape, and after the third time I`ve ignored it!!

    Happy

  • Settermum
    Settermum Forum Participant Posts: 127
    First Comment
    edited September 2016 #3

    We did the same as you, had a practice go on the drive before we used our full awning which came with the caravan 3 years ago. Up till now we had never had it out of the bag. You'll be surprised at how much help it's been just to have that tiny bit of experience.
    It will be so worthwhile once it's up. Had we known just how brilliant a full awning is, we'd never have bought our Kampa air pro. Good luck, take your time and no falling out. Wink

  • Kerry Watkins
    Kerry Watkins Forum Participant Posts: 325
    100 Comments
    edited September 2016 #4

    As we store our caravan at a farm, we tried putting the awning up there. It took for ever first off trying to find out where everything goes. Marking the poles is also a good idea as previously mentioned. The more practice you have the better it will be.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited September 2016 #5

    have a practice with the poles to see what goes where before you fit them inside the awning. That's when you can mark them with coloured tape if you wish

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited September 2016 #6

    Putting up complicated awnings have always been a stress to me, to counter it I bought a Kampa rally 380(if I remember right) it is the 'idiots guide to awnings' simple & quick-20mins tops on my own. It's a holiday-why struggle?, engineer all the probs from
    your HolsHappy

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited September 2016 #7

    Putting up complicated awnings have always been a stress to me, to counter it I bought a Kampa rally 380(if I remember right) it is the 'idiots guide to awnings' simple & quick-20mins tops on my own. It's a holiday-why struggle?, engineer all the probs from your HolsHappy

    Strangely, putting up the awning has never been the classic 'divorce in a bag' for us, though we have now just bought a Kampa 400 air awning for our 'new' caravan. So far it's had a practice run on our drive ....... it'll have it's first proper run this week Happy

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
    1000 Comments
    edited September 2016 #8

    Putting up complicated awnings have always been a stress to me, to counter it I bought a Kampa rally 380(if I remember right) it is the 'idiots guide to awnings' simple & quick-20mins tops on my own. It's a holiday-why struggle?, engineer all the probs from
    your HolsHappy

    Strangely, putting up the awning has never been the classic 'divorce in a bag' for us, though we have now just bought a Kampa 400 air awning for our 'new' caravan. So far it's had a practice run on our drive ....... it'll have it's first proper run this
    week Happy

    It was never a divorce thing for me either MM, I was solely in charge of the awning-hence the 'idiots guide to awnings' choiceLaughingLaughing

  • Janeyb69
    Janeyb69 Forum Participant Posts: 16
    edited September 2016 #9

    Thanks we took some pictures of the poles etc so hopefully that will be a help !  Is a air awning a blow up one? A friend recently brought a blow up awning and said it was great

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited September 2016 #10

     ....  Is a air awning a blow up one? 

    yes. I'll you know in a few days after we've trialled ours for the first time. Laughing

  • PStokes
    PStokes Forum Participant Posts: 10
    edited September 2016 #11

    I found that putting up an awning for the first (its an air one) was easy until it came to pegging out there were no instructions as to which angle the guy ropes needed to go and there seemed to be three skirts in places that didn't seem to want to go anywhere special, and what are those ladder things all about?

    Biggest issue was going three rounds with it tryingto get the thing back in its bag.  Other than that it was great!  Oh almost forgot, the puny tent pegs it came with were a waste of time, got some big ones and big hammer now.

  • Trini
    Trini Forum Participant Posts: 429
    edited September 2016 #12

    When we do use our full awning, I alwyas pause before opening the bag and apologise first then start to wrestle the damn thing (awning not the wife).

  • Richard12
    Richard12 Forum Participant Posts: 112
    100 Comments
    edited September 2016 #13

    Janey, If I can give a few words of advice. I don't know if you intend in future to use grass or hard standing pitches but we carry two types of pegs. The plastic ones that come with the awning and the same amount of metal pegs (they look like 6" nails)
    for hard standings. Purchase a cheap claw hammer, don't bother with the rubber mallet. Best of luck 

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited September 2016 #14

     .... Biggest issue was going three rounds with it tryingto get the thing back in its bag.  Other than that it was great!  ....

    I just gave up earlier & slung the whole thing in the back of my car ..... it was still wet so didn't see the in argueing with it when it had to be dried out. Currently attached to my caravan drying in the sun. Laughing

  • Trini
    Trini Forum Participant Posts: 429
    edited September 2016 #15

    Re Packing the awning: May I suggest rather than what seems to be the norm ie duffle bag type for packig it away, look at the long zipped bag Isabella use then it is easy to 'roll' the folded awning into the bag and then zip it away.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited September 2016 #16

     ...., look at the long zipped bag Isabella use then it is easy to 'roll' the folded awning into the bag and then zip it away.

    That's what my Kampa came in ... I'd just run out of patience Wink

  • IamtheGaitor
    IamtheGaitor Forum Participant Posts: 529
    edited September 2016 #17

    Our awning - porch only - just gets stuffed in a bin bag. Job done.

     

  • Boff
    Boff Forum Participant Posts: 1,742
    1000 Comments
    edited September 2016 #18

    Regarding awning bags my wife found a bag designed to take two lafuma chairs in a bargain bin a few years ago. Not only does the awning canopy fit easily in it  It also fits on floor of the car and the dogs fit on top of it genius. 

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
    1000 Comments
    edited September 2016 #19

    Janey, If I can give a few words of advice. I don't know if you intend in future to use grass or hard standing pitches but we carry two types of pegs. The plastic ones that come with the awning and the same amount of metal pegs (they look like 6" nails)
    for hard standings. Purchase a cheap claw hammer, don't bother with the rubber mallet. Best of luck 

    Yep. Decent steel claw hammer and also makes removing pegs a a doddle using leverage as when removing nails. I USE 9'' PEGS THOUGH.

  • kaenergas
    kaenergas Forum Participant Posts: 171
    edited September 2016 #20

    Packing away the awning I have two bags one for the roof the other for the panels, helps protect panels, cuts down on weight to pick up and carry about 

  • ocsid
    ocsid Forum Participant Posts: 1,395
    1000 Comments
    edited September 2016 #21

    Some very useful information can be gleaned from watching Isabella You tube videos. 

    Google: "Isabella awning videos" to find the type of awning you need to study. If yours is another make these still give you an insight into the general techniques needed.

    With those featuring a centre ridge pole, that with its upright going in first is an important point to note.

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,666 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2016 #22

    We bought a Thule Omnistore wind out awning with our new van in June.  The roof winds out with a handle and you add the sides and front to make a fully enclosed awning.  For our 7 weeks in Germany, France and Italy, we just used the roof.  We didn't bother
    with the awning at all for our 5 nights in Cornwall last week and we only have two nights away this week at Wareham Forest, so we still haven't put the sides in.  No doubt it will be good viewing when we eventally try!!!    

    David 

  • Astro76
    Astro76 Forum Participant Posts: 62
    edited September 2016 #23

    I've just booked my first weekend away in my new caravan.  The whole purpose of the weekend is to make sure that I can pitch the van properly. I'm hoping that the weather will be good (i.e. not raining)  so that I can spend the day, practicing setting up
    the awning and taking it down again.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,638
    1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited September 2016 #24

    Hope the weather turns out fine for you, Astro, and that you manage to erect the awing without too many problems. If you should struggle don't be afraid to ask for a hand as most members will be only too pleased to help.

  • Janeyb69
    Janeyb69 Forum Participant Posts: 16
    edited September 2016 #25

    Arrived home today from a wonderful week in Dorset and the awning went up like a dream, no problems at all, although the weather has been good so we only used it for storage really.  Now planning our next adventure

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,666 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2016 #26

    We bought a Thule Omnistore wind out awning with our new van in June.  The roof winds out with a handle and you add the sides and front to make a fully enclosed awning.  For our 7 weeks in Germany, France and Italy, we just used the roof.  We didn't bother
    with the awning at all for our 5 nights in Cornwall last week and we only have two nights away this week at Wareham Forest, so we still haven't put the sides in.  No doubt it will be good viewing when we eventally try!!!    

    David 

    We were going to put in the sides of our awning today up at the storeage, but unfortunately it was a little too windy so we decided against it.  Weather is looking  ether next Wednesday.  We'll see!!!

    David 

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
    1000 Comments
    edited September 2016 #27

    We had ideal weather for putting our awning up on Friday after our return fom Chipping Sodbury. It was sunny, reasonably cool with no wind.

    I always think the worst weather for putting the awning up is when there's a combination of wind and rain.