Errecting an Awning for the first time!
We have only just bought our first caravan & only done two short trips to Edinburgh with it, we bought a second hand awning & took it with us on our second trip. After a lot of blood, sweat & tears (Close to a divorce) This also included some select words which can't be repeated, we eventually got the Awning errected, I thought I had done a good job, my wife was not so sure! several poeple went past & we noticed some were taking a second look, so I have included a photograph for your opinion. The photograph was taken by my son in law because when I told him about our errection experience my daugter & him came over for a look & when they stopped crying with laughter, he took this picture & has been sending it & showing it to everyone since, so I thought I would share this with you all, as I am sure there are many stories like mine, just to put the records straight I am too old to let this embarrass me.
Comments
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OK I've dried the tears & stopped rolling about the floor. Looks like awning is much too big for the van. Your handbook should give you the correct length of awning to match, then you can measure the bead length. There are sailmakers who will shorten this
by cutting out some of the canvas but I believe that it is limitted to about 0.5 metres. Why have you got the roof pole down so low ? It is usually set slightly above the level of the top of the window, there may be info in the handbook indicating some strengthened
spots on the side of the van so aim for those., I can't help thinking that you will always have some sort of problem there due to the slope on the front of the van. Have you thought of a lightweight (half tunnel) porch which runs along the straight part of
the roof & much easier to handle? Mind you they are not really suitable for extreme weather conditions but then again neither is a full cloth awning!0 -
this sounds a familiar story we have been caravaning now for 2 years and still end up fighting with said awning.
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Yes I thought the picture would get some response, the person that sold me the awning said it was 810 but it seems it is an 850. The caravan book said awning size should be 811, as one of the comments said the shape of caravan could be the problem as my
son in law adjusted it & it was a lot better, watch out for my next update when we travel next!0 -
Ok - I've stopped laughing now. Were you putting it up on a caravan club site? Usually you'll find other members or wardens will help if you don't know what you're doing!!
It's always a source of amusment watching newbes trying to sort out their awning!!0 -
You are making our attempts look like we are professionals, .... joking, I fully sympathise with you, whe we bought our first full size awning last year, we took it to a quiet site, in October at the end of the season, we jhad just purchased it brand new,
and needed to test it out, as would be packing the van away for winter, it was blowing a gale, which was maybe just as well, as it swallowed up the blue words coming from both husband and myself, we gave much amusement to others, it banged and clanked all
night (even with storm straps), and we duly took it all down and packed it away next morning, we have since been more succesful with it....... and then my Aunt and Uncle (seasoned caravanners) offered us an Isabella Porch awning, for a grand sum of £30, and
can honestly say we will probably end up selling the full one next year, as this is ideal for our needs, just being a couple with two dogs, this story did make me laugh so much though, thank you0 -
what a funny but a true story. We have just gone back to caravanning after 20 years off and about to embark on our first trip away this weekend to practice with the awning!!!. Im sure ours will be a similer story.
thanks for sharing yours with us and making us realise 'its not just us'
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We too are back to caravanning after a 7 year break. We had a full awning with our old van but never used it as such, just used it as a sun shade when we were on the continent. I eventually sold it. We bought one of the first sunncamp awnings that came out, we used that far more, its first outing being to a rally in Derbyshire where the site was ankle deep in mud, putting any awning up was like mud wrestling!! How ever the porch awning was so easy and quick to erect and many of our fellow carvanners came to ask us about it. We have just bought another sunncamp awning to go on our new van which we collect in 2 weeks time. We have booked a local site to take it for a try out, and will put the awning up on the second day we are there, should be fun!!
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Just read your story funny that we have this all to come .Same caravan i think.Swift challenger sport .Going on our virgin voyage 18th april with a dorema awning. Hope it dont end in the big D.
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