Have just bought a secondhand Conway Countryman (2010) with an awning. Had previously seen the camper itself erected and set this up on a site with no problems, BUT erecting the awning seems more complex. We ended up with the detachable panels having "spare" zips at the bottom (two extra usually) and one zip came off completely! As faar as I can see it is necessary to have TWO zips together at each side of the openings and then attach the opening protion of the awning into BOTH of these zips at the same time - seems very awkward or am I getting things totally wrong. All answers gratefully received and also any ideas of whether it is easier to store the awning fully "assembled" so as not to have this problem in the future.
been there and had the same problems just take your time and look at the job it will come all together pick a nice day with no threat of rain and try not shouting at the wife good luck and let us know how you get on
Yes you will need to put the 2 zip ends together, and it can be awkward. This is so that you are able to partially open the zip out panels for extra ventilation, or even have a verandah pole between 2 poles and drape the awning over. As Peter says it will become more obvious as you put it together next time. Think most of us have been there at some stage. My OH is hopeless with zips and always struggles!!
If you leave the awning fully assembled it will be very heavy when putting up, but the best way to tell if you are able to do this is to give it a go.
And there was me thinking everything else was so easy on the Countryman that I MUST be doing something wrong! Well thank you both for the help and encouragement - just got to go back out in the searing heat to attempt the remaining side so that I can drop the top of that one as well.
Hi bit puzzled by your description , do you mean the zips by the entrance door if so thenthe front zip is for the awning and the rear for the all around skirt hope this of some help, happy camping GB
Also a bit puzzled. We have countryman 2010. There are several zip ends but you put one at each side of the panel.. We pack our awning with the panels out as it makes it easier to put up and take down. Have bought another awning bag to store them separately. Been out with it 3 times so far and done the awning differently each time!! However we have found it easier each time and less bad language. Off to france with it on sunday so hope time will be even quicker. Keep practising and have fun.
the zips should ZIP UP from either side and meet in the middle ,this then makes it easy to use a verandah pole or just to open a top triangle to vent air .this applies to ALL awnings so it should be standard practise .
What had confused us was the fact that there were FOUR zips in total for each "section", originally we only used one each side to close the section but now having got all four in place it is as said possible to open the top half as a "stable door" or open a side or the bottom while keeping the rest closed. Clever system and as we found easiest to connect the zips BEFORE positioning the poles as then there is a little play in the "canvas" to allow two zips each side to be slid in at once.
Interested in the mention of a verandah pole, quite what is this and where can you get one from?
as in the link it connects two legs of the awning poles to drop your side onto ,i got lightweight alloy ones from a caravan shop for the grand total of £13 .always check out caravan shops when passing as you can get some cracking bargains ,next job is replacing steel poles with fibreglass ones