Message Forums

After second weekend, still not convinced that you can get the awning up with just 2 ave height people!

It rained all weekend took us nearly 3 hrs to erect and then still didnt look quite right,is it a good idea to take a spirit level to make sure the trailer is level before attaching the awninig?

Also how do you get the awning back into the bag , in muddy conditions etc. we ended up just folding it and putting it in the trailer before the next cloud burst!!

hiya we have just taken our trigano away for the first time after only putting it up once before it took us about 2 hours altogether from start to finish including curtains linings and cutting the new groundsheet to size so i dont think we did to bad and me and the husband arnt giants i am only 5'2 so i wouldnt panic.

the husband did level all the way round the trailer before we started erecting the awning so its probably a good idea and i had been advised off a previous post to level it all first.

when we were coming home it was throwing it down so we just left the groundsheet down and packed the awning up on it it was very wet but not muddy it was also a struggle to get in the bag and then the bag was soaking also, so just washed the bag when i got home.

hope this helps a bit good luck and i surpose with time you will get quicker i hope we do

Hi

I'm 5ft 10 and can get my Chantilly awning up on my own. Not easy, granted, but it is possible.

Yes, I use a small spirit level to get the trailer right to begin with, and then peg it out. Next I get the awning on top of the main tent, obviously with the zip next to the zip on the main tent. Usually I'd have it rolled in a kind of flat sausage about 18inch wide at this point. I do need a step to stand on of course for the apex. Then do up the zip. Then set up the poles, but keep the frame smaller than it will be in the end (lower and narrower etc). Then drag the awning material over the frame, and finally expand the frame. 

As for packing it away, I just do it on the awning groundsheet. If it's muddy I might mop the groundsheet first. Or sometimes I've used the concrete area near the motorhome service point if available. If the awning is wet I don't bother even trying to get in the bag given that it will need to be unpacked as soon as we get home anyway.

Good luck!

Hi

We level the trailer as well with a small spirit level, If its muddy we fold the canvas back over the cabin still attached, it takes a bit of folding but it keeps it clean and then we detach when we get home to dry it, when where putting it up if its a bit muddy we have a piece of tarpaulin that came with the trailer tent, we put that on the floor and put awning on that to zip on.

Awning for the chantilly is now a piece of cake for us (after 3 very traumatic practice runs). Here's how we do it:

1: erect the trailer tent bit. (about 5 mins including levelling)

2: Unfold the anwing, zip it onto the trailer tent (another 5 mins)

3: Throw the anwing onto the roof of the trailer tent (a couple of minutes)

4: Put up the awning poles, making it smaller than it should be (but leaving the kitchen bits in the bag) (about 10-15 minutes)

5: Unroll the awning onto the frame, put in the kitchen poles (about 10 minutes)

6: Stretch / Tighten the poles up (about 10 minutes)

7: Pegging down with a beer (anything up to 2 days).

For us the clincher was realising that the awning poles need to be colour coded (with insulating tape), and that you didn't bother with erecting the kitchen poles till after the awning was already resting on the main frame. Ok, still takes about an hour but that's without rushing the job. HAve fun!

Putting the awning back is also straightforward for us (now that we have a 'system') - like so:

1: unpeg everything, remove linings etc.

2: shorten the awning frame.

3: Roll the awning up towards the trailer tent

4: Take the poles down

5: Unzip the awning, let it drop neatly to the floor - should be a long sausage.

6: fold both ends  towards the middle, and repeat.

7: Fold it in half across the middle, then maybe again to get it in the bag.

(Much easier without the front doors on it also!).

Cheers!

Hi there

We forgot the spirit level on our trip, and we struggled to get things looking right all week!

OH has bought a universal levelling device like the red one on here, with a view to mounting it on the frame permanently.  Ours came from a local caravan/ camping shop.

http://www.caravanparts.co.uk/index.php?cPath=255_257

We were lucky it wasn't raining when we packed away, but we folded the awning over the car [with the boot up] .  Even without rain, it was pretty wet until it dried in the sun!  However if it's still wet when you are packing up, I guess the car could get quite mucky!

Hi barboyz

Did the pole look like this?

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/jonah177/holidays/extrapole.jpg

If so, happydad gave me some advice on the bottom of this thread:

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=10&TopicID=114915&PagePosition=1&showActive=10&ReturnPage=Active

We had our awning on top of the main unit to fit it, and it didn't seem a problem weightwise.

the short one with the rivetted hinge (about 18inches long one and 12 inches short one) is the clip on wardrobe rail for hanging your clothes on. Took us a while to work it out but that's what it's for! You'll notice on your inner lining for the awning in the wardrobe bit there are two holes for both ends of the pole to go through.

Hope that helps!