Is it new year yet? Then I can tell the kids we're going camping later this year which sounds so much better than when our 4yearold asks -are we camping soon- and I have to say not till next year.......
Anyway, I put up our Auckland 8birth by myself, ok, the kids -help- by holding this bit or that. It is pretty easy. (Hubby tends to arrive from work just as the kettle boils!)
1. Lay out main canopy. All front zips should be closed, preferably put the groundsheet out first as you may need to kneel on the canopy and it can get muddy or torn easily.
2. Take the (is it 3 or 4?) larger poles and thread them across the centre of the canopy hooking thru the top loop. It looks like a flat spiders web!
3. DO NOT FORGET to hook in the little parachute top cover, its great watching a person who forget this till the tent's up! (so my mate? told me!)
4. Feed one of the pins (look at them if there are 3, put the middle one in, think where the other poles/pins will go) at one end into a pole, keep the tension on and go to the other end, put the opposite pin in. OK this sounds easy and when you get the knack it does get easier, but you'll probably cuss a fair few times to begin with. As you do this the pole will bow, if you have a helper, encourage them to pop inside the tent to push the pole UP in the middle.
5. Repeat stage 4 for the remaining large poles.
6. If it hasn't been windy you can start pegging these pole ends down by their rings. If it is windy you will have needed to peg them down as you have done them, be prepared to reposition them as often as you need to, it's easier than catching a fly-away tent. If the wind is getting up you may consider pegging out the guy-lines that come off of the main dome.
7. Happy with the shape, having repositioned the pole-rings and pegged them down move on to the pods. Feed the remaining 3 poles carefully through the feeder tubes. Put the pins in the ends of the pod poles . The pods are not designed very well and have far too much fabric to peg out in shape properly! Persevere, you can get a reasonably good shape with a bit of practice. Pull out the rest of the guys and peg them out, the pod guys tend to be better straight out.
8. Hang the bedrooms but take care, as the pods are not too good, the bedrooms need to be hoiked inwards by about 6 inches more than you really think, otherwise the outer canopy will sag in the damp morning / rain and touch the inner bedrooms then you’ll suffer soggy beds Yuk!
9. Now put the groundsheet in over the tension tapes, (I have invested £1 in a pack of flat groundsheet pegs) play with the groundsheet I tend to put it about 6” short of the walls to stop rain running down the outer canopy straight onto it.
I’ll leave you to it now, wish you luck and happy camping. We have loved our Auckland 8, though we are now looking to upgrade after nearly 3 years of faithful service. Enjoy!
P.S. I recommend Ibex camping just off the A1 at the black cat roundabout too, Ian and Rebecca could not be more enthusiastic and helpful!
P.P.S Apologies for the ramblings, but I am new to this site and am overwhelmed by the great tips and comments by so many enthusiastic people!!! Can't wait for better tent weather!!!
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 MammaT
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Topic: erecting auckland 8
