Hi all - I have a late 1980s (not sure is she is ‘87, ‘88 or ‘89) ABI Marauder 400CT. No manual. Online databases say A measurement is 750 or 782cm. I measured it as 786.
What size of full awning would you go for? There don’t seem to be 780 or 790cm sizes. Isabella does a Ventura 750cm and listed on a sizing list online are Isabella 775 (761-785cm) and Isabella 800 (786-800). Dorema seem to do a size 6 - 775-800cm but I would prefer an Isabella(having had 2 x second porch awnings that ended up leaking I want a full awning all season awning that won’t leak and that can stay up on my pitch Apr-Oct).
I have read advice on here about going bigger and going smaller and I am totally confused. Does it matter if I am out by 10cm? Or even 20cm?
The best way to get an idea of distance is to convert the metric size to imperial so as a basic guide just take 30 cms. as being one foot in length therefore 10 cms. is about 4". It's somewhat easy to try and manipulate 4" (10 cms.) which is 2 inches either end than it is to try and lose twice that at 8" (4" either end) so you are best to go slightly bigger than 786 cms. to allow for any sloping ground from the doorway. If the ground slopes up slightly then you can adjust the poles accordingly or put ramps underneath the wheels to gain a little height but if it's the other way round then you won't have enough material for pegging out.
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Hi Tango 55
Thank you for the conversion details. I think I will either go for Dorema Size 6 (775-800) or Isabella 800 which is 786-800. My van is shorter than the modern so I am not sure what difference that will make?
The sizes you are looking at I would totally agree with. I understand your dilemma fully as our first caravan was only a very small 2 berth with an awning rail size of 770 cms. We couldn't get that range size anywhere but the nearest was a Bradcot 750 or a 780 - 800 cms. which we chose the latter to go slightly bigger. The only problem was that we always had to pull the caravan up onto a pair of ramps first in order to take up the bit of slack at each end. If we had gone for the 750 awning I know it would most definitely been too small so from personal experience I would advise to go for the sizes as you have stated.