Caravan awning usage.

[Andy Zarse]

oblio said:

ColinM50 said:

...I love it when newbies put up their awnings for the first time. I get out my lounger, grab a large glass of wine or a beer and sit and watch the fun...

You are not alone in this

It is great free entertainment when on site.

We love watching tuggers set up: from when they first try and park up (caravan movers are cheating btw)to all the phaff with pipes, water barrels etc and then the cherry on the top...the awning. Great fun

Seriously though: great advice given on here - read the instructions and also see if there is a YouTube video on it as well which you can watch/download and take with you. The more times you do it the easier it becomes.

Its not much fun in the rain though. I don't bother until it stops tbh

Enjoy

Likewise I enjoy lounging in a chair by my shed whilst watching motor-homos having to pack everything away when they want to pop out of the site for an evening out. And then, just as they're about to set off, red-faced with the strain, we jump into our car and race past their wheezing converted diesel delivery van, tooting and pipping and to arrive at the local pub first. Then we go to the bar to get a cold one and watch the hilarity of the poor fools trying to park their behemoth in a country lane.

Imagine all the palava, I just don't know how you motor-homo folk put up with it!

[oblio]

Simple...

We don't move the MH when on site; use sites that are walkable to pubs/restaurants; and have a whacking great fridge full of beer, wine etc...so no need to move!

pip pip!

[Deerfoot]

Andy Zarse said:

motor-homos

[Rosscow]

Deerfoot said:

Andy Zarse said:

motor-homos

Have one from me, as well

[hornetrider]

oblio said:

Simple...

We don't move the MH when on site; use sites that are walkable to pubs/restaurants; and have a whacking great fridge full of beer, wine etc...so no need to move!

pip pip!

That's interesting. So you root yourselves pretty much to the site you are staying at? You don't go and visit stuff in the local area?

Shame.

[Rosscow]

hornetrider said:

That's interesting. So you root yourselves pretty much to the site you are staying at? You don't go and visit stuff in the local area?

Shame.

We have a guy who works for us like this. He bought a brand new £57,000 Swift motor home last year (to replace the one he bought for £38,000 2 years before) and they only go to sites that have a bus stop or train station within easy walking distance. I can't understand the logic. More money than sense (although he's got it on 10 year HP!!!!).

[Andy Zarse]

oblio said:

Simple...

We don't move the MH when on site; use sites that are walkable to pubs/restaurants; and have a whacking great fridge full of beer, wine etc...so no need to move!

pip pip!

What's the point of that then? You don't want to explore the locality? What if you've driven two days to the Dordogne or similar, do you then just sit there on the site? You don't want to visit the castles and markets and restaurants and festivals? If so, you're missing the best part of it. Genuionely baffled!

[oblio]

hornetrider said:

That's interesting. So you root yourselves pretty much to the site you are staying at? You don't go and visit stuff in the local area?

Shame.

No I didn't say that did I?

We see stuff on the way and on the way to the next site. We don't have to stay on sites for too long as we are more mobile...from parking to cuppa in minutes.

Also there are bicycles too if required

Loads of fresh air - much better than going everywhere by car

[PRTVR]

durbster said:

We used to use a campervan and also took great delight in watching couples fall out while setting up their caravans.

When we added child and dog we bought a caravan and became that couple. I can see why they call them divorce-in-a-bag

We bought our awning second hand and I didn't even know there were instructions until after we'd put it up the first time. I tried following the instructions for the second go until after an hour and a half I worked out that the poles on the instructions were different to the poles we had.

The poles were also marked with coloured tape... incorrectly.

And they had numbered stickers on which also didn't match anything.

I wonder whether the seller did it deliberately just to be a bd (and I might do the same when we sell it on)...

We're about to replace it with an inflatable one. Less setting up means more holiday.

If you do it correctly you can still provide plenty of entertainment with a air awning, I am new to caravaning and decided to get a Kampa 330 air pro for the very reason you mentioned, we purchased the awning a few months ago, read the instructions watched you tube planned to do a dry run, but ended up just taking it away with us,
So ended up in the lake district with it starting to rain and decided to put it up,

First thing it's a good idea to take the instructions with you, mine were on the coffee table at home, this made things worse as my memory is not that good,

No internet on the site and no phone signal, so unable to download anything,

but how difficult can it be, run it along the rail pump it up, easy,

Ran it along the rail then went to pump it up, now the rain is getting heavier, get the pump out, comes with a few connections none fit, finds two other connections on the awning, just the same no fit, oh yes it's still raining and cold, surrounding caravaners are on to their second cup of tea enjoying the show,

Decided just to hold the pump end on to the valve ( I was using the drain valve to pump it up) so eventually got it pumped up,
Then it was just a matter of pegging it out with confusing guy lines and none standard peg points (well to me anyway)
so don't discount the pleasure that can be had for others from an air awning.

[PH5121]

Rosscow said:

I'd also be keeping my eye on the one above, if you could get that for around £130 including postage I'd get that one.

It sold for £289.00. Still a saving as a new one is £399.00.

[Rosscow]

PH5121 said:

Rosscow said:

I'd also be keeping my eye on the one above, if you could get that for around £130 including postage I'd get that one.

It sold for £289.00. Still a saving as a new one is £399.00.

Christ, that went for a lot more than I thought it would. So the one for £185 was a good price - too late?

[PH5121]

The £185 one was for a Rally not a Pro which is the cheaper thinner material.

I have ordered a new Rally 330 this morning from my local caravan dealer with additional monsoon poles and an extra tie down kit for £270, so they have given me a bit of discount.