newbie

[DavidD]

Hi all.

I'm new to caravans and just bought our firt one.

Its a compass 440 echo 4 berth with an awning.

We went on our first short holiday in it the other week and the bug has bitten and we cant wait to go again now

cheers

Dave

 

[Louise_374462998]

Hi David

We picked up our new caravan yesterday and are going away Saturday for first time. I cannot wait, I'm a bit worried though that I'm going to forget everything I have been told!

 

[Mel]

Of course you are going to forget everything! But fear not there will be someone on site who can help. Go and ask, it'll be OK. Have a lovely time

mel

 

[DavidD]

Of course you are going to forget everything! But fear not there will be someone on site who can help. Go and ask, it'll be OK. Have a lovely time

mel

I was like that too, i had to put the awning up and i did not have a clue how it went lol, but i see it as a learning curve, we all have to start some were and learn as we go

 

[DavidD]

I was like that too, i had to put the awning up and i did not have a clue how it went lol, but i see it as a learning curve, we all have to start some were and learn as we go

 

[Louise_374462998]

I'm dreading putting the awning up. We are only going for one night to test it all out. We have shipped the dog and kids off for the night. I don't want them seeing other half and I getting violent with eachother!!!! All I have heard are horror stories. It would be nice to hear someone say, "it's really easy to put the awning up", even if they are lying!

 

[Gagakev]

Louise

You may have been done this already but if you haven't here'e a tip.

I have used different colour insulating tape to colour code the end 's of the pole's. Used one colour for the roof bar's, one for the leg's and another colour for the front bar's. When I arrive on site I lay all the pole's out on the ground in front of the awning and select each one as required.

Hope this helps

Kev

 

[Mel]

Louise. It's really easy to put an awning up.

No, I'm lying. It's flippin difficult. First off, when you arrive concentrate on sorting the van out first. If there are just two of you it is quite possible to manage without an awning. Then have lunch, have a cup of tea and a sit down. Only when you are fully refreshed start the awning. Give yourself plenty of time and remember that you love your husband. Awning rage is very common and generally subsides once you get the cork out of the bottle.

Hold onto the idea that you are doing this for fun.

mel

 

[James_374408700]

Also it helps if you transfer all the money from your Joint account into your personal account ! LoL.

Jim

 

[DavidD]

It is quite easy, it can be funny if you let it and don't get wound up doing it.

We got ours up in the end only to realise a few hours later that we had the front poles wrong lol, but it was soon put right.

I would say take your time putting it up and don't let it wind you up, we had quite a laugh putting ours up, holding one end the realising the pole you need is at the wrong end so you let go and it falls down lmao

 

[Heethers]

Louise , we bought a new awning last year took us 3 hours at Sandringham in June to erect it, got their in the end.

Sat their having my carling with my darling feeling well chuffed, until my darling said now that's how you put an awning up, looked across to the other pitch, one bloke on is own putting up the same size awning has mine 1000 cm on his bloody own, timed him 55 minutes, she said what do you say to that. Yeh but he didn't have an expert whispering in me ear that doesn't go their and you do that first, no wonder it took 3 hours, mind you having watched him for the whole time he took to put it up it took me only 1 hour 15 minutes the next time, might have had something to do with the gag l place over my darlings mouth (only joking she's star really)

Conclusion

Doesn't matter how long it takes you will get better every time you erect it as you soon find out which goes where and in what order.

NigelH

Ps going to Scarborough next week hopefully will do it on my own in 55 minute, erh! him me dreams.

 

[Nigel_374454310]

AWNING !! We call it an ARGUMENT IN A BAG ! YOu get quicker every time BUT still manage to get the same amount of arguing in a shorter space of time !! When the awning comes out, our kids grab the dog and run for the hills !

 

[RickStevens]

We put our fisrt awning up a couple of weeks ago. It took us 3 hours, in the end a rather nice old guy from a pitch nearby gave us some help. It wasnt until he turned up that we realised we were folling the wrong instructions. The awning came with 2 sets, one for the smaller sizes and one for the large size. Doh!

On the bright side though, it comes down a lot faster lol

Rick

 

[Louise_374462998]

Thank you to everyone for all your tips on how to put an awning up and how not to kill your other half!!! We managed to put it up in 45 minutes! I was pretty shocked, I kept thinking there must be something we haven't done and it is all going to full down in a minute. There were a couple of times when my lovely other asked me to pass him something or other and I just stared at him wondering what he was talking about, I got there in the end though, only a few blonde moments! All in all, a successful first time caravanning experience. I cannot wait to go again now.

 

[carol_374470575]

Hello, we have just bought our first caravan a 95' Elddis Typoon we are completely new to this and cant wait to go away for our first trip.

we have never towed, set up an awning , we know nothing about connecting mains and water etc etc any advice will be gratefully accepted

thanks

Carol & James

 

[carol_374470575]

Hello, we have just bought our first caravan a 95' Elddis Typoon we are completely new to this and cant wait to go away for our first trip.

we have never towed, set up an awning , we know nothing about connecting mains and water etc etc any advice will be gratefully accepted

thanks

Carol & James

Hmmnnn perhaps i put this message in the wrong place!!!

 

[Louise_374462998]

Thank you everyone for all your help and advice on how to put the awning up and not end up killing each other, it was all very much appreciated. We managed to get the whole thing up in about 45 mins, I kept thinking we must have missed something vital and the whole thing would end up collapsing on us!! I did have a couple of blonde moments when 'he who knows everything' asked me to pass him things and I just stared blankly at him and then to all the bits and pieces spread out in front of me, with me thinking what the heck is he talking about, he just gave me 'the look', but we got there in the end. So, all in all one very successful first caravanning experience and we cannot wait to go again.

 

[Pat_374304630]

Hi Louise & family.

Greetings and welcome to the caravan world. By the way 45 mins is good for a first attempt. It will definately get quicker and easier each time you put it up ( sorry, I will refrase that ). It will get quicker & easier each time you put the awning up.