Hi, we used to have a Conway Corniche and we left the awning on when packing away and it was fine we used to roll it up carefully then when it was all rolled up on top of the tent we used to unzip it so the zip didn't break.
I have a Conway Camargue, and I always leave the awning and awning extension zipped on to save time both packing up and pitching the tent.
To fold it up, I leave the front door fully unzipped, unhook the canvas from the front pole arch then with one person on each side, we walk the awning canvas back over the still fully erected cabin until it`s folded fully back at the zip. Then we walk the canvas forwards again til it`s folded parallel to the back of the cabin. (It won`t be particularly neat, but it`s good enough.)
Next we unhook the awning poles, unpeg the cabin ,fold in the bed boards and close the cabin poles down. Then we fold the cabin canvas up onto the roof....long sides first, then the short sides. We end up with a neat(ish) rectangular parcel of canvas balanced across the cabin roof. Then we uncouple the arch poles and fold the cabin down as normal.
There is quite a weight of canvas on top during this manuvere so it really needs two people to do it, working in parallel when shutting the cabin poles down. This is of particular importance when uncoupling the arch poles..you need one person at each end, just so the weight isn`t held on one arch pole. Same with putting it up again...needs two. But apart from this point, it`s very simple.
The other thing to watch out for is that none of the edges of the parcel of canvas stray into the hinges whilst folding the cabin shut. Push the long edges in to the centre by about six inches. The final shut cabin may look a tad lumpy in the middle but it will be fine. Our TT has very seldom had the awning canvas unzipped. (We bought it from friends who had it from new, so we know.)It saves quite a bit of time and a lot of wear and tear on the zips.
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