We tried our Trigano oceane 315 for the first time this weekend. To say it was a bit stressful at the beginning was an understatement. We booked 2 nights at riverside in southport as a test weekend as it should only be 50 minutes away. We managed to set off about 6.30pm friday, first of all the m6 was blocked and then i went the wrong way (trying to follow the sat nav!). We ended up getting there at 8pm the stress was starting to build only 1 hr of daylight left!.
We got our pitch, hardstanding!, I then wondered which way round to pitch as there were no other trailertents around only caravans with awnings, so i decided to setup so that the awning would be the same way as the caravans. I got the trailer section leveled and setup (thats the easy bit!) then tried to put pegs in the corners. Its a bit difficult to put normal pegs into hard standing (stress level rising!)I managed to get some pegs in and thought i'd better get on with the awning. Started to zip the awning on,but needed a bit of help from my wife lisa, She had taken the kids (3 & 5yr old) to the playground, but i couldn't see them (stress level rising a bit more! and getting darker)a few minutes later they arrived they had been looking at the site. Manage to put the awning canvas over the bedrooms now to put the poles up.
Followed the diagram and after 20 mins of huffing & puffing had the poles up, pulled the awning over and then set about puting some more pegs in the hardstanding after a few bent pegs i managed to get enough in so that it would be ok for the night. By this time it was dark and the kids were tired, wingey and wanted to go in the tent, but we still had to unload the car set the beds up, set the cooker up and put the lights on. We finally finished about 10.15pm. Both of us we a bit stressed lisa said the tent can go back on ebay when we get back home. What a good start to trailer tenting !.
Then we found out that we had forgot pillows and lisa can't sleep without pillows. Good job i had by laptop & internet found a 24hr tesco 20 mins away. Went there bought 4 pillows & got back about 11:45pm and then went to bed.
It was good that we had an sun most of the weekend. The kids had a really good time and the tent was excellent. Taking it down was a bit easier (not many pegs in !) took me about an hour to take the tent down and pack it in the trailer ( made a mistake of not moving the seat cushions to start with and so it didn't look right when folded, but soon sorted.
With stress levels back to normal the tent is not going on ebay. We have a week booked at stanwix end of may and a week at sunnyvale tenby in july.
I think i've learned to try and get to site with plenty of time to setup and i need to get different pegs for hard standing !
Our first time was just as stressful, and we gave ourselves plenty of time. Don't worry, it gets easier and the tent looks better and better every time. You will soon get the hang of it. Try folding the awning over the bedroom area before you fold the bedrooms up. This means you only need to put the poles up and pull the awning over them. Do this with the legs bent at the joint and the bedroom at half height. We then straighten the poles and lift the bedroom to full height. This saves you zipping the awning on and off every time.
This works for our Cabanon, though not tried putting it up on hard standing.
Lol...two hours for two people would be about right for the first time you put a TT up, so I think you did quite well, really! At least you got it up in the end!
Next time though try to get a grass pitch...not everyone quite understands that TTs need pegged out more fully than caravan awnings, and you're lucky it wasn't a windy weekend if you weren't properly pegged out. Also buy yourself a set of rock pegs for stoney ground and hardstanding...they're not cheap, but better than having to pay to repair a wind-damaged TT and pay the physio bills for your wrecked back.
Big smile on my face reading your post.Nothing gets the stress up and the blood boiling like your first time out.Imagine how boring your post would have been if you had done it in 45 mins and remembered the pillows.
Glad it eventually worked out for you........... nightmare eh!
Were going out for our first time in 2 weeks, Im dreading putting the thing up too, I know we'll enjoy TT but its the unpacking/erecting that I will be dreading , especially if its raining............. doesn't bare thinking about.
Oh and thanks for reminding me about the pillows!!
Gawd, I'm getting worried now. trying to convince OH to get a folding camper (Pennine probably). Are they as difficult to put up?
woody
No there are no pegs on the main unit so they go fine on hardstanding. First time is always a nightmare which is why you need a practice run close to home.
We have had our rock pegs for years and they are worth the money, they last for ever.
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You always manage to forget something! We've used our tt quite a few times now, and we always take our duvet.(the kids have sleeping bags). Last september weekend we booked a long weekend at Loch Lomond. Off we went, got all set up and realised around 6pm that I'd forgotten our duvet. Now we were only an hour from home and could have gone back for it- but didn't, we managed with the extra blankets I keep in the tt and two of the kids sleeping bags zipped together. We did the same for the kids, we weren't as warm as we would have been with the duvet, but we all still had fun. Won't forget my duvet again though, learn't my lesson.
I had a raclet, and as you say it is great fun in them(when its dry) but when its in heavy rain thats a different kettle of fish, putting it up is one thing, putting it away wet is something else, so after a few years of british weather I've swapped it for a freedom microlite sport, much easier on the stress levels.
Oh simcom your post sounds so familiar - and you are not alone.
The first time is always the worst but it does get better and every time you set up it will get a little easier as you learn from your mistakes - promise!
OH and I still argue but once we are set up and with a glass of wine in hand we soon settle back into harmony and manage to laugh about it.
Hope you enjoy your future holidays - we went to Tenby last bank holiday and it was brilliant!
Our first time was on the first BH in May.. took us all afternoon to setup our Sunncamp 400SE! - I had a pole the wrong way round in the trailer so the hole to hook the awning to was the wrong side! - so had to swap that round... and wind almost took the entire canvas off!!! - was all good fun though! - and we got there in the end... Im hopeful ill be quicker on my next trip!- though have to wait to July for that !
But don't even get me started on those little button spring clips !!! (sore fingers!)
Taking it down was a experience as the one thing I was dreading happened!! - It poured down with rain all night on our last night, and also into the next day - so we had to pack down wet... that was an experience...! - but I think I got it right... I took all the curtains and sheets off first... and when I got home luckilly the rain had gone and it was sunny - thankfully I have a big drive.. so managed to put the whole thing back up - (awning in all) to leave to dry properly before packing away again!!!
By the end of the day I was shattered!!! - but at least now Ive had plenty of practice in putting up and taking the thing down!! and I know its waterproof lol
We got given our first trailer tent - a (now) 32 yo Raclet. We still have it...
The time to put it up fell drastically between, say, the first and 3rd times. Some tips we found were:
Zip the awning to the canvas in advance and fold it back. Makes everything MUCH easier!
Make sure before you go that all your awning pole springs are pulled nice and tight (you can do that by fiddling about with a coathanger and a bit of string) so the frame holds together well.
Chill! If the traffic is horrid and the light is going, just get the cabin up and the beds made. You can always put up the awning and unpack the car tommorow!
Put all the tent pegs in relatively lightly initially so when the inevitable moment comes when you realise you have put one in the wrong place you can pull it out with no hassle.
Wear those uber strong gardening gloves to put pegs in. They will save you blisters and give a small amount of protection when you accidentally hit your hand with the mallet.
Just remember - if you are having a hard time the family turning up with a normal tent are going to have it harder still. TT is a bit tricky to errect and you do get quicker with practice. But once it is up you have really comfy beds and a very sturdy waterproof shelter, plus loads of space. When i was in my TT, job 1 was get lekky working and plug in the fridge. Job 2 was pour a beer!! Job 3 was worry about putting up TT. if it took 20 mins COOL!! If it took 3 hours and a few more cold beers EVEN COOLER!!! Our family saying is "you cannot rush camping" Remember this and you will have alot of fun
Our 1st trip a few weeks ago we only went 50 min up the road, wify didnt get home untill 5:45pm so we charged off and got 20 min up the road and rememderd i didnt put the frozen bbq food in. So back we went trying to swing round with the tt on was a pain in rush hour.. Got to the site at 7:30 as it was the 1st time and the TT destructions not that good it was put up about 9:45 so wify started the bbq in the dark every thing was burnt as burnt can be 10:45 i put the last peg in.. so with the air red we went to bed..
On the sunday we paid £6 pound to stay till 6 as we had inlaws visiting, about 3pm we could see the dark cloud coming our way so we quickly packed the car but as soon as we started packing the TT away the rain came and every one and the TT was soaked inside and out...
Just hope we dried it out ok....
But its some thing we will have to get used to.. after all it was a nice relaxing break and to sleep on beds instead of the ground was great..
The Tudor Caravan & Camping park was fantastic not a bed word to say. Owners very good and allways on hand.. Swans and Ducks doing a fly past.. only thing that bloody duck out side the TT at about 6am every morning was nearly in the duck al-orange....
Post last edited on 17/05/2008 10:54:04
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Cabanon Neptune DL TT.. Wet Wet Wet Wet Wet Wet.
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Topic: First time in our new TT
but when its in heavy rain thats a different kettle of fish
, putting it up is one thing, putting it away wet is something else
, so after a few years of british weather I've swapped it for a freedom microlite sport
, much easier on the stress levels.
!
