So I have a 10 yr old Andorra, I've just put it up in garden for a practice, and my friends, equipped with non canvas tunnel tents, have smirked a bit and told me I'd better buy stuff and spray it or it won't be watertight? Is that true? What do I need to do. It's ten years old and looks like new, do they lose their watertightness?
Thanks, again, in advance
Claire
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Don't waterproof it yet, only way to find out if it needs waterproofing is to hose it down, let it dry then hose it down again and see if there's any leaks. If not doesn't need doing, if it does then it does!
Oh ok, simple as that? Must admit it took the wind out if my sails as I was really pleased with it but everyone seems to think it's a 70's relic! I will hose it today and see what occurs
Thanks
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Hold your head high you are now the owner of the finest make of tent in Europe - nay - the world.
Don't worry about water proofness, when it rains you may at first feel a fine mist but the fabric soaks up the water and the weave swells making the tent water proof.
If you like to see the water bead on the surface of the material and run off get some Fabsail but it probable will not need it.
Also remember nothing must touch the insides of the tent in wet weather as this will allow the water to penetrate through the canvas.
And then when the wind is blowing there nylon kites with bendy poles around the field you can smile and snigger.
Not that I have any tent preferance you understand.
------------- As I've told my psychiatrist, you can't have too many tents.
We aquired a new to us Andorra a few weks ago. Possibly even older than the one you have but in lovely condition. We pitched it in the garden and then soaked - I really mean soaked! - it a number of times. We let it dry out inbetween soakings. The canvas looked quite wet, certainly not water beading on the surface, however it was absolutely dry on the inside. We were about to pack it up when we were faced with daily lashings of rain so due to weather it had a few more soakings before we were able to pack it up again. It was lovely to stand in the house watching water run down the sides of the tent in the knowledge that all was dry inside.
As for your friends, they have not seen the light!! We have come full circle with tents having started life with a trailer tent with Cabanon canvas. We've done nylon/polyester and now returned to proper canvas!
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Quote: Originally posted by Clb192 on 22/7/2011Oh ok, simple as that? Must admit it took the wind out if my sails as I was really pleased with it but everyone seems to think it's a 70's relic! I will hose it today and see what occurs
Thanks
Ignore your friends!
I don't own a canvas tent but I can tell you that frame tents are considered very chique amongst many campers these days and the older the better. Also, isnt it wonderful to look at the tent and think about all the happy Summers that a family have spent in her over the years?
Great purchase and enjoy your "new" tent even when all the polyester tents are being blown away in a gale***... see who has the last laugh then.
***Hopefully not my tent though!lol
P.S. Post up some pics of her when she is pitched, we all get a little butterfly in our stomachs when we see someones new frame tent pitched! Sad but true!
------------- (Quechua popup addict!)
Planned for next year, hopefully!
Summer Solstice wild camp.
Chilled in a Field, July.
Crantock, August. Fouth year with the fantastic Quechua Base Seconds 4.2!
..... and the odd night wild camping in my Argos 1 man tent...
Ahh yes, we have friends like this too "why do you have that old tent and a big trailer" but at the first sign of wet and nasty weather it's our tent everyone is huddled inside of and everyone is happy to have cold beer out of our fridge and drink coffee made in our stove top perculator!
Ignore your friends, you've got a wonderful tent and once you've used it you'll wonder why you were worried about what they say!
If by chance it does leak when you hose it, let it dry and give it a good brush off with a soft brush, dirt can stop the fibres swelling properly.
Sitting here in our 10 year old Athena in beutiful Cornish weather. It also looks like new, it's taken some bad weather, never needed waterproofing and it's watertight. We got it last year and best purchase we ever made. Just opened up the front wall ans side door and it's just lovely sitting in the cool shade .. our polyester tents would be a nightmare in this.
Enjoy your Andorra.
------------- Christine
2014
April -
BunRoy Fort William 3 sleeps
April / May
Invercaimbe Arisaig 4 sleeps
Bleatarn Brampton tbc July
Thanks, everyone, you've cheered me up, it shouldn't really matter what others think anyway should it! For our budget and being newbies it seemed a good deal, I have wet it but not soaked it, felt nervous :/ , will do it again over weekend.
I will post a photo too,
Thanks again
Don't forget to leave a review of all tents you've used, for a chance to win fantastic prizes
Quote: Originally posted by Clb192 on 22/7/2011Thanks, everyone, you've cheered me up, it shouldn't really matter what others think anyway should it! For our budget and being newbies it seemed a good deal, I have wet it but not soaked it, felt nervous :/ , will do it again over weekend.
I will post a photo too,
Thanks again
Yay! You should be chuffed to bits with your tent and seriously... wait till you see how many other tents cope (or not!) with storms compared to your cotton tent.
Your Cabanon will also be cooler that polyester tents on hot days too, as the fabric "breaths".
Win, win scenario basically!!
Look forward to seeing the photos!
------------- (Quechua popup addict!)
Planned for next year, hopefully!
Summer Solstice wild camp.
Chilled in a Field, July.
Crantock, August. Fouth year with the fantastic Quechua Base Seconds 4.2!
..... and the odd night wild camping in my Argos 1 man tent...
In almost 20 years of camping using our own equipment we have only had 3 tents (and the present one is a straight replacement for a "fire damaged" tent), otherwise it would have been 2 . All 3 have been Cabanon. We had a frame tent, Elzas if I remember right and now have a Biscaya.
Never had a leak or any kind of a problem with bad weather including horrendous storms and strong winds, so second the comments made by other posters, when other "modern" tents are getting blown all over the place you will be nice and comfy. See whose laughing then.
Just a point on raf48's comment re the coated fabric on the roof. If yours has that you can get some condensation as the fabric is not breathable. Used to use a chamois to wipe down occasionally and it was fine. Don't get that with the Biscaya as it is completely breathable and we have never had condensation in any conditions.
A second hand Cabanon if it is in good condition is still far superior to most new tents. Enjoy it!!
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Topic: My new (to me) cabanon
