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Well we went away all prepared with instructions (thanks Ashwellgirl) and lots of tips and good wishes.

Did we get the awning up?.....................NO!!!!!!!

Got all the poles out and put them on the ground, mmmmm, not as many as we thought.  Took out the instructions supplied by Jeannie and tried to follow them. We tried this and that, looked about puzzled and scratched our heads. Unfortunately nobody came to help and there was nobody walking about that we could ask. Plenty watching from the safety of their own caravans.   Eventually we decided that there was definately at least 2 poles missing, if not more. Must admit I was a bit dissapointed that we never got it up cos it was a great dry weekend,  nice and sunny but very windy. sorry to anyone that didn't have it so good

So now we will have to find an awning that we can put up easily for weekends but be big enough for longer stays.

Lesley

Sorry to hear about your misfortunes with the awning, we practice at home first, then got to the site and realised that hubby had left 2 poles behind, he thought we didnt need them.

If we had been there, we would have come over to help.

Lesley,

Here's someone else who failed. I tried to put up our new Pyramid Tuscany awning after a long journey to Normanhurst CC near Bexhill. It was a pig getting it through awning channel, got the frame up even though one of the plastic tensioners was broken,then I couldn't zip the panels in.Must have been amusing sight to fellow caravanners when I gave up and took the partial awning down in a fit of temper.

At home, after watching the Pyramid Tuscany video for the nth time and talking to the supplier, I easily zipped up the panels at home and am now prepared to try again assuming the weather is kind and I can afford the fuel to go away.

I now agree that full awnings seem to be a spectator sport rather than a participating one.

Rob2

Aw thanks Jusy, I'm sure you would have..........I would to if I saw someone struggle.

Rob2 hope you get the weather (and the money for fuel lol) to try again........fingers crossed.

Lesley

As an observer, I reckon erecting awnings comes close to WW3 more often than we care. Also erecting tents that rely on poles. Must be the poles and how they fit together. Yet once done, we think "So why was that so difficult?".Love it!

Hi Lesley,

Sorry to hear you didn't get the awning up, what site  were you at? i'm surprised nobody came and offered to help!

Bryan

I brought a khyam motordome as I heard it was as simple as possible to use.   I tried it at Pevensey, a very windy place, but not too bad on the day.    OK going up  but fixing figure of 8 strips and pegging out very time consuming.  Taking it down I really lost it, despite looking at the video and studying the booklet before etc. In the end a large bundle of poles and fabric went into the back of the car. ( Zafira with the back seats down.)  Tried it in the back garden it got better, no watching eyes.  Third time out I still can't get it, neatly, into the bag.  The idea is a good one, hope the joints are strong.

John 

Lesley, I'm sorry you didn't manage to get your awning up - how come you had some poles missing? Had you left them at home or were they just not supplied? It's a shame nobody came to help you with it, we would have if we'd been there.

We put our caravan awning up for the first time last weekend - nobody came to help us either, but then again we probably looked like we knew what we were doing thanks to the previous owner who had colour co-ordinated all the poles and printed us a diagram and written instructions. I must admit, having all the separate zip-in panels did help, and it was a lot easier than putting up the tt awning. When we took it down again we left as many of the poles joined together as we possibly could, so it should be even easier still next time we put it up.

I think if there's one thing guaranteed to start WW3 between two normally civilised people it's putting up an awning! I hope you manage to find a suitable alternative that's easy to put up and also comes with all the poles.

The awning came with the caravan (old) when we bought it last year and we never even thought of checking the awning and poles.  Oh well, number 1 on the "must have" list is a nice new awning lol. Might just get one of those quick things, we'll have a look at the weekend.

Lesley 

Hi Lesley

I don't think that there is a quick awning for sale anywhere lol.  Sorry that you didn't get to put your awning up but hopefully you will get there with practice.  I would not have an idea of which poles go where and leave all that to dh.  I can't even tell what way round the awning goes into the rail lol.  I just help where needed or directed.  We get the kids to help holding the poles too. 

We are still new to all this really as the wind managed to bend one of our poles (off to cross camping in the morning).  The wind broke off the plastic ties at the bottom of the awning and the ground was really hard to put the pegs into.  I'm going to get a storm strap which hopefully will help with that.

Jeannie

Hi Lesley,

We managed to get ours up, did think about you guys, we did have a bonus because it was new, and i did have everything out before we went and colour coded the poles which helped loads, my husband was dead impressed! but we did struggle when it came to lining up the poles on the van, but it is amazing how many peeps just sit and watch you! but in the end i just asked this guy for a bit of advice, and when he showed us where we was going wrong it all made sense, it was easy! i say that now LOL the only problem we faced was the annexe couldnt make out how that stayed up at all! asked the guy again, dont think he really knew, but we worked it out in the end, and then can you believe it, we read the instructions!!!!! LOL

But the blessing was when the rained stopped and the sun came out!

And even better was taking it down dry with the sun shining! it was a bonus, dont know what we would have done if it had been raining!

Cant wait for the next time!

Good luck shopping for another one!

Nicola