I have just bought a 2 berth 13' ABI Award Dawnstar it will probably be used for long weekends and at most a week at a time. The question is porch or awning.
We go away for long periods at a time and use a Isabella Magnum which is larger than ordinary porch but smaller than full awning and have no problem. You can get similar sizes with Bradcot, Dorema and Ventura etc.
Hi bobmel, I have small porch awning for my compass lynx 340/2 13ft. I found it took up to much time 15- 20 min to set up for one or two days, presume full awning would take a lot more time, on a site last season watched a couple take down a full 15-16ft awning the day before they were leaving, they took out all the equipment in it, unsipped all the front and side pannels,ground sheet,rolled them up, tied them up and stored them away, it took them over 1 1/2 hours, for me thats 1 1/2 hours of a trip wasted,unless awning is realy required, certainly I would not do it for two day stay, to each his own.
------------- If everything runs smoothly then I must have done something wrong
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We have a porch and full awning and the porch has never been out since we bought the full awning. Once you know how to put the full awning up without instructions it's up in no time at all and down even quicker so well worth it for the extra space.
Hi BoB, you may find it hard to get porch awning that will fit your 13ft van, that will not cover half the side window, I measured from rear awning rail, to edge of side window to give me the max width that i could go to,smallest one i could find was 6inches to wide, and dose obstruct the window, you may have bigger distance between door and side window, if i needed full awning, i would need to go to the compass company for it, as my van is bigger at rear and slopes to front of van, good luck in your search.
------------- If everything runs smoothly then I must have done something wrong
If in Doubt Check it Out.
Quote: Originally posted by JackieandSteve on 19/1/2011
We have a porch and full awning and the porch has never been out since we bought the full awning. Once you know how to put the full awning up without instructions it's up in no time at all and down even quicker so well worth it for the extra space.
Agreed! I have a Dorema porch awning, used once and quite frankly it was a pain. Even though the poles have been colour coded it took far longer to put it up than it takes for the full awning - and to take a full awning down takes no time at all.
------------- Tigermouse
I have a very temperamental personality - 50% temper and 50% mental
Taking any awning down doesn't take long - its the packing of it.
One of the problems of buying a full awning is that if you come to change your van you end up with an awning that can't be used with the new van. Unless you go out and buy a van the same size. For weekends a lightweight porch goes up by far the fastest and the weight saving is good. Its handy for shoes etc.
We have both and find that the full awning stays at home. The Porch gives just the two of us as much room as we need, but the big thing is that it takes up so much less room in the car, and is lighter, so we can take other gear with us.
Phil
------------- If you're not on a fell your wasting your feet and for 2014 it's.......Feb Castleton Mar North Yors Moors; Apr Sutton on Sea; May Thirsk; Jun Clapham/Riverside (Lakes); July Wharfedale; August Crakehall; Sept Knaresborough; Oct Wirral Park/Clitheroe
Just to add a complication; why not buy a good quality SH awning, which can be converted to a "combi" awning.
Sort of a 3/4 size one. An annexe can be fitted to one side if more room is needed. Have a look at NR Awnings web site to get more info.
Think we will be doing this next time, as the small porches can be too small, and may cover a window, but the full ones can be a faff, and are heavy.
A 13' van is not that long really so the difference in size regarding a full awning and porch awning won't be much different actually. However, I'm not keen on porch awnings at all myself especially on smaller caravans for several reasons. Not only do they normally come half way accross the side window but there always seems to be a problem with sealing draughts between the porch awning and caravan which are completely impossible to eliminate. I have also seen in a minority of cases whereby the edging has slighly scored the caravan side not to the delight of the owners I can say. With a full awning there's no problems in encroaching the window, no unsightly marks left behind on the caravan wall, draughts get excluded all the way round and if it gets windy the full awning is more robust than a porch awning. For me it's a either a full awning or nothing but it all depends on the length of time I am staying on the site for.
We have a part awning and a full awning. We love sitting in the awning for breakfast and to chat once the children in bed so with or without the children a porch awning would be too small for us and our Lafumas - especially at times like Easter when the sun is shining but its just a bit too chilly to be fully outside (although I hear this year will be a scorcher ). Our full awning will still get used - all the panels zip out so it was great to use it just as a sun canopy in Italy last year & we hope to be able to do the same in France this year too!
Cheers everybody. Being a caravan novice the replies havee given me a lot to think about. Porch covering part of the window, draught down the side and especially the size of the van, 13'! I think a light weight awning is the way to go. Hey ho back to Ebay.
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Topic: Full awning or porch
). Our full awning will still get used - all the panels zip out so it was great to use it just as a sun canopy in Italy last year & we hope to be able to do the same in France this year too!
