Places to visit

South West

France

Saint-Emilion

• Tips from a seasoned caravaner's misfortunes

Before leaving home, storage or holiday base, Don't forget:-

• Make sure you have a full set of caravan keys with you.
• Check that the hand brake is fully released
• Try the lights including brake lights
• Make sure the breakaway cable is connected
• Don't leave the corner steady brace behind
• Check that the tyres air pressure are correct
• Load the spare wheel, suitable jack and wheel brace
• Secure all windows and roof lights
• Make sure you have the awning pegs onboard
• Make sure you have gas

On route

• Take care on roundabouts road junctions and corners as the caravan will take up extra road width to normal.
• Take care not to "cut up" other motorists when returning to the near side lane.
• Hold the car/caravan steady when large vehicles overtake as this can cause a pulling sensation.

Setting Up

• Many sites insist on the A frame of the caravan be positioned facing the road as an evacuation measure. Check as repositioning after the awning is erected is not much fun
• If you are free to choose you site position take note of where the sun goes down to be blessed with pleasant evenings
• When lowering the corner steadies unwind until firmly on the ground, then reverse wind very slightly to relieve any tension in the brass or alloy bushes. Replacement of these bushes is not a very nice job and requires two people to achieve it.
• Plastic pads are available from most caravan parts centres when when attached to the corner steadies give an increased footprint

Awnings

• Use WD 40 or similar spray lubricant to lubricate the awning retaining channeling on the caravan before commencing procedure.

1. Attach and position awning fabric to caravan
2. Commence pole erection from the centre support(s).
3. Attach the first roof pole to the caravan
4. Fit the short external "fringe" pole to the roof pole.
5. Do not tension the poles at this stage
6. Fit leg pole to roof pole
7. Fit side pole to roof pole.
8. Repeat procedure for each subsequent set of poles
9. Tension roof and leg poles after completion of the framework
10. Peg each panel to the ground using plastic pegs on soft ground and metal spicks for hard surface.

This procedure can be adapted to suit most awnings and should help to take some of the mystique out of awning erection

Places to visit

South West

France