Awning Idea

[Kansafornia]

This past weekend I camped with a buddy who owns a truck camper (not Alaskan brand). We took our trucks/campers to Brannan Island in the NorCal delta. After one-too-many Bulleit's Ryes on the rocks... it occurred to me that I needed to approach the whole awning question from another angle.

Whereas *most* awnings are designed like roller shades, and that solution would definitely work on my Alaskan setup, I got to thinking about the way I designed my Alaskan's top racks: fabricated risers with hollow metal poles perpendicular to the camper. The idea literally struck me when we were discussing painting (spray and rollers). Why not simply extend those rack poles in some way and make an awning span that extension? The best solution I could come up with was to use aluminum extendable painter poles (which I had several lying about the shop).

So here's my initial "design cut" on that theme. I plan to use a cotterless pin to secure the pole-in-pole while the extendable system allows for a 48" up to a 96" awning.

Would love your feedback, insights, and suggestions. I

Note: I've not had an awning on a camper as yet and want to be sure to design-in things that'd make it sturdier more usable. Looking forward to your suggestions.

 

[Kansafornia]

 

[Kansafornia]

 

[Bos_Trok]

I have owned plenty and been under many more awnings over the years, mostly for rain, sometimes for sun. One thing I will point out is that the higher the awning is from where you are, the smaller a shadow it will cast. That looks too high for good shade, and also you will have a huge gap between the camper and awning for wind and rain to come through.

I think the best and easiest place for an awning on the side of an Alaskan is under the side windows, the bottom of the top, so to speak. It is pretty easy to do with screw on awning rail. Perfect time to install is when you are replacing the outer perelli seals. I purchased a front wall for an ARB roll up style awning, and it has the keder strip that slides right into this awning rail. This, with a couple poles and some guy lines makes for a easily portable awning, and you don't have to have any bulky thing hanging off the side of your rig.

Favorite awning ever for me is the Dragon Fly Tarp Haku van awning. It is absolutely huge, comes with really tall poles, nice adjustable guy lines with elastic, and has 4-5 places you can put the poles and lines so it can be configured many different ways. A buddy of mine has this and he has left it up in some very windy and stormy weather and its very solid and quiet. I would love to have one, and it would slide right into my rails, but they are out of my budget.

Anyway, love the camper, Keep up the good work and thanks for the post. Any awning is better than none!

 

[Kansafornia]

Thx Bos! I very much appreciate the feedback.

I've considered the awning height, and... didn't want to put holes in my Alaskan's skin sufficiently high to make an OTS awning useful. Nevertheless, I love your idea to install the bracket as the aluminum 'keeper' for the perelli seals. Exceptional suggestion. In fact, I'll likely use that when I change out the seals this Spring. However (there's always a 'however', right?)

I checked my camper today and using that method - although eminently more weather worthy (sun or rain) - would mean I couldn't stand up under the awning. Just over 74", the lower awning means I can't walk under the awning without bending over. Nevertheless, I like the idea and will likely incorporate it in my 'final solution'.

Btw, that "Dragon Fly Tarp Haku van awning" looks absolutely killer. Like you, that may be an addition to save up for.

Again, HUGE thanks for the feedback. I bought my '63 NCO Alaskan a year ago August and am just getting her out and about this Fall. Our few outings so far have been spectacular leading me to focus on the various 'upgrades'. Thx again!

 

[Bos_Trok]

Awning update. I had been working on making my own version of the "Haku" for a bit and am pretty happy with what I ended up with.

I used a Big Agnes Deep Creek Large tarp, and sewed the keder piping strip to the back side. This is a really big tarp and can be used with as little as 2 poles and tiedowns and as many as 6 poles and 9 tiedowns for a multitude of combinations depending on how big and how open you want it to be. Used it in some stormy weather, and left it up multiple nights with no problems. The back side is about 10' long, but its not a problem to have it hang a little out past the keder rail.

 

[Vic Harder]

Ahhh, tarps. That looks like a nice big one, and a HUGE rain gathering system. How do you intend to keep the middle from filling up and creating a lake? During our tenting years, I discovered that using a long rope between two trees to make the "Apex" higher and building an "a-frame" vs a "flat roof" tarp was way drier underneath with far fewer unexected waterfalls off the sides.

 

[buckland]

On a rain soaked evening those waterfall dumps are always a big, sudden, surprising spectacle (after a few beers) that liven up the crowd!

 

[Vic Harder]

Anybody for a cold shower? Brrrrr

 

[Bos_Trok]

Ahhh, tarps. That looks like a nice big one, and a HUGE rain gathering system. How do you intend to keep the middle from filling up and creating a lake? During our tenting years, I discovered that using a long rope between two trees to make the "Apex" higher and building an "a-frame" vs a "flat roof" tarp was way drier underneath with far fewer unexected waterfalls off the sides.

Hi Vic, Thanks for the tip.

This one has a nice reinforcement right in the middle that I can put a pole against to make a peak. That, with the 9 tiedown points around the periphery, I can control the flow of water quite well. No fountain into the sleeve here. 2 rainy nights down without issue.

Where I live, seems like I camp more in the rain than out of it, played the awning/tarp/pop-up game many, many times, I feel like I must be getting pretty good. Learned with broken poles, middle of the night surprise collapses, things banging on the side of the camper, accidental showers, muddy grounds, wet sleeves, you name it!

Here it is the next night with a little more aggressive tie down actions for water drainage.