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Terry, I get your point. And will be installing a
(approx.) 20 foot patio awing on my new old A/S as soon as I can pry it away
from the current owner . He has agreed to sell it to me but can't seem to
part with it (I wonder why???).
My SOB came with the 19 foot awing and I have
always thought it was extravagant----I realize it is essential
!!!!!.
Thanks, Noah S.
Hopewell Junction, NY
PS. I'm curious, when your awning flipped over the
trailer, were the awning arms attached to the bottom brackets or staked to the
ground?
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2000 11:25
AM
Subject: [VAC] Awning on 31'
Noah, here's another feature to consider when
you think "awning."
What may seem like a long awning on a 31' Airstream
actually measures out to around 20 feet long by about 6' wide depending on how
much downward angle you choose. That square footage shrinks very fast on a
rainy day with a picnic table under the awning and four people congregating
there. If any of those four are active children, the space shrinks even more.
With one or two other couples plus yourselves, it may be comfortable.
1 - Add another couple for a rainy afternoon game of cards or dominoes and it
becomes intimate. 2 - Add a small table for snacks and beverages so you aren't
going in and out of the Airstream all the time and that awning is barely
sufficient. 3 - With even the slightest breeze, three feet of awning on one
end is needed for keeping the rain from falling directly on your tables or
chairs.
Noah, you know the size of the awning dictates which outside
activities can occur under it, regardless of the weather. If you and your
honey like socializing outside when the sun is beating down on your Airstream
or when it a hot and muggy or is a rainy day, then you'll be glad you sprung
for that beautiful long awning. You'll soon start thinking of it as you
"buddy."
Having said this, here's one lesson I learned the hard way. I
left the awning out while we went to town for provisions. While gone, a sudden
wind came up and in spite of four tie downs, the awning was flipped over the
top of our trailer along with four ropes and awning stakes (16" long). After 6
months of ordering parts, sending them back because they were incorrect and
finally rebuilding anchor points where the hardware is connected to the
trailer, we were back in business. That was 10 years ago. Since then, I
generally roll up the awning whenever we leave for the day. Same goes for
overnight. My newly acquired weather forecasting skills (yes, we have a
barometer in the Airstream now) are getting better all the time (and, no we
haven't lost another awning - yet). My once cavalier attitude about leaving
the awning extended had one rude awakening. That was enough.
Enjoy
your long/short awning,
Terry
'77 31' Excella 500
'67 22'
Safari
=============
Thanks Charlie Burke for the
reply.
I think I've got it; --The awning must
be measured from end cap to end cap (where it joins the side skin) and a
shorter patio awning is forbidden. I guess I can't buy a smaller awning
and just throw it up there. On a 31 foot A/S we're talking long
awning.
thanks again, Noah
S.
----- Original Message -----
From:
Charlie/Betty Burke <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, June 30, 2000 8:11 PM
Subject: Re:
[VAC] Awning placement
"Noah S." wrote:
I tried to
locate an answer to the following question on Tom Patersons Web site but
couldn't find the information. An A/S that I'm looking at
will need to have an awning installed (has an awning rail). Are there specific
lengths that an awning must be, to line up with ribs or studs or whatever?
What does the top and bottom awning arm brackets attach to (just the exterior
skin)? Thanks, Noah S.
The patio awnings
must be attached at the points were the side skin is riveted to the end
segments. The measurement is made to the 1/4". The awning would have to be
custom ordered to length from any of the manufacturers. Curved hardware from
Zip Dee will fit coaches back into the Fifties. Carefree and A&E hardware
only goes back to 1969. The hardware is the part that extends from the awning
rail to the rub rail along the bottom. Window awnings need to be attach on at
least one end to a rib as indicated by the vertical line of rivets on the
side. Only Zip Dee makes curved hardware for window awnings that will work on
an Airstream.
Charlie
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