shade

[Canine]

How do ya'll mount your tarp to your van?The vans I've had in the past were mostly beaters so I just drilled holes in the gutter and ran drywall screws in.My new(to me)van is so nice I want to do a neater job on it.I am thinking maybe Velcro over the gutter or a piece of 1/2 inch cpvc with a cut out lengthwise and sewing a small rope in the tarp to slide in the pipe.Any advice greatly appreciated.Does Velcro come in white?

 

[B and C]

Velcro out in the elements would not last very long and I don't think even the industrial stuff would hold if it were very warm out.  Now the idea of a slit in PVC pipe to slide the tarp in sounds good to me.  Fasten the PVC to your roof rack if you have one.  Otherwise I am at a loss.

 

[highdesertranger]

this is another reason for a rack. that's how I attach a tarp to my truck. highdesertranger

 

[B and C]

A 4 inch PVC pipe with a slit for the tarp that is fastened to a closet rod (the wooden one in houses).  Slip the closet rod in the tube with the tarp out the slit and just roll up the tarp into the PVC pipe.  Put a cap on both ends with one having a hole drilled in it for the closet rod to stick out for rolling up.  Fasten PVC pipe to rack.  Use a small PVC pipe on the exposed edge of the tarp to pull out the tarp with and have a built in place to put legs on it to hold it up.  Homemade awning.

 

[jimindenver]

Mini C- clamps would hold tight. Multiple large binder clips would hold a lighter tarp.

 

[DreadHeadDrifter]

A 4 inch PVC pipe with a slit for the tarp that is fastened to a closet rod (the wooden one in houses).  Slip the closet rod in the tube with the tarp out the slit and just roll up the tarp into the PVC pipe.  Put a cap on both ends with one having a hole drilled in it for the closet rod to stick out for rolling up.  Fasten PVC pipe to rack.  Use a small PVC pipe on the exposed edge of the tarp to pull out the tarp with and have a built in place to put legs on it to hold it up.  Homemade awning.

So smart, I am going to use this idea and post results when I finish! Thanks!

 

[eDJ_]

This is how I tackled it with my "low top" van.  It is page 4 of my web site at the bottom of this post.

Just a couple of ladder racks some large "Eye" bolts, a long piece of electricians conduit with large
washers welded/brazed toward the ends.  Holes are drilled about every 6 inches apart to fasten
the tarp to the conduit tube.  The other steps were just small refinements.

http://vanconversion.homestead.com/page4.html

This system worked well for me.

 

[SternWake]

I have some awning track the length of my fiberglass roof:

 http://www.sailrite.com/Awning-Track-Flanged-White-48#


While I have the special awning rope which slides in nicely, I found that bending a tarp over a thin plastic hose worked nicely too.

I used to camp frequently on the bluff over the ocean in Baja, Gusty winds common.  The C clamps in the roof gutters shredded the paint, but were effective at holding the tarp in place.

The awning track was was superior and weather tight.

 

[B and C]

So smart, I am going to use this idea and post results when I finish! Thanks!

You will need a couple of bungee cords or straps to keep it from unfurling.

 

[highdesertranger]

since we are talking tarps. here's a hint, in windy areas don't mount your tarps rigidly, use heavy bungee cords on all mounting points this allows the tarp to flex with the wind the stronger the wind the more important this is. highdesertranger

 

[BigT]

I use a length of galvanized conduit with hooks to attach a tarp to, then use the standard poles with ropes to the ground for support.  Once I flip the shower-tube and mount it to the top of the rack's crossbars, I'll simply move the shower-tube inboard a few inches and mount the conduit further out from the ABS water tank (swap their mounting locations on the crossbars).  

I thought about the ABS/PVC pipe with a spool inside of it, but that's a lot of work and would mean the tarp would be dedicated to shade duty only, and I like my accessories to pull double-duty (be able to use them for other things).  When my tarp isn't being used for an awning/shade, I like to use it to cover anything I don't want to get wet, like my bunk when I'm changing out of my wet kayaking gear.  

 

[SternWake]

since we are talking tarps.  here's a hint,  in windy areas don't mount your tarps rigidly,  use heavy bungee cords on all mounting points this allows the tarp to flex with the wind the stronger the wind the more important this is.  highdesertranger

My strategy In baja's 45 to 50mph gusts was absolutely no movement allowed.  A little momentum is a dangerous thing.

My guy lines were tight as guitar strings and so was the tarp.  The weak link was the suspension allowing the van to rock.  I would hammer lengths of wood under the side of the van from ground to frame.  Adjustments would be required as tarps stretched.

I get annoyed with a tarp flapping back and forth in the wind,  Its kind of like a puppy whimpering or a baby crying to my easily irritated brain, and pulling the tarp so tightly reduced the flapping except during the height of the gusting.

Some areas required some flex, and sometimes the hook of a bungee it just too convenient.
I used to build hollow wood surfboards on the bluff over the beach down there.  Park for 3 weeks and not move.

Effing tweekers ruined it.

 

[accrete]

our current rig has a Fiama F45 10ft awning on the curb side. We only erect the awning with the included legs-to-ground, vs bringing them over to the curb side of van to the awning mounts at waist level. We also do not anchor the legs down (we put a long ~12" tent stake about 2" into ground so the legs can ride vertically). We've found that in our typical PNW river-side winds (gusts to ~25 or so) the legs will lift a few inches and relieve the stress. That said, if things get really crazy we roll it back in. I've seen awnings ripped off the sides of RVs. Not a pretty site.

Thom

 

[Almost There]

Accrete - couple of questions about your Fiamma!

Do the legs fold up in to the awning or are they attached to the awning mounts on the side of the van while the awning is rolled up? I ask because there is no place to put the front awning mount on the van - the doors don't have a space between them like the older vans did/do. I need an awning where the legs are stored in the awning when it's rolled up.

And the other question is - would the Fiamma mount tight against the fiberglass top on my van or does it mount so that there's a gap between the awning and the body of the vehicle?

 

[SoulRaven]

I use a 10 x 20 EZ-UP style canopy with the wind proof vented top. I have the leg extenders to make it tall enough for my van to park it underneath. I anchor it with either corkscrew or T-bar anchors depending on the terrain. I also have all of the windowed sidewalls, but rarely use them unless I need extra wind break protection.

I prefer this set up because it shades the whole top, and the south side of my van. I can also drive in and out while leaving it up.

With the vented top, I have never had any wind issues with it, even at Burning Man. The vented top seems to be the key feature.

 

[accrete]

Accrete - couple of questions about your Fiamma!

Do the legs fold up in to the awning...

...or does it mount so that there's a gap between the awning and the body of the vehicle?

: )
THX for the Qs.

As far as I know all fiama awnings have built in legs that fold up inside the front aluminum housing that retracts toward the main housing. Real easy to get legs set up/down.

On our fiberine top there is a slight curve if looking down from above. So then in order to mount the awning van specialties mounted the awning with SS bolts/washers through 4" x 4" x 1/2" mount.

 

[akrvbob]

I prefer shade cloth to a tarp and wind is a virtual non-issue. The only time I use a tarp is for rain in the Forests in the summer.
Bob

 

[66788]

+1 on the shade cloth. I use 90% and it handles the wind just fine. I have stainless steel eye bolts with large area fender washers on both sides of the fiberglass, 1/4" holes drilled in the side of my high top. Works great.

 

[WriterMs]

I'd love to have something attached, but I'm way too worried about a hole in my very high top roof. I am going to work on a partial and temporary shade maybe attached to some points on the former wheel-chair-lift doors. I did without any last year but was no further south than central NM then, and there were almost always trees to sit under in my camp chair.

 

[SoulRaven]

When awnings aren't convenient, and shade isn't available, if you park right, you can sit outside and use your own van for shade too.