Annex setup and packup time

[Macca_75]

G'Day all,

After the Melbourne Caravan show I think I have Mrs Macca_75 onboard for an Annexe for our longer stays.

She is concerned about the setup and packup time (coming from a camper trailer background tis was our #1 hate bar none).

1 sales guy said it was a 20 minute exercise to setup an annex (we forgot to ask how long to pull it back down). Another said his annex took 10 minutes.

We have the 20.64.1 OB with a 17' awning. What is peoples experience (in terms of time) around putting 3 walls up? We already put a mat down and have recently purchased (but are yet to use) AFK with 2 curved spreaders.

Thanks in advance.

 

[bigcol]

not sure of the length of mine (16.49.1) but

yeah, it only takes about 10-20 mins to fit 2 x short ends, and 2 x short sides

with Australia Wide Annexes, the sides are in 2 pieces, as it gets awfully heavy and awkward to put up such a long side

yes, putting it down is sometimes slightly longer (depending on the wind, for rolling it up) sometimes not

if we will be 2 or more days in 1 spot - the annex comes, if not, just the shade sail ones

 

[WHHEMI]

Between 20 and 30 minutes to set up, then the same or a bit longer to pack up, we have a 17.55.8 OB and have only used our annex 2 times in 18 months, one was to make sure it fitted, I wouldn't bother with one again and would only set up if we where staying for a week or more and the weather was don't be rude.

 

[chartrock]

We did not get one for the Journey as we had it for our Expanda and used it once. Most of our vanning is touring, never staying long in one spot so we find the AFK, & long side shade is more than adequate but if bad weather we will tie a tarp to the AFK on end, depending on weather directions.

 

[Dobbie]

About 30 minutes to put up and a bit more to pack it away.

You do get better with practice but the longer time to pack up is often affected by weather conditions and the size of the bag the pieces have to fit in.

If it's been wet, it takes longer so we put up the car awning and do the "fold it and roll it" bit under that and on the matting, if possible.

One issue, when it's wet, is the need to dry it out as soon as possible so that adds to the time.

They're great if you're staying in the one place for more than a few days but a shorter stay? No.

We use the lighter shade pieces...much easier and lighter and ours are custom made so AFK is needed. That's a 10 minute job and they're easier to dry out after rain.

 

[1DayIll]

We have an annexe with our 16-49-1 we have used twice and one of those was because we had it and I was determined to use it. Not sure I would ever bother buying one again. For me it is not even the 20-30 minutes but the fact that if you are on a slab you cannot peg it down. Also there is an issue that there are so many uneven sites around that it is hard to get it to sit properly. i would buy a side shade if anything but have not really looked into it. We have an Aussie Traveler so not the standard fit.

 

[dagree]

Got the setup for our annexe down to 20 minutes approximately (Depending on drinks and chatting with neighbours ) Original setup to try it out at home was over an hour in between taking pics!
Pack up time depends on whether we fold it up properly (If dry) or if it just gets rolled up and placed on the shower floor when wet.

Same as most we only put it up for stays longer than a weekend. Shade walls are used for shorter stays.

 

[SkinnyBuddah]

After having three vans with annexes I'd say don't bother. Have used ours only a few times and have them up and down in twenty minutes.

That said they hardly get used and stay home most of the time. Next van in going with shade walls instead. Less weight and a lot quicker to put up and down. If the weather is that rubbish even with the annexe I've never sat in it anyway

 

[Drover]

Unless you really need to have a tent on your van, I wouldn't bother with the things....ours stays in the shed, too heavy...shade screens do a better job, takes about 20 mins..............just take up so much room.

 

[davemc]

We have one for both of our vans for longer stays adds a whole extra room
The 22.68 we have two side walls and front and back as 19 foot awning.
If I leaving the awning up for a few days I put the AFK and curved rafters up anyway so its just the walls to slide on and peg out.
I say 30 mins setup and 45 to pack up.. Longer to pack up as we have to fold up the walls to fit the bags
Always do one wrong
I normally do the pack up the afternoon before we go.. Or depending on rain before that.
Yes we use for longer stays only. Shorter stays I rather pull out and roll in the awning if I do not want to do AFK.

The other thing I got which helps is one of those TXP squeezebox ladders.
http://www.txp.com.au/squeeze-box-ladders

 

[mbr37746]

Long stays, and they have to be over a week it's worth every bit of the 45 mins to set up (includes beer time) and about 20 mins to pack up. Otherwise just the shade walls like everyone else.

 

[relgate]

Time.
Maximum 20 mins to set up and 20 mins to pack up.

Ours is awesome for a week long stay. It comes in so handy through different weatjer conditions and with 3 kids plus hangers on it is essential for the extra room during rain or when the mozzies come out

 

[Dandy]

We have aTebbs (made in Dandenong) for our 17.56.2 the end walls are 2 piece and so it's pretty easy to slide the top sections into the anti flap kits then zip the bottom portion on. Because we have an outback I bought a ladder. I set mine up in about 20 mins with no probs. My mate has a 16.49.1 and he was surprised how easy ours was compared to his. It is great to put all the furniture out of sight when you leave the site and we found it really useful to have a protected dry area for boots etc.

We also got a door in the back wall for easy access on different sites. It cost a little more but well worth it when we back on to the ensuite. Have the same issue with some slabs I have been thinking of some way to run a strip of something along the bottom of the walls to hold them down. The other little project for the future is to fit exterior lights outside the area covered by the annexe... Hopefully motion detectors for security an late night pit stops.

 

[Dean Anderson]

We had one for our first van with two extension ends. Lots of space when packing and really heavy....Second van didn't bother, only used the privacy mesh from the first van. Next van which will hopefully be here in about 6 weeks we will be getting privacy screens only. But the intention is to get Velcro sewn on the corners and a couple corner pieces made to enclose the ends. Might even get a zip sewn into one end for a door. And maybe a piece of solid vinyl up at the corner for when the rain is a bit blowy, and maybe some eyelets at the top so I can put a tarp over it when inclement weather does hit???

Such is the drama of what to do with the outside. Never ending if only if only...

 

[WHHEMI]

We had one for our first van with two extension ends. Lots of space when packing and really heavy....Second van didn't bother, only used the privacy mesh from the first van. Next van which will hopefully be here in about 6 weeks we will be getting privacy screens only. But the intention is to get Velcro sewn on the corners and a couple corner pieces made to enclose the ends. Might even get a zip sewn into one end for a door. And maybe a piece of solid vinyl up at the corner for when the rain is a bit blowy, and maybe some eyelets at the top so I can put a tarp over it when inclement weather does hit???

Such is the drama of what to do with the outside. Never ending if only if only...

Sounds like you need an annex.

 

[Macca_75]

We have aTebbs (made in Dandenong) for our 17.56.2 the end walls are 2 piece and so it's pretty easy to slide the top sections into the anti flap kits then zip the bottom portion on. Because we have an outback I bought a ladder. I set mine up in about 20 mins with no probs. My mate has a 16.49.1 and he was surprised how easy ours was compared to his. It is great to put all the furniture out of sight when you leave the site and we found it really useful to have a protected dry area for boots etc.

We also got a door in the back wall for easy access on different sites. It cost a little more but well worth it when we back on to the ensuite. Have the same issue with some slabs I have been thinking of some way to run a strip of something along the bottom of the walls to hold them down. The other little project for the future is to fit exterior lights outside the area covered by the annexe... Hopefully motion detectors for security an late night pit stops.

mate uses cheap battery powered sensor lights for this. easy mod. Just make sure you get ones rated for outdoor use.

 

[Dogger]

I had an annex on last van which didn't take long to set up but on my new van I said we wouldn't worry about one. But by the time I put anti-flap kit and rafter bars and on longer stays the shade walls side and rear I might as well be putting up an annex.

 

[Drover]

Know what you mean @Dogger , this trip I have found it easier if the wind starts to get up I just roll it up and have been leaving the bars and AFK in their tube.............................

 

[Macca_75]

I had an annex on last van which didn't take long to set up but on my new van I said we wouldn't worry about one. But by the time I put anti-flap kit and rafter bars and on longer stays the shade walls side and rear I might as well be putting up an annex.

I was thinking the AFK would take as long as the annexe itself. I know feeding the privacy screen into the sail track doesn't take long. so that x 4 and a little bit of velcro....

 

[Dean Anderson]

@WHHEMI I need the thing in my mind that takes up no space and does everything...The opposite to me really I take up lots of space and do nothing....Just ask my better half....