Had a ‘light bulb moment’ today

[Purrfecttune]

Although it’s probably really obvious to all the ‘old hands’ out there.

Our fifth winter since buying our motorhome and the dreaded time has arrived again to put the full cover on our Swift Escape 674.

In previous years we have tried laying it out on the drive and:
Pulling it on from the side by throwing the straps over the top with me pushing it with the supplied poles while Julie pulls the straps.
Two of us pulling it on by the sides, sliding it up the bonnet /windscreen and pushing with the poles (a bit easier)
Parking next to our raised patio and standing on blocks for extra height to push it on to the roof from the side with the poles and pulling the straps
However we tried, it was always blooming difficult.

So today, we approached with trepidation and a lightweight ladder in case it might help.

As I walked towards it with the (lightweight) cover rolled up on my shoulder I suddenly thought: ‘what if use the ladder to continue upwards and drop the rolled up cover on the back of the roof, and then unroll it?’

It all worked soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo effortlessly!

Using the ladder in two more places I completely unrolled the cover from back to front the right way round, (purely by coincidence, will check next time!) and using the poles, pushed all but the nearest edge from one side to the other.
Then I simply walked round and pulled it down on all sides, easily a one-man-job and took no more than 10 - 15 minutes.

How come I didn’t think of that before, D’oh!

 

[pappajohn]

It's a bit of rain and snow.....why bother.
A quick roof wash in spring and that's yer lot.

 

[Mikey RV]

Easier to not cover it. Covers can scratch or rub paintwork with them moving in the wind etc.

 

[fishplug]

They're great little moments aren't they?

I've been doing an event for probably 10 years now where we cater for a bunch of bikers. One of the pieces of equipment used is an ex-British Army field cooker. Big heavy lump of steel with legs and a fold out table. Brilliant if basic and built so survive a direct bombing!

The gas hose connects to the front and is in a really awkward position where you can only get a quarter of a turn with the spanner and then really annoyingly have to flip the spanner round 180º for the next quarter turn...

Well, this year we managed to get set up ahead of time so we weren't rushing so much and I looked at the cooker and realised that I could simply lift the pot stand part off and have full unimpeded access to the gas hose. Took 1min instead of 15...

Obvious now, but wasn't until the lightbulb moment

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

Although it’s probably really obvious to all the ‘old hands’ out there.

Our fifth winter since buying our motorhome and the dreaded time has arrived again to put the full cover on our Swift Escape 674.

In previous years we have tried laying it out on the drive and:
Pulling it on from the side by throwing the straps over the top with me pushing it with the supplied poles while Julie pulls the straps.
Two of us pulling it on by the sides, sliding it up the bonnet /windscreen and pushing with the poles (a bit easier)
Parking next to our raised patio and standing on blocks for extra height to push it on to the roof from the side with the poles and pulling the straps
However we tried, it was always blooming difficult.

So today, we approached with trepidation and a lightweight ladder in case it might help.

As I walked towards it with the (lightweight) cover rolled up on my shoulder I suddenly thought: ‘what if use the ladder to continue upwards and drop the rolled up cover on the back of the roof, and then unroll it?’

It all worked soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo effortlessly!

Using the ladder in two more places I completely unrolled the cover from back to front the right way round, (purely by coincidence, will check next time!) and using the poles, pushed all but the nearest edge from one side to the other.
Then I simply walked round and pulled it down on all sides, easily a one-man-job and took no more than 10 - 15 minutes.

How come I didn’t think of that before, D’oh!

Another method, a wee bit more high tech but painless! Get 4 chairs, place one under each corner of the cover, move them further apart from each other until until the cover is off the ground, then the clever bit ...
Place a camping gas cooker underneath and light it. The cover will fill with hot air and rise up like a hot air balloon, then simply with someone holding a rope on each corner 'walk' your 'balloon' over your van. Sorted!! Just watch you don't overdo the hot air
I've applied for a patent for this idea

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Wildbill]

Disaster waiting to happen put the front wheels on the ramps
Let the snow and rain run off the camper during the winter
Bit of a wash in the spring it will be fine.
Put a cover on it there's every chance it will just get ripped to bits in a storm.
Seen it happen more than once
WB