covers

[ClarkBowen]

I picked up the coach today at Guaranty RV after some warranty work was done and took it to the covered space I'd rented across town. When I got there I realized that with my skills, the approach angle, narrowness of the space, etc. I was never going to get it in without tearing the sidewalls to shreds. So I brought it home and began to ponder covers again. I've thought that Oregon's rainy climate is not a good place to be storing your vehicle outside with one of those gigantic fabric motorhome covers. Seems like condensation and lack of air flow could be problems.
Anybody had experience with these covers in a rainy climate? Washington, Oregon, Northern California Coast in particular.

Clark

[ClarkBowen]

I picked up the coach today at Guaranty RV after some warranty work was done and took it to the covered space I'd rented across town. When I got there I realized that with my skills, the approach angle, narrowness of the space, etc. I was never going to get it in without tearing the sidewalls to shreds. So I brought it home and began to ponder covers again. I've thought that Oregon's rainy climate is not a good place to be storing your vehicle outside with one of those gigantic fabric motorhome covers. Seems like condensation and lack of air flow could be problems.
Anybody had experience with these covers in a rainy climate? Washington, Oregon, Northern California Coast in particular.

Clark

[Oregon Coyote]

As you surmised, covers must allow water vapor to pass through the fabric to the outside in order to prevent mold etc.-- which means, of course, that water will also pass through. My experience with car covers is that most, if not all, of their value lies in protecting the vehicle from the sun-- the sun being much more harmful than our relatively acid-free soft as a baby's bottom Oregon rain. Getting the cover on and off, though, is probably like climbing Everest.

Hope you are enjoying "Bubba". I have photos of her/him in production. If you would like them, PM me.

Norm

[jerry davis]

Try giving CalMark Covers a call. They seem to be fairly knowledgeable. They will make the cover to fit your coach correctly. www.calmarkinc.com 800-838-7236

[two sailors]

I had a cover for a previous motor home. After once on and once off I decided there was to much chance of injury, and I'm not afraid of heights. Covered storage is worth the cost or distance from home.

[Jeff_S]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ClarkBowen:
... with my skills, the approach angle, narrowness of the space, etc. I was never going to get it in without tearing the sidewalls to shreds. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Clark,
With a spotter you should be able to park it anywhere that's truly large enough to actually fit it. You just need to hone your parking skills a bit.

Our covered parking (pretty much req'd in Arizona) has a 60 foot aisle, with perpendicular parking on each side. I drive right up to the coach parked 1 space past ours, then back up to have the rear of the coach set for a straight in approach. Backing out directly is no problem.

I always cover my car at work, but ruled out getting a cover for our SUV. Even that is already too big to cover, much less the RV!

[ClarkBowen]

Thanks Jeff, but I think you'll have to draw me a picture. I couldn't quite understand how you were approaching the space.
The aisles at the storage were only 40 ft. wide and the actual space had a wall down one side too further give me the heebie jeebies. Add that to the day we bought it and brought it home and I scraped $1,685 of fiberglas and paint of the driver's side on one of our largest rocks.

Clark


Clark

[hax]

ouch! Jeff you'd better send the diagram on how to park. We could all use this. Hax

[Jeff_S]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by hax:
ouch! Jeff you'd better send the diagram on how to park. We could all use this. Hax </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I wouldn't think that this is a trick any seasoned RV "pilot" didn't already use. Anyway ...

In parking our coach, I drive around the complex so that I make a left turn into our parking spot. With a left turn, I can more accurately watch against the post that I must clear on the driver's side, while only the passenger mirror could come close to the coach to our right. Our parking spot is 12 x 40, and is purpendicular to the 50 foot wide aisle.

Here we go from the beginning:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE> <LI>I approach along the right-hand side of the aisle
<LI>I begin making my left hand turn LATE so that I end up being head-to-head with the coach that is to the right of our parking spot.
<LI>I then backup (here is where I use the spotter when parking) while cutting the wheel right
<LI>Once the front end is pretty much inline with our own spot, I'll begin moving forward into the parking spot.
<LI>Hopefully I get the coach parallel with the parking spot before my wife stops me according to the lines on the ground at the front of the coach (otherwise, I'll have to backup some to get parallel)[/list]I can make it in without backing, but chances are higher that I am NOT aligned straight in the parking spot and that I probably came very close to BOTH the post on the left AND the coach to our right.

[Chuck Thomas]

Hi Clark. I have not used covers myself, but friends that have say don't use one if the MH will be subjected to wind. It is very difficult to tie down the cover tight enough to preclude the wind from rustling the cover and causing it to chave the paint. An Alpine paint job is not cheap. Good luck

[C&H from NorCal]

We live in the Redding, CA area which is climatically similar to Oregon. You probably have more rain and we get more sun and wind. My coach is inside but my toy hauler (and a previous 5th wheel) outside. I use a cover during the summer to protect from the sun and remove it in the fall when the winds and rains come. The sun is the worst element on RV finishes, plastic, rubber, etc. and the wind is hard on the covers, regardless how well you tie them down. Beware of the polypropolene (sp?) covers as they only last 1 or 2 years.