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Old 05-27-2018, 07:53 PM   #1
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Converting a 10' Tailgate Tent to Fit My Coach (or other ideas)

We are going to the Land of the Mosquitos (Florida), in a couple of months, and I want to see if anyone has any wonderful ideas for me.

I have two ten foot high tailgate tents in my garage. I would really, really like to figure out a way to easily convert one of them to somehow fit to the door of my 2016 Fleetwood Southwind. I thought of using netting and somehow affixing a tunnel, but the last time we went to Florida with our hybrid I did something similar, and I don't think my husband appreciated the flimsiness. (I am still open to this idea if you have a better design plan than I did. )

We have a carefree armless awning, but I don't think it will be a factor in making this work.

Has anyone dreamed up a great solution for something like this? I know I can purchase a screen room to fit, which would be great, but the thought of spending upwards of $400 on something that I already have in the garage (granted, they are useless in this circumstance unless I figure out something), is not pleasant.

I'm open for any suggestions.

Burning citronella and just opening and closing the door quickly may be what we are down to, but with three grandchildren, five and under, who will be spending a lot of time with us, about 300 of Florida's bird-sized bloodsuckers will be able to get in before we can get barricaded inside.

TIA!
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Old 05-27-2018, 10:56 PM   #2
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Teri G,
Well, you're itching to be a female "MacGyver' huh? I like it. Sometimes working with what you have, while more economical, might not be the most efficient. You sometimes end up working twice as hard on what may turn out to be a potential disaster. Now, with all that "doom and gloom" talk out of the way, it's gonna be a bit of a challenge, to say the least. Both the wife and I also hate those little blood suckers. Never could figure out why God created them. Anyway, As you might have figured out already, the trick or, tough part of this endeavor of yours is to get that tent to seal up against the coach, remain stable, (just in case there's any of the typical Florida winds right around the corner) and, serve the purpose of allowing you and your little band of followers in, while keeping the ENEMY out.

Hmmmm, this is a good one. Well, off the top of my little head, one idea I have would be to cut a door out in the tent, on the opposite side of the regular tent door. The, you could duct tape the edges of the newly cut door, all the way around your RV door opening. It would definitely be "sealed" against the RV outside walls which, would do as good of a job as possible, keeping the enemy out. But, Not many folks would like duct tape on the side of their coaches. It may, or may not leave a residue on there when it comes time for removal and you folks to move on. That's easy to remove with WD-40 and, there's no ill effects of using that to remove the residue, should there be some.

Now, most tents, if I recall, have some sort of bows in them to keep all the corners etc. taught which, makes the tent, a tent. So, my MacGyver idea may not work at all, based on your tents construction and, how things work. To have a "portable" screen room, without using a regular RV awning which, has all the added components of making one,(if one purchases all that's needed to make such a screen room) is not all that easy. The "cut the door" idea is all that I can come up with right now. And, by the way, you can cut that door in a sidewall too if that would be a better approach. I don't know why it would but, it's just another option. That way you'd enter the tent in it's normal opening, parallel to the coach and then turn to go into the coach. Just some different style of thinking here. Good luck.
Scott
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Old 05-28-2018, 04:37 AM   #3
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Teri
I think I would try to find a fairly powerful fan and try to mount it inside the MH pointing at the entry door.
I think even a modest flow would discourage the buggers from entering.
Doesn't help you utilize the available tents but might just work.
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Old 05-28-2018, 09:05 AM   #4
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Thank you Scott - some things to think on for sure. I need to get the tailgate tents out and look at them too - maybe there is something I'll see that's workable if I set them up, and I agree that just buying something made for our coach would be ideal, but $$$. =/ I'll open them up and take a look with your thoughts in mind - thank you!


Winemaker, that's an excellent idea, and we already have a high powered fan that rides along, mainly for white noise when needed, but we could set it up facing the door for sure! I think I'll still utilize that idea even if I come up with something for the tent room!
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Old 06-02-2018, 05:38 AM   #5
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Just saw a piece on TV re mosquito season. Among the recommendations was to forget citronella candles on patios etc and just use an oscillating fan. It not only keeps mosquitos away it helps disperse the heat and CO2 from our bodies that attracts the little buggers in the first place.


Quote:
Winemaker, that's an excellent idea, and we already have a high powered fan that rides along, mainly for white noise when needed, but we could set it up facing the door for sure! I think I'll still utilize that idea even if I come up with something for the tent room!
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Old 06-02-2018, 05:48 AM   #6
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Teri G,
Well, you're itching to be a female "MacGyver' huh? I like it. Sometimes working with what you have, while more economical, might not be the most efficient. You sometimes end up working twice as hard on what may turn out to be a potential disaster. Now, with all that "doom and gloom" talk out of the way, it's gonna be a bit of a challenge, to say the least. Both the wife and I also hate those little blood suckers. Never could figure out why God created them. Anyway, As you might have figured out already, the trick or, tough part of this endeavor of yours is to get that tent to seal up against the coach, remain stable, (just in case there's any of the typical Florida winds right around the corner) and, serve the purpose of allowing you and your little band of followers in, while keeping the ENEMY out.

Hmmmm, this is a good one. Well, off the top of my little head, one idea I have would be to cut a door out in the tent, on the opposite side of the regular tent door. The, you could duct tape the edges of the newly cut door, all the way around your RV door opening. It would definitely be "sealed" against the RV outside walls which, would do as good of a job as possible, keeping the enemy out. But, Not many folks would like duct tape on the side of their coaches. It may, or may not leave a residue on there when it comes time for removal and you folks to move on. That's easy to remove with WD-40 and, there's no ill effects of using that to remove the residue, should there be some.

Now, most tents, if I recall, have some sort of bows in them to keep all the corners etc. taught which, makes the tent, a tent. So, my MacGyver idea may not work at all, based on your tents construction and, how things work. To have a "portable" screen room, without using a regular RV awning which, has all the added components of making one,(if one purchases all that's needed to make such a screen room) is not all that easy. The "cut the door" idea is all that I can come up with right now. And, by the way, you can cut that door in a sidewall too if that would be a better approach. I don't know why it would but, it's just another option. That way you'd enter the tent in it's normal opening, parallel to the coach and then turn to go into the coach. Just some different style of thinking here. Good luck.
Scott
When you cut the new opening in the tent would it be possible to take fabric and wrap it around foam pipe insulation or pool noodles to create a gasket against the RV? I'm also seeing suction cups being used too, like the ones used for glass and mirrors. Put them on the wall then have nylon straps going to the tent to pull it to the RV wall.
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Old 06-02-2018, 06:08 AM   #7
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Look at a Thermacell. They make one that you wear in a holster or a table top version that doubles as a lantern. They work great but there effective radius is fairly small. It's not going to cover an entire campsite but one on a picnic table or between two chairs will allow you to sit and eat in peace. Hang one on your door handle and you won't have any mosquitos pass through an open door. Refills might get expensive if it is required for multiple hours every day.
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Old 06-02-2018, 06:44 AM   #8
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Look at a Thermacell. They make one that you wear in a holster or a table top version that doubles as a lantern. They work great but there effective radius is fairly small. It's not going to cover an entire campsite but one on a picnic table or between two chairs will allow you to sit and eat in peace. Hang one on your door handle and you won't have any mosquitos pass through an open door. Refills might get expensive if it is required for multiple hours every day.
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Old 06-02-2018, 06:46 AM   #9
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Lightbulb

Why not use velcro, you could peel and stick the soft side around the outside of the door frame, then sew then peel and stick the rough side on the tent wall and sew in place for added security as the adhesive will not stick to the tent as well as it will the RV. Another idea is to buy one of the mosquito nets in the as seen on TV (usually in Walmart) that you hang and it has magnets to keep it closed as you walk through. Spray it with repel or off to keep bugs away, that way you'll have 2 screen doors to prevent them wrom entering coach.
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Old 06-02-2018, 10:22 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by Crankshaft View Post
When you cut the new opening in the tent would it be possible to take fabric and wrap it around foam pipe insulation or pool noodles to create a gasket against the RV? I'm also seeing suction cups being used too, like the ones used for glass and mirrors. Put them on the wall then have nylon straps going to the tent to pull it to the RV wall.
My kind-a "MacGyver" thinking! There's an old saying, "Where there's a will, there's a way".
Scott
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