Questions following the Bongo Bash...

[sotal]

Haha, this was inevitable...


Whilst walking round the hundreds of bongos I noticed a few things...

First - not many had waste water containers outside them. Is this because most people have a waste water container inside the bongo? Or do people just let them drain straight onto the grass? We don't use ours much and it is quite big to carry there and back.

Second - I noticed a few people with Tarp style sun shelters coming off their Bongo. Although we very much like the drive away awning we have - it can be a pain if we are just stopping for a night. A Tarp style shelter wouldn't take much room up but would give us another option. We already have 2 poles to hold the front of the drive away awning up. So ideally what we would like is a Tarp with a pocket in the end - so that we can use the pole method that we use for attaching the drive away awning and eyelets in the sides for the poles to go in. Also I'd prefer it to be made out of lightweight tent material rather than a cheap tarpaulin. Does such a product exist?

One that I saw on site was a Quechua, which from looking online looks to be a Tarp Fresh but I can't see how that would easily attach unless I sewed a pocket in one end. Not expensive at £25 but I don't really need the poles and ropes.

The other option was a Quechua Seconds Pop up tent. Again we saw a few of these but I didn't really look closely at how they attached.

[janie]

Hi there,

We were the white bongo covered in Orange and blue flowers (if you saw us).

We have a small kitchen unit rather than a full conversion, this has the water and waste containers inside it....as do many others.

We also have a quechua base seconds...doesn't attach, just looks as though it does. My favourite ever tent...goes up in 2 seconds, packs away in 10. We also have an inner tent for it for when we have extra guests.

Our tarp style awning is made from a piece of awning fabric...I sewed it myself to a peice of kador awning strip and it attaches to a fig of 8 on the rail. We used to a it attached with a pole through a 'tube' in the fabric. I also sewed that. It was pretty good but not as sturdy as the present version.

Jane

[Bob]

When using the caravan we use an external waste water container, if using the Bongo solo we either wash up at the site facility or tip the used water from the bowl direct into the hedge or 'Scrub' area, never direct onto the grass.

[cmm303]

We were using a Quecha tarp. 3m square. Attached to bongo using some additional clips, shock chord and a gazebo pole attached to the brackets under the bongo AFT. Can post more pics if interested.

On my Quecha only one pair of the sides has tabs/holes mid way. Recommend one that has these on all four sides as it increases options for wind and rain.

Somebody this weekend recommended DD Hammocks as a source. He also uses plastic goal post net clips to attach his tarp to the brackets on the bongo roof. Simple, quick and cheap!

[Toni321]

Hi
Interested, any pics please of the tarp & attachments be great
Cheers

[Jillygumbo]

First - not many had waste water containers outside them. Is this because most people have a waste water container inside the bongo? Or do people just let them drain straight onto the grass? We don't use ours much and it is quite big to carry there and back.

I didn't want a waste container inside the bongo taking up space. I use a collapsible bucket under the drain.

Second - I noticed a few people with Tarp style sun shelters coming off their Bongo. Although we very much like the drive away awning we have - it can be a pain if we are just stopping for a night. A Tarp style shelter wouldn't take much room up but would give us another option. We already have 2 poles to hold the front of the drive away awning up. So ideally what we would like is a Tarp with a pocket in the end - so that we can use the pole method that we use for attaching the drive away awning and eyelets in the sides for the poles to go in. Also I'd prefer it to be made out of lightweight tent material rather than a cheap tarpaulin. Does such a product exist?

I use the Khyam sun canopy which has 3 (each with 3 sections) poles and attaches with a figure of 8. To prevent the rain pooling on the roof, I reduce the 2 outer poles to 2. This protects the sliding door lovely! I've also got the walls and front which are really easy to velcro on. To stop the pooling on the roof when the roof is horizontal, you can use an adjustable clothes prop with a tennis ball on the top. More expensive than the other quote (about £60) but very flexible, as I say.

One that I saw on site was a Quechua, which from looking online looks to be a Tarp Fresh but I can't see how that would easily attach unless I sewed a pocket in one end. Not expensive at £25 but I don't really need the poles and ropes.

The other option was a Quechua Seconds Pop up tent. Again we saw a few of these but I didn't really look closely at how they attached.

Quechua base tent doesn't attach and whilst you can have it close to the sliding door, there's the annoying bit where you have to unzip the door to get into it, from close quarters! I found it better to have the base tent slightly away from the door, or under the Fiamma (when I had one). Having a quechua base tent on either end of your Fiamma works well.

[sotal]

Thanks for the replies - I'm going to try a collapsible washing bowl for the waste. We don't use a lot and I can empty it daily. Just seems such a waste to carry the big waste hog around.

Thanks for the comments of the base tent, I like the idea of popup but the detached element would be frustrating.

I still like the idea of a tarp style canopy for short stays - if you have any pictures of how yours attach it would be appreciated.

Thanks

[cmm303]

Hi
Interested, any pics please of the tarp & attachments be great
Cheers

Here we go. My tarp is nearly 3m so it is wider than the van roof length. If it wasn't so wide or had more tabs/holes on the side I could have got away with clipping it straight to the black brackets which would have been simpler. Instead I use some poles from a cheap gazebo to attach it to the roof. Still quicker than it used to take me to thread an awning into a fig 8s.

Gazebo pole travels attached to the van with tie wraps, extra lengths stacked using rubbers. Clearance with the roof rubber seal, as it closes, is tight!


Foam is needed at the right (rear) end to protect the paintwork from the awning hook. This travels rolled around the pole.


For camping the extra sections of pole are added to the left (front) end and the whole lot slid towards the rear


The awning has various clips scrounged from me garage. Please don't comment on the standard of sewing of the middle one!


Hey presto


It creeks a bit in the wind which is really annoying. Glad of any thoughts!

[stuc]

It was nice to meet you mate, I was talking to you at the fair and back at the site.
Stu

[mycallsevern]

I was asking a similar question about tarps after seeing one at Blissfields festival last weekend. Having had a search around I found this which I am pretty sure is what is saw. I like that is has a kador strip built in, three poles and loops on the sides so you can create a kind of pitched roof to help rain run off. As I said not tried it but have seen it in action and it looked good.

http://www.funkyleisure.co.uk/vw-camper ... 1650-p.asp

[Jillygumbo]

I was asking a similar question about tarps after seeing one at Blissfields festival last weekend. Having had a search around I found this which I am pretty sure is what is saw. I like that is has a kador strip built in, three poles and loops on the sides so you can create a kind of pitched roof to help rain run off. As I said not tried it but have seen it in action and it looked good.

http://www.funkyleisure.co.uk/vw-camper ... 1650-p.asp

Very similar to mine http://www.khyam.co.uk/shop/canopies-an ... nopy-roof/ but mine is a little cheaper. Also has the option of side and front walls that velcro on. I find the canopy very versatile and reduce the height of the 2 outer poles to create a ridge when raining. I have the walls, but have only tried them once so far.

[digitalgypsy]

Hey Jilly,

Really tempted to get the Khyam sun canopy. Have you used it without having the guy ropes down? I was wondering if I could just use it with the legs and secure them some way, possibly with 'awning plates', something like http://seaflo-uk.com/ekmps/shops/d3eb70 ... -744-p.jpg.

Thanks for any input,

Steve

[Jillygumbo]

Hey Jilly,

Really tempted to get the Khyam sun canopy. Have you used it without having the guy ropes down? I was wondering if I could just use it with the legs and secure them some way, possibly with 'awning plates', something like http://seaflo-uk.com/ekmps/shops/d3eb70 ... -744-p.jpg.

Thanks for any input,

Steve

Wouldn't work Steve. The canopy would pull the poles towards the bongo (and scratch it!) as it's only kept taut by the guys. You could always tie the guys to next door's unit!!! Unless someone devises a way to have a rigid pole between the gutter and the poles.

[digitalgypsy]

Thanks for the input Jilly. I may still have a crack at fashioning something myself though. All I'm thinking of doing is attaching something to bottom of poles, I guess you would call them 'feet', and the feet have holes in them which pegs go through to secure.

Ohhh...I've just possibly realised the issue. You need the guy ropes to hold the canopy firmly in place at the top. Probably making a fuss about nothing, just think guy ropes are a little obtrusive when not on campsite.

[Jillygumbo]

Thanks for the input Jilly. I may still have a crack at fashioning something myself though. All I'm thinking of doing is attaching something to bottom of poles, I guess you would call them 'feet', and the feet have holes in them which pegs go through to secure.

Ohhh...I've just possibly realised the issue. You need the guy ropes to hold the canopy firmly in place at the top. Probably making a fuss about nothing, just think guy ropes are a little obtrusive when not on campsite.

You've got it!