Last month we ordered our first touring caravan from the people at Poole, and tomorrow, all being well, we will drive down and collect our Triton 430. Lots of dosh has flown out on things like a towbar, mirrors and security devices; but one thing I've not yet bought is a cover. Following Poptop's advice in his very comprehensive links post, I decided against AL's cover, and the company I did approach didn't have my particular 430's model year in their database, and therefore wouldn't make me a bespoke cover without detailed measurements - difficult to provide until the caravan is in my possession.

In the meantime my mind has gone back over past classic-car restoration projects, bringing the recollection that covers not only keep out the damp, they keep it in, too, with the inevitable consequences of condensation, mildew and rust.

What, then, is the general consensus of opinion among Eribafolk? Is it better to cover the caravan while it's in storage, or to leave it uncovered but well waxed, and deal with the birdmuck at the start of Spring?

Like Roger above, we keep ours outdoors but under a cover actually built for a Familia. There is plenty of air udner the cover, the windows are set on venting and so far we have had no problems with damp or condensation. It was cleaned before going under so no bird marks on it and we hope for the best when we unleash it in April subject to me getting around.

There are very mixed opinions to cover or not to cover. I have a bespoke cover for my Familia from Specialised.
My personal reason to cover are as follows:

1) The GRP roof is susceptible to UV damage and go chalky over the years, I intend to have my Eriba until I stop touring which will be hopefully the next 30 years or so. We usually cover our Eriba up from November to the end of February which equates to 10 years shielded from the UV rays.
2) The cover stops the threat of water freezing and blowing apart any structure.
3) Stops black water marks down the van and algae forming on the waistline
4) Stops bird droppings burning the GRP or paint work.
5) It's an added security measure

I have never had any damp or condensation in the van, the ideal winter cover is a nice warm dust free garage....

Quote: Poptop320 wrote in post #4

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...........the ideal winter cover is a nice warm dust free garage....

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Quote: Deeps wrote in post #5

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Quote: Poptop320 wrote in post #4

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...........the ideal winter cover is a nice warm dust free garage....

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Nothing flippant was intended, Wordspace' if that is in fact how it was received. It was merely that we were in pretty much the same boat (or should that read van lol) as you when we purchased our Eriba and after mulling over all the alternatives found ourselves a storage facility within reasonable travel distance of our home. This offered us first and foremost more security than if the Eriba was parked by the side of the house, solved the problem regarding to cover or not to cover etc and also keeps the thing clean.

Thanks for your reply, Deeps – there was certainly nothing flippant received either! In fact, the question of storage has been a real pain in the backside, and I feel very rueful about not having somewhere dry to keep it. Since thus is our first caravan, I'm reluctant to park it miles away from home, particularly when there's adequate parking amongst the Rice trailers at the horse farm opposite our house. Apart from the fact that I want to play with it, get to know how its various bits work, gaze fondly at it from the upstairs windows, our initial planned use for the Triton is likely to be spur-of-the-moment weekends away, so packing up the car and driving twenty miles to collect it, having given 24 hours notice to the storage manager, will remove all feeling of spontaneity. But the only insurance I can get for local storage is the CC's, at about 50% above the going rate.

Anyway, I collected the Triton today, and it towed as though there was nothing there behind me. Brilliant!

More when it stops raining …

Martyn (Wordspace: but that's just a user name)

Hi Roger

Thanks for that! Yes, it's a late 2002 model that, as far as my untutored eye can tell, is quite highly specced and in pretty good nick. Funny that you refer to "she" - Jill decided we were going to call it Morrison (a tenuous link if ever there was one), so there's no doubt it's a "he", albeit a very fetching "he". Pics when the sun comes out.
Martyn

Congratulations on your new "family" member- 'Morrison' many happy times to look foreward to !

Thanks to all who've replied – both with advice and with general good wishes.

When we collected Morrison from Poole yesterday, the very helpful salesman convinced us that AL's covers were based on Protec's, using an analogue of Protec's breathable fabric, cut to the individual model's dimensions, and now with a different door panel. Just a hundred pounds or so cheaper. So we bought one. Time will tell if it's a wise choice, but your answers have persuaded me that a cover is a necessity. Thanks again.

Martyn

Interesting topic, I left mine uncovered last winter............. and can't help thinking that my geographical location and a mild winter helped me "get away with it"

One thing that put me off buying an AL cover last year was the fact it would not fit over my rear mounted cycle rack which is no longer a problem............removing a cycle rack over winter would allow fitting a fitted winter cover

How to: Remove a Rear Mounted Cycle Rack

Something to consider as an early birthday present for myself maybe

003.JPG - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

Managed to get cover on with sun canopy on close fit !!

Hello all

We get all kinds of weather here in Brittany and at the moment our Triton (no cover) is sitting next the house with the rain chucking down . We want to protect the caravan and also free up the space currently occupied by the Eriba and so have been looking at various possibilities. We decided to go for 'hivernage' (winter shelter) and have now found one on a farm 25 minutes down the road.. The owner has a huge 3-sided barn where sundry caravans and motor-homes are already stored with space for one or two more. He has another lower shed, again 3-sided with a good-sized space available, so we have a choice. I was a bit concerned that the storage areas, being, in effect, open to the elements on one side would not be dry but I have to say that the whole area (apart from the immediate external edge) was bone-dry .

We have shaken hands on the deal which will cost me 100 euros for the year with no limits etc on numbers of movements in and out. He is a helpful chap and of course has a tractor for any emergency towing/manoeuvring. Sounds OK to me, but wonder what my expert fellow-Eriba owners think about the open-front aspect of the storage area?

As ever i would be interested to read any comments. Thank you in advance and !