RV Awning Repair Using Tear-Aid Vinyl Repair Tape

 It has come to my attention that many “how to” videos tend to feature someone fully knowledgeable, confident and always successful on the first attempt to complete the project with no drama.   

 This isn’t one of them.  I hope you find it useful.

The videos fail to exhibit the trips down the ladder to find a forgotten tool, essential   missing project piece or band aide where upon, gaining the workspace after reaching the highest wobbling   ladder step to realize something important was again left on the garage workbench.

"Tear-Aid Vinyl Repair" comes in a kit or 3"x5' roll.  The kit includes several small patches and one large. I opted for the roll to be prepared for any size repair.  It is relatively easy to use and the instructions are first rate. My roll only had two alcohol pads to clean the site. 70% Rubbing alcohol available at a pharmacy or grocery store is the same strength.    

The top of the awning is protected by skin to slow down sun rot.  The awning fabric, vinyl, was not damaged.  The sun protection is brittle and not flat on the roll, if that makes sense.  The was to prevent the sun fabric from further damage. 

The product is on the expensive side of life.   Time and sun will tell the tale.

“RV Awning Repair” is a story about my experiences working with the product that you may find useful.

 The video and story are neither a condemnation nor recommendation.

RV Window Insulation - Who Needs It?

 

We are on our way pulling a Coachman Apex Ultra Lite 215RBK behind a F150 from Tampa to Cape Canaveral for a rocket launch and some cool Atlantic beach time.      

Its mid-July – in Florida. The truck thermometer locked at 96 degrees.  Nobody could accuse us of excessive sanity.

 We poked along I4 closer to double the nickel than the usual 60 mph.  All gauges remained within limits and stops were longer than planned.

Measured by a naked hand, the trailer tires were above body temperature. Hubs more, but not overly so.  The truck tires were noticeably cooler.   Our rest stop plan included lunch under a shaded picnic table however, both of us preferred a slow Florida walk to the idling AC truck.  (Never walk fast during the Florida summer heat)

We arrived at our destination just after sun stole the shade. The effort of set up tired us to the point of Heat Exhaustion that plagued the both of us the entire 3 day “vacation”.   The heat/ humidity overwhelmed our three quarters of a century old bodies.   

Sailing Hideaway  You Tube Video

Something Must Be Done.

 First The obvious action: Don’t camp in Florida during the summer.

 and second;

 Don’t believe the myth that because Atlantic Ocean is colder than the Gulf of Mexico, therefore the afternoon sea breeze would keep us comfortable.  The difference in water temperature from the west coast at Clearwater Beach was one degree.

Although You are not going to beat the Florida summer heat/humidity you may be able to mitigate the roar of AC by insulating your RV windows and maybe some cabinetry.  Letting the awning out for shade is assumed.

A reasonable daytime interior goal of 80 degrees and a nighttime goal of upper 70s is acceptable when augmented by an oscillating fan to encourage cool air movement.

 Window insulation- Is it worth the time and cost?

 The goal of window insulation is to reduce the RV temperature during travel so the air conditioner can cool the living space quickly and efficiently upon arrival.

There are no monetary savings in this- the savings are relative comfort and maybe avoiding hospitalization for heat exhaustion.

Our Highest recorded RV interior temperature in full sun with no window insulation, awning, or AC   is 107 degrees. Camper stored on concrete driveway

Normal temperature on west coastal FL – Tampa Bay area  for July is  92/79 with 76% humidity yields a Heat Index of 108-110

TESTING

The tests were conducted with and without direct sun, closed windows with factory supplied curtains, and with and without insulation.

Results of tests vary – a 101.3 outside sun temperature yielded 96.6 inside without insulation or AC.

The one cloudy day partially insulated in sun 97.2 yielded inside temperature of 75.9 a difference of 21.3 degrees

Exterior temperature 102 degrees -- interior temperature full insulation 96.6 = 5.4 degrees difference. Estimated temperature variance using the high 107 degrees – 96.6=10.4 degrees no ac or awning

The hottest area in the RV is the bathroom shower skylight where temperatures of 100 to 103 degrees were recorded.   Dropping to 83 with insulation.

 A close second is the large front bedroom window, not insulated 102.2 dropping to 84 with insulation.

Full insulation in sunny weather, no shade, NO awning is 5-10 degrees cooler than before insulation

Conclusion:

The goal of window insulation is to reduce the RV temperature during travel so the air conditioner can cool the living space quickly and efficiently upon arrival.

So, yes, it’s worth the money and effort to insulate the windows. 

However, the easiest solution is-  Just don’t camp in florida during summer.

I cancelled the remaining reservations.

 I regret it already – but – it’s just too hot!

PROJECT  TOOLS

Measuring tape

Good pair of scissors

Four-foot drywall square

Marker

High quality mask

Painters/duct tape for edges

Velcro strips for shower roof light

Lid for rounding corners if desired

Always wear a mask when cutting the insulation, small particles are released during cutting process.  Be sure to seal the edges with tape for the same reason.

Always seal the edges of the insulation with tape to prevent pieces of the fiber insulation fall out.

Assuming you have the necessary tools, the material available at any home center costs about 40-$50.  Depending on how many mistakes you make.

Standard AC for normal use with 215RBK – Apex Coachman, 13,500 BTU 

 For travel in the south, get the optional severe weather unit with 15,000BTU

Comments Welcomed

 You know us as the Sailing Hideaways (SV HideAway) that ran hard aground on the age/health reef we all must face eventually. We found a Coachman 215RBK in need of new owners. After all, how much different can they be?

This is not so much a "How To" video as a "Here's What to Expect". "Course, my water heater on the HideAway was a solar powered bag hanging from the jib halyard, fairly similar after a brew or two. Right?

How to Paint Confidence - You've seen the videos --Now What??

 Gripped by the Fear of Painting, or rather the dreaded Painting Panic? 

 You’ve witnessed gallons of expensive paint, expertly applied to canvas, without of fear of failure, and with stunning result by, schooled artists.

What now?  Courage and optimism, can only carry you to the moment when you realize the blocked in stage, is dry.

 Painting Panic has arrived.

 Don’t’ worry, so much, about ruining your art – at some time or another, you will anyway, why stress over it now?

 Nobody is born with painting software preinstalled.

 The act of painting, is less important than learning how much paint is required on your paint application device, to render reasonable success.

  Relax and enjoy the process!

Stop, when you want to, or if you do throw something.

 Now, take your brush out of your coffee, and go have some more fun today!

 

So, how long did it take you to learn to ride a bicycle?

A Tip Quickie

It wasn't so much the fear of messing up as mending the unforced error that produced the coward's way out of trying something risky. 

 

Will it work with oil? Nope. Water color? Nope. Wet acrylics?  Nope. (Don't ask)

I knew I'd find a use for that odd glass eventually.  The difference this time was that revelation came before the trash.

Sailing HideAway: The Pink Thief - Video!

Driving along a county road in western Oklahoma, chance glance to my right offered a painting possibility.  A late afternoon blue sky thunder storm in the distance approaching a farm house and silo across a field.  The narrow road and traffic prevented a photo stop. 

The rain, was pink. 

 

The trouble began with a texture experiment gone wrong (see my video Talking Texture). Attempts to salvage the new canvas created small holes and worse, not all the texture could be removed.

 

Repairing the original sin required much thicker than normal texture spread across entire canvas.   Blending acrylic paint on the rough surface to create a believable thunder storm was unlikely.

Not much of an excuse, but the best I can come up with at the moment.

 

After committing 12 gigabits of memory, my own and the computer’s, and four months effort to the project a question arose.

Why continue investing paint and time like I could afford both hoping for a pretty good outcome when I could be making new, more creative mistakes on another painting that doesn’t require texture AND a thunderstorm?

I came to realize this painting, however memorable the event, is a THIEF stealing my time and my Art Dollars! 

Don’t let this happen to you, my friends!  Act now!

 

Even a perfect painting is never done – Besides, It will look better in the morning

Holes in Your Canvas? Now What? Sailing HideAway

A while ago I published a wildly unpopular video, “Talking Texture Testing”, where I demonstrated several unconventional texturing products for potential use with oil or acrylic fine art paintings. 

One of those was a type of caulking that unexpectedly turned into a permanent, hard, glue like substance.  It was an artistic failure of the highest kind.

 I learned that the caulking/glue holding factor was excellent. So much so that holes appeared in the stretched canvas during removal attempts.  I resorted to using a razor knife to carve down the mountain peaks. The result was a hill country canvas on the great plains with small lakes scattered about, no doubt caused by glaciers.

My new video “Holes in Your Canvas? Now What?” demonstrates one solution. 

Can you see the damage?  Does it matter to my acrylic painting?

Talking Texture Testing Today

 In “Talking Texture Testing” we explore unconventional texturizing products applied canvas and hardboard, some were successful, others not at all.

My project, more than two decades ago, was to build storm shutters for our windows.

Of course, as a sailor, the shutters had to include sailboats, but not just any; these were large cutter rigged gaffers, some 80 feet on deck sailing the Gulf of Mexico. The boats were built using Masonite panels cut from my drawings. Several works of possible artistic quality were made from the waste cutouts. “Marker 6 at Midnight” is one of them. So, my story goes: I’d forgotten to seal the exterior house paint cans properly thus, over the months, nay, years; OK, decades- their contents became a five pound hockey pucks the size of dinner plates. One, however, was half full of slurry and soft paint chunks that showed promise for art work texture. The works have survived these twenty plus years with no attention paid to extend their existence, leading me to conclude that soft acrylic exterior house paint the consistency of a malted milk with paint chunks, a good texture producing brew. Be aware though, the cure time is rather long. In our next video, we attempt to repair canvas damaged in this video by that darn roof sealer! – Sailing Hideaway

Sailing HideAway - Here, Hold My Brush!

Tired of chasing your brushes around on the floor?  My video, “Sailing HideAway - Here, Hold My Brush!” is for you.  Made from found materials most pack rats would have stored somewhere, this easel mounted brush holder is easy to make and can be used on a table too! Such a deal! Now, if I can just unglue my fingers, I’ll go paint something. 

 Early Researchers, after moments of careful study, have determined there are three types of Traditional Easel Painters:  Stand up, Sit down, and both.

Most artists, after spending many precious Art Dollars, secretly wish to modify their new easel, but are hesitant to make changes to it. After all, why would you risk messing up this,  professionally designed easel by drilling holes in it and attaching stuff to it that, by their absence, must not be required to achieve the Quality Painting Experience we all seek?

After a while though, the Artist in Making, tires of picking up floor-stored art supplies and living in constant fear of stepping on an open paint tube.  Besides the easel is no longer new, likely paint splattered anyway, and the fine oak floor thus far has escaped desecration.

Thus, the creative wheels turn to making the Art Easel the best it can be, or at least easier on the bending structures of the average human. 

Here’s what I did to mine.