Low Awning Rail

Hi All

It's the newbies again! and this time what a hum dinger of a problem! OK so we fell in love with our 15 year old caravan which is an Avondale Avocet and believe me when I say it's like new! pristine condition inside & out However now comes the problem!

We would like to get a secondhand awning and there is loads about the trouble is our awning rail is only 216cm high from the ground and has an A to B ground measurement of 852cm, So whats the problem I hear you say! Well the more manufacturers I speak to the more worried I become as each in turn is saying that because your awning rail is so low water ("When it rains in UK"..lol) will just run back towards the van and because of the way awnings have been made since 2006/7 there would be to much material in the roof space which would then cause gullies etc for water to pool in? I suggested then putting extra poles into the roof space to take up the slack but was told this would "Grid" water pools then!

Spoke to Isabella and Colin there told me that an 850 full awning would do the trick but when I spoke to Camping and General they say even a full awning will still run backwards as you still have to lift the front of the awning up on your poles/frame which would still cause water to run back!although my thinking is if its running back or forward is there a problem if it still runs of the roof space providing that the awning can be taught enough?

Isabella did say however for some £450 they could re-cut the roof space and remove extra materiel so its fits snug over roof and down door sides which would solve the problem as they still have Avondale templates they can use!

Surely others out there have had this same problem with older vans and height differences and I would love to know how we can get over it?Camping & General did mention cured rear bars or something which take up the slack in the roof space so it then doesn't allow water to pool?but this idea seems like a lot of hard work and given my heart problems I've no chance of doing that on sites.

I have even spoke to Kampa regarding "Air Awnings" there's one she told me that motor homes use which is like a self contained tent but which has like a tunnel which connects to the van Not sure about look but its an awning?

Would love any advice or even any advice on which way to go at present we have a 360 Isabella Sun canopy which is brilliant so we are thinking of adding a windbreak to it so at least we get a little privacy next to the van

look forward to loads of help and thank you to anyone that has managed to read all of this and still give us an answer!

All the best guys

Ansley & Jane