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Covering the Ollie for storage


permit bob

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Hello Everyone,

 

When we first brought Ollie home I had a brand new, "standard sized" cover waiting for him. Having been through this before with a Casita I knew the benefits of covering a fiberglass unit in the Southwest. I thought I had it measured properly, but, I guess, I did not and needed to have it altered to fit.

 

I went through three of the less expensive covers quickly when we had the Casita and decided to invest in a more expensive product. We chose a Sunbrella fabric which was advertised as a five year product. Sadly, it has only lasted two years and it's so brittle on top that it tears easily if you're not extremely careful taking it off. I just finished repairing seven tears today.

 

The other issue is it's weight getting it on and off the trailer.

 

I'm curious if anyone has found a cover that fits Ollie straight "out of the box". I have not. The next option is having a custom one made for the unit, which costs over a thousand dollars (using a lighter weight, "more durable (?)" fabric).

 

I did try to return it when I found it too big, but, because of a bit of tire "scuffing" on the cover, they would not accept the return. So, I had it altered to fit by a local shop that does awnings, sails and covers. Those folks did a great job.

 

Tomorrow I begin my "mission" of trying to get this warranty issue resolved with the manufacturer. However, seeing as how I had to alter it's size in order to have it fit the trailer, that could be an issue for them to refute the warranty; even though we're speaking of the fabric only. We'll find out. But, I still need a cover.

 

Yes, I understand, "you get what you pay for" and that's fine. Does anyone have any suggestions about who and what fabric?

 

Back in 2015, when I told the factory that I was going to cover Ollie, they were very interested in what I found out. Sadly, it has not worked out too well. I'm hoping that by now, with more units on the road, that someone knows more than I do; not too hard to do.

 

Maybe with enough people interested in purchasing covers, we could get a pattern made and do a group purchase? Maybe Oliver could have that as an option accessory?

 

If you do not have covered storage, a barn, a structure, etc., what does everyone else use to cover their trailers?

 

Looking to cover up,

 

Bob

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Bob - Take a look at Calmark covers and/or do a search on this Forum for a review I did on mine.  Same fabric as ADCO uses but Calmark uses "straps" around the camper to take the stress off the overall material.  Good Luck!

 

Bill

2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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A good coat of wax is all you need.  Fiberglass boats are in the sun all the time and keep their shine for decades.  The AC, solar, etc cover a large part of the roof but also complicate the process of deploying a cover.  I remember how difficult it was to put a Calmark cover on our first Casita..the Ollie will be even harder.

Current 2007 Airstream Classic Limited 31


2015 Oliver Legacy Elite II (Sold)


2016 Ram 2500 HD 6.7i Cummins turbo diesel


 

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I use one of the inexpensive Expedition covers occasionally, depends on where I am and how long it is going to sit. I use a pool "noodle" to slide over the sharp edges of the bumper, steps and solar panels to keep it from cutting through.

As Trumpet guy says, if it's just sun you are concerned with, a good coat of wax will do just fine. I am based in Maine during the summer, and I like to keep pine sap off of it though, so will slide the cover on to protect from that. I will also cover if it will sit for extended periods while in FL, but mostly to keep the curious away more that anything else since it is kept on a storage lot. If I get three seasons out of the cover I will be happy.

IMG_3244.thumb.jpg.96bbb2e07c5ef5f6b089fc907ea36862.jpg

IMG_3243.thumb.jpg.60dbcf45047af18673012400358eec9f.jpg

GrayGhost

 

2015 Legacy Elite II Hull # 98

 

2020 F150 3.5 EcoBoost

 

 

 

 

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