New to Me Boler - Help Awning & Water Tank

[Michelle A]

Hi Folks,
We just recently traveled 3,000 kms to pick up our new 75 Boler . She's in original condition, and in excellent shape for her age! We're very impressed so far. The old couple we purchased it from, were so sweet and took such good care of it. I really feel like we lucked out.

I have a few questions for you experienced boler owners, if you don't mind. After going through all of the cubbies, I've found the original awning, but no poles and of course no instructions. Does anyone have a boler with the original awning? A picture of a set-up original awning would be most helpful, as I'll have to find some replacement poles.

Also... where the heck is the water tank? I can't find it hidden in any of the storage compartments... but I know it's there somewhere. The seller told me that he was having some problems with the hand-pump, so I suspect we'll have to do a little work there.

My apologies for asking questions that have likely been asked in the past... I tried the search tool, but it brings back way too many results.

I'll try to get some pictures up soon! She sure looked good behind our Subaru Forester... and towed like a dream.

Cheers,

Michelle

[Raya]

On my 1974 Neonex-built Boler 13, the water tank is underneath the trailer. It's under the raised area that your feet are on when you sit at the rear dinette. The drain valve can be reached from outside the trailer near where the license plate is, or a little to the side of that (the driver's side rear corner of the trailer).

Raya

[BobB]

Michelle,

Ask the former owner about the awning and the poles. The poles might be buried in their garage or attic. I found out the original owner of our trailer had removed the day/night shades and still had them stored away in his shop. I was glad to have them and well worth the shipping charges. It doesn't hurt to ask.

[Nate]

Hi michelle! I have nothing to ad to your thread, except that I just moved from whitehorse!! My Mom, sister and step-dad still live up there. We decided to pull out when real estate was peaking last summer, sold our condo (100 lewes), and headed east. I hope you enjoy your boler, and i personally know how far one has to go to get one, we got ours in fort saskatchewan, alberta...we bought it online but we lucked out and it was very well taken care of.

cheers from a fellow yukoner (expatriot)

[Pat C]

We have a 1981 Boler.It came with the original awning but with only one section (the bottom) of the poles.The top of the poles that raise or lower the awning were missing.Even with much searching we were unable to get poles to fit.I even called the original mfg of the awning and they said they no longer carried that awning and had no poles that could be used with it????!!!!!At any rate we purchased a new awning and are very happy with it.The fabric and poles are much lighter.About 15 lbs total as compared to the 35 lbs of the original awning without the poles.

[Michelle A]

Hi michelle! I have nothing to ad to your thread, except that I just moved from whitehorse!! My Mom, sister and step-dad still live up there. We decided to pull out when real estate was peaking last summer, sold our condo (100 lewes), and headed east. I hope you enjoy your boler, and i personally know how far one has to go to get one, we got ours in fort saskatchewan, alberta...we bought it online but we lucked out and it was very well taken care of.

cheers from a fellow yukoner (expatriot)

Hey what a small world! It's great to hear from a fellow Yukoner! I was born and raised in Whitehorse, and we camp a lot during the summer. Buying a Boler seemed like a fuel saving measure. I was glad to find one in good condition in Dawson Creek, BC. Not TOO far away. It only took us 3 days to retrieve it. We camped at Liard Hotsprings on the way home, and it was freezing! They had plowed out the parking lot area, and a path to the outhouses. People had tents set up in the snow... now, that is hard core.

Good on you for making some money on the housing market when the time was right. Houses are still ridiculously ridiculously expensive in Whitehorse. Luckily we bought in Porter Creek a few years ago when prices were still reasonable.

Good Luck on your adventures (in Nova Scotia was it?).

Cheers,

Michelle

[Michelle A]

We have a 1981 Boler.It came with the original awning but with only one section (the bottom) of the poles.The top of the poles that raise or lower the awning were missing.Even with much searching we were unable to get poles to fit.I even called the original mfg of the awning and they said they no longer carried that awning and had no poles that could be used with it????!!!!!At any rate we purchased a new awning and are very happy with it.The fabric and poles are much lighter.About 15 lbs total as compared to the 35 lbs of the original awning without the poles.

That's a super bummer... thanks for the info though. Out of curiosity, what type of awning did you end up purchasing? I have a lot of other fixes to do first, but I would really enjoy having an awning.

Michelle

[Rick G]

Hi Michelle,

We have a 74 Boler with the original awning and poles, of which the awning is in good shape (once we clean it) and the poles are rusty. The original poles are a 3 section expandable pole with screw type friction locks when you get to the right height. You set it up like a tent, with ropes as guy wires and pegs in the ground.

You can buy new poles at Canadian Tire for $11 each (at least here in Alberta) in the camping section, but they are only 2 stage poles so they are slightly longer in overall length when collapsed. This makes no difference in storage or operation because the longer poles still fit easily into the front storage bin under the front seat, if that is where you keep it. The poles are like tent poles in that they have a 3 inch or so spike sticking up from the top of the pole, which is where you actually attach the awning through the grommets.

My wife didn't like the swayback look of the original awning, so I recently built a frame for it out of 1/2 inch copper plumbing pipe. I would recommend 3/4 inch for rigidity, but I had the other lying around and it works well. I copied the general idea of a bag awning, making a rail piece for the front section, and then side arms going back to the trailer which rest (with rubber feet on them) against the trailer body at the rail, similar to a bag awning frame. I used plumbing corners for the front and side rails, and drilled a hole in each of the two 90 degree corners so that the original poles would go through the assembly and hold it all up in the air.

The poles stand on the ground, though you could make a bracket to fit them onto the trailer body like some of the roll-out awnings do. I decided against this because I was not sure how my old Boler would like the pressure of the awning against its fibreglass body.

I made all the rails in two pieces for ease of assembly and storage, using standard copper plumbing connectors (soldered only at one end so that the attaching pipe could be disconnected). The front rail and corners fit snugly into the shaped front pockets of the awning, which allows me to put the side rails in one at a time. It can be assembled by one person without much trouble in about 5 minutes, though 2 is more fun.

My awning has also a center support running from the front rail back to the trailer, but it doesn't really need it. The only modification to the awning was that I sewed on a couple of velcro ties at the front centre of the awning to hold the awning to the rail in the middle, but again it doesn't really need it.

The finished awning looks snug and holds itself up without having to use guy ropes, just like a bag awning, and it still uses the original awning. Now my wife thinks it looks great, kind of like an Italian restaurant awning. Cost if I had to buy the pipe would have been about $20.

Regards,
Rick

[Raya]

Rick,

That sounds really neat. Any chance you could post a few photos of your set-up?

I used copper piping to make uprights for my car roof racks years ago (to hold kayaks), and I always liked them.

Raya

[Barbara Gardin]

The spring loaded curtain rods for bathrooms work and have rubber on the ends, are compact and ready to use. That's what we use.

[Michelle A]

Hi Michelle,

We have a 74 Boler with the original awning and poles, of which the awning is in good shape (once we clean it) and the poles are rusty. The original poles are a 3 section expandable pole with screw type friction locks when you get to the right height. You set it up like a tent, with ropes as guy wires and pegs in the ground.

You can buy new poles at Canadian Tire for $11 each (at least here in Alberta) in the camping section, but they are only 2 stage poles so they are slightly longer in overall length when collapsed. This makes no difference in storage or operation because the longer poles still fit easily into the front storage bin under the front seat, if that is where you keep it. The poles are like tent poles in that they have a 3 inch or so spike sticking up from the top of the pole, which is where you actually attach the awning through the grommets.

My wife didn't like the swayback look of the original awning, so I recently built a frame for it out of 1/2 inch copper plumbing pipe. I would recommend 3/4 inch for rigidity, but I had the other lying around and it works well. I copied the general idea of a bag awning, making a rail piece for the front section, and then side arms going back to the trailer which rest (with rubber feet on them) against the trailer body at the rail, similar to a bag awning frame. I used plumbing corners for the front and side rails, and drilled a hole in each of the two 90 degree corners so that the original poles would go through the assembly and hold it all up in the air.

The poles stand on the ground, though you could make a bracket to fit them onto the trailer body like some of the roll-out awnings do. I decided against this because I was not sure how my old Boler would like the pressure of the awning against its fibreglass body.

I made all the rails in two pieces for ease of assembly and storage, using standard copper plumbing connectors (soldered only at one end so that the attaching pipe could be disconnected). The front rail and corners fit snugly into the shaped front pockets of the awning, which allows me to put the side rails in one at a time. It can be assembled by one person without much trouble in about 5 minutes, though 2 is more fun.

My awning has also a center support running from the front rail back to the trailer, but it doesn't really need it. The only modification to the awning was that I sewed on a couple of velcro ties at the front centre of the awning to hold the awning to the rail in the middle, but again it doesn't really need it.

The finished awning looks snug and holds itself up without having to use guy ropes, just like a bag awning, and it still uses the original awning. Now my wife thinks it looks great, kind of like an Italian restaurant awning. Cost if I had to buy the pipe would have been about $20.

Regards,
Rick

Rick I would love to see a photo of your set-up sounds really neat!

[Pete Dumbleton]

A tip for those tapered-end aluminum poles that stick through grommets -- Drill a small hole through the taper and use the hair-pin cotter pins through the holes to keep the poles in the holes when the wind starts stuf dancing.

http://www.itwblh.com/haircot.htm

[Rick G]

Wow Pete, what a great idea for holding the awning onto the pole tips! I was wondering about how to do that when the wind blows. I was just going to clamp the awning fabric onto the upright pole using those awning clamp things, but your way sounds more interesting.

As for pictures of the awning frame, I will take some in the next few days and put them up. Right now our Boler is in the garage on blocks waiting for a new axle from Paul Neumeister, but I think I can get some photos.

Rick G

[Pat C]

That's a super bummer... thanks for the info though. Out of curiosity, what type of awning did you end up purchasing? I have a lot of other fixes to do first, but I would really enjoy having an awning.

Michelle

Hi Michelle,
Sorry it took so long to get back to ya. Busy time here.We purchasd our awning from Interwest Sports.We got the Shademake 7 ft.Price was $122.00 and shipping to Canada was $42.00.Fit perfectly and very lightweitht( 15lbs).We are very satisfied with this product.It is also a snap to set up and very sturdy.Pat.

[Rick G]

Ok, here are some pictures of my awning setup, if this email thing works right. It turns out that the two velcro tabs sewed onto the middle of the front of the awning are useful for holding the front rail in place while it is being set up. Who knew?

Rick G



[attachment=23
770:awning_003.jpg]

[Ken P]

I just purchased a 1974 boler and have the poles but no awning. I like your setup rick, as it is exact whata i am looking for but have a couple of questions. First, where is the best place to get a new awning for the boler and how does it attach to the trailer. Also i am looking for a 3way fridge that was removed from the unit. Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Ken P

[quote]Ok, here are some pictures of my awning setup, if this email thing works right. It turns out that the two velcro tabs sewed onto the middle of the front of the awning are useful for holding the front rail in place while it is being set up. Who knew?

Rick G


Attachment 19795
[attachment=23
770:awning_003.jpg]
Attachment 19798

[Rick G]

Thanks, Ken,

The awning is held onto the trailer by the awning rail, which should be already on your trailer if it was not taken off by a previous owner. The awning itself has a small rope sewn into it along the whole of one edge, which then slides into the awning rail to attach it to the trailer. I don't know where to buy new awnings, but some other posts in this thread have ideas for that. You can buy new awning rails from RV suppliers as well, which seem to work the same way the old ones did.

As for the three-way fridge, ours is an Escort Mini-15 which fortunately works, because I can't imagine successfully finding one or parts after all this time. I would be inclined to replace it with some more common brand.

Rick G

[Bill K]

Try a marine canvas shop, the cover for my front seat on my boat has a rope sewn in it.

Bill K

I just purchased a 1974 boler and have the poles but no awning. I like your setup rick, as it is exact whata i am looking for but have a couple of questions. First, where is the best place to get a new awning for the boler and how does it attach to the trailer. Also i am looking for a 3way fridge that was removed from the unit. Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Ken P