Aluminium jayco and tropical roof

[BrindiCruiser]

Has anyone seen or built simple tropical roof for an older aluminium jayco camper.

I am thinking about using some sail track, either side to side or front to rear, with a small tarp or shade a cloth, some pool noodles for clearance on roof and some shock cord attached to sail slugs on other sail track.

Don't really know if this is practical or useful, but a have a week at kingscliff near qld/nsw border at Xmas. It will be hot.

I will already have bed fly, annexe and kitchen side tarp or shade sloth.

[BrindiCruiser]

Ok this is perhaps the worst diagram ever to show up on myswag. Hard to do with finger on iPad.


I have tried to show the footprint of a jayco camper trailer with a kitchen side and door side awning or tarp. The green rectangle is a tarp which goes across the both the kitchen side tarp and the door side awning. It is attached to sail tracks at the front and back of the camper. It would then need poles and guy ropes on the outside edge.

I think it will be too large to manage in any wind. Plus more hassle to set up.

I was also thinking of a smaller version, say 8x10 ft that only covers the camper roof, and is only attached via the sail track at the front and back.

[singo-26]

You could make some simple roof racks and use that as the riders. The racks on mine I could make in about an hour.

[Burnsy]

Roof racks like singo suggests are the best option, noodles will restrict air flow which is what you want for a tropical roof.  You could always cover your roofrack in solar panels, gives you shade and power

[BrindiCruiser]

Good points guys. In fact, I have been reading up on how make roof racks and looking through eBay for racks.

Do you agree that the bigger tarp will be too much of a handful? certainly more set up time, poles ropes etc. I think it is overkill.

what about the sail track on the roof? Good or bad idea. I was kinda worried about water pooling, and creating additional holes in the roof. I was thinking that on the leading and trailing edge of the roof may be a better spot. On the other hand, having it pulled over the edge of the roof might create other problems with wear on the tarp, cords or roof.

[BrindiCruiser]

You could always cover your roofrack in solar panels, gives you shade and power

If only I knew who sold such a high tech tropical roof? I am sure I will get some stuff from getaway gear one day.

[singo-26]

If only I knew who sold such a high tech tropical roof? I am sure I will get some stuff from getaway gear one day.

A tropical roof made out of those roll up solar panels, strap it to the roof, plug it into the anderson plug. You are an ideas man Brindicruiser.

[singo-26]

Looking at your diagram again, I would run the tarp length ways and then it would cover the bed canvas effectively forming bed fly.

[BrindiCruiser]

I already have bed flys for both ends. Thanks for idea though.

[BrindiCruiser]

You could make some simple roof racks and use that as the riders. The racks on mine I could make in about an hour.

How did you deal with the trim on the top edge? Did you cut it out where the roof rack was fitted?

[singo-26]

No it fitted over the trim with 2 screws in from the side. Sorry I don't have any photos. If i get to catch up over your holiday I'd show you the idea.