CHANNEL HOOKS for AWNINGS
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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=11273
Printed Date: 28 Jun 2025 at 1:01pm
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Topic: CHANNEL HOOKS for AWNINGS
Posted By: TEDDY
Subject: CHANNEL HOOKS for AWNINGS
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2018 at 2:27pm
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My 178 came with the 1/2" channel rather than a roll-up awning. The devices available to fit that channel seemed expensive to me - so I went to a local welding shop and had them make me some stainless steel plugs with hooks. The 1/2" plug slides easily in the channel - I had the shop mill an 1/8" flat on the round plug surface so that it would slide beyond the screw heads holding the channel to the camper. The plan is to use three telescoping aluminum poles on the outer edge of any tarp material I choose to use, and plastic tarp clamps by SE between the channel plug hooks and the tarp. The tarp clamps are SE part # 9615RB12 - Amazon, I think. The local welder charged $15 per plug/hook, and the hook (also stainless) is about 1/8" diameter, welded to the plug. The plugs are 1-1/2" long, made from 1/2" round stainless stock and, again, about a 1/8" flat on the surface opposite the hook. Good luck! ------------- Teddy |
Replies:
Posted By: voisj
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2018 at 6:16pm
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Teddy, I use these sailboat slug sliders, Cheap and work perfect. Love your moxie though! rgds John  ------------- http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9426&title=slopod-180-mods-johnsue - SLOPODMODS John&Sue,SLO,CA 2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost 
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Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2018 at 8:01pm
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It's amazing how much sailboat stuff can be repurposed for a Pod. I just suggested using through hull fittings yesterday for a hole that penetrates all the way through the floor. Last fall I put line cleats at various points around the bottom of our Pod to tie down a flexible 100 amp solar panel so it won't blow away. And the post we use for table(s) is what I had on my Newport 30 and my Ericson. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: voisj
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2018 at 9:17pm
Lostagain, Couldn't agree more! I have my sailboat bbq and mount that i use for the pod + lots of other things, It's basically a TT on water. But I sold my Ericson and got the pod with the proceeds. No more "hole in the water that I poor money down" and it turns out that there are so many cool things to see on land! But I do still miss the boat. rgds John ------------- http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9426&title=slopod-180-mods-johnsue - SLOPODMODS John&Sue,SLO,CA 2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost
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Posted By: Wood River Pod
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2018 at 10:14pm
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+1 I use rubber sail stoppers to block off the ends of the rail so things don't slide off the track. Also I have both size of sail slugs for hanging from the upper and lower rail. Thanks Jeff ------------- Smith's in Hailey Early 2017 179 HRE http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9134&PN=1&title=wood-river-179-mods - Wood River Mods |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2018 at 8:24am
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John, yes, I still regret selling my Newport 30, but the Ericson was too costly to maintain and I was glad to be rid of it, a very nice boat though. I would get another boat, but my wife wouldn't go near it. She likes our Pod and since I like to hang out with her, it makes traveling much, much nicer. And besides, i'm too old and have had too many broken bones to be dancing on the bow of a sailboat in snotty weather; much better to be sitting around a nice fire enjoying a cup of Chȃteau Thames Enbankment. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: TEDDY
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2018 at 9:34am
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Couldn't find goodboatgear.com on the net, so I ordered some from Amazon - thanks for the tip. I'm sure the plastic will be lighter than the stainless steel I had made. I'll have to see which I like better - my ss plug/hook comes with a hook - and I'd need a SS S hook to use the sail slides - but the weight hanging on the channel would be less. Also, I use a fitted cover over the rPod in winter, and the SS hooks hanging in the channel might be a problem - lots of things to consider.
Thanks..... ------------- Teddy |
Posted By: john in idaho
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2018 at 10:18am
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so--- which one - the 3/8" or 1/2" - fits in the track?
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Posted By: Wood River Pod
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2018 at 1:53pm
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Both will fit in the large track. 3/8 has more wiggle, but it wouldn't come out of the gap. On my 2017 179 Green, I use the 1/2 inch on the door side on both the upper and lower tracks. On the track connected to the gutter over our slide, I use the 3/8's. It's a tight fit. Want to use these to come us with a makeshift slide cover. See the link below. You can find on amazon as well I'm sure. Thanks Sail Slug and Stop link http://www.sailrite.com/All-Hardware/Sail-Hardware/Slugs-and-Slides/type/Products?order=custitem_popularity - https://www.sailrite.com/All-Hardware/Sail-Hardware/Slugs-and-Slides/type/Products?order=custitem_popularity ------------- Smith's in Hailey Early 2017 179 HRE http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9134&PN=1&title=wood-river-179-mods - Wood River Mods |
Posted By: voisj
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2018 at 3:34pm
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Teddy, JohninIdaho, The 3/8 ones work but they slop around a little and get caught up while pulling the tarp over. Not a big deal as i use a tent pole to slide them along. I used 3/8 sliders because that's what I had a bunch of. If anyone used the 1/2 sliders let me know how they well they slide with a tarp attached,(2016 Pod).    ------------- http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9426&title=slopod-180-mods-johnsue - SLOPODMODS John&Sue,SLO,CA 2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost
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Posted By: TEDDY
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2018 at 4:35pm
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I ordered the 12.5 mm sail stops - might be an issue because the screws holding the channel onto the camper are not counter-sunk. That's the reason I had the local welder give me an eighth inch flat on the side of the round plug opposite the hook weld. When I get the 12.5 mm plastic plugs, I'll try them and let you all know. If you used the 3/8" sail plugs they would probably fit in the channel and slide past the channel mounting screws. A sanding wheel would probably flatten one surface of the plastic plugs to allow them to slide past the channel mounting screws. I suspect all of these solutions work - I'm not nautical (canoe with sail is as close as I ever got!) - so was not aware of something like the sail plugs - would have saved me the $180 I spend on the stainless plug/hook, but I'll have them forever...... I'm thinking some bubble gum stuck at the ends of the channel will keep the plugs from sliding out - or maybe an 1/8" bolt slipped into a bored hole at each end ....... ------------- Teddy |
Posted By: Happy Tripping
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2018 at 5:48pm
Or two pieces of wood, whittled down to plug the ends, with a loop around each of light rope or string coming from each plug's nearest tarp-corner. Tightening each down with a tautline hitch anchors the corners of the tarp. It works.
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Posted By: voisj
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2018 at 5:52pm
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I Leave My sail slugs attached to the tarp and just feed them in from one end, that way I can pull it out at the front or at the back depending on the Sun or rain Direction. I stand on the step and feed it in and use one of the adjustable tent poles to slide the slugs over, So i don't need a ladder for set up. It takes about 10 minutes to set up. EDIT I just remembered I did try to use 1/2"slugs and ground them down so they would slide pass the screws but then I found the 3/8 and didn't have to bother.  ------------- http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9426&title=slopod-180-mods-johnsue - SLOPODMODS John&Sue,SLO,CA 2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost
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Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 22 Mar 2018 at 11:36am
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You can also replaced the dome-head screws in the keder rail with flat-head equivalents. The top and bottom keder on newer pods is actually 14mm, so anything 1 or 2 mm less than that should work.
------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: TEDDY
Date Posted: 22 Mar 2018 at 1:01pm
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The screws holding the rail/channel to the camper body are not counter-sunk into the rail - so the flat-head screw replacement approach might work, or might not - unless you've tried it. ------------- Teddy |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 22 Mar 2018 at 2:26pm
We haven't gone down this path (yet). I was looking at the screws inside the keder rail, and deduced that the dome-head screws would certainly be an issue. ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |