Solo set-up? Can I do it?

[tinakays]

Thought I'd weigh in on this subject. We have a QS 10.0 and I decided to set her up myself just to see if I could. I'm 5'4" and a 50 something female. Ok, almost 60, but who's counting. I decided to connect the bunk support poles to the top, and then as I lifted the bunk end, the poles swung down to the ground and supported the bunk. Then I attempted to open the canopy. I am just too short to do it from the outside by myself, so I stepped into the QS and took a broom and pushed the bimini pole up and it just sort of stayed there on it's own so I could go outside and snap down the corners of the canvas. I repeated the whole broom on the bimini pole thing for the other side, then went out to adjust the bunk ends and attach the poles to the bottom. The poles were holding the bunk ends up a little higher than my shoulders, so I had to use the broom to knock one pole out while I eased the bunk onto my shoulders, then attached the poles at the bottom. I think next time I'll just attach one pole to the top and one to the bottom on each end. I'm sure one would have been enough to support the bunk, and I won't need the broom to knock out the other pole. Also, I snapped all the canvas on before I attached the poles to the bottom. Since the poles were holding the bunk up, there was lots of slack and it was easy. I would never have been able to reach up and pull down the bimini bar to get the canvas snapped up once the bunks were in place. 
Hope this makes sense. It took me about 15 minutes, but now I know I can do it if I need to!

~ Tina

[mary59mac]

I just noticed your reply. Do you travel??? LOL!

[tinakays]

Hi lillipets,

Right now we just camp on weekends and vacations. Still a few years away from freedom! LOL!

[mary59mac]

I think I get what you did but it would really help if you could make a video of it! I'm much better at watching how things work as opposed to following written directions.

But I think I'll give it a try and see what happens. I reaaalllly want to be able to do this on my own.

[lweller]

A good "helper pole" might be a painter's pole, purchased at any hardware or paint store.  The lengths are adjustable, so you can make adjustment on the fly.  Beer works for me as well.

[idlerockfarm]

When people described this before, it made no sense to me.  Now that I have a 6.0 and feel confident with setup and takedown, I really think I could handle the 10.0.  I'm glad I didn't get it first though.  

Thanks for the information and tips!

[mjmoore17]

[quote source="/post/24163/thread" author="@idlerockfarm" timestamp="1472174030"]When people described this before, it made no sense to me.  Now that I have a 6.0 and feel confident with setup and takedown, I really think I could handle the 10.0.  I'm glad I didn't get it first though.  

Thanks for the information and tips![/quote]I am with you. It was not until today that I fully understood the whole topic of bed supports. With the QS6, the supports are like a giant "U" that just swing down to the ground. I always have them loose so that when the bed is opened, they are fully supporting the bed. I know that they are height adjustable but I have never had to adjust them. 

Michael