rear rain gutter?

[sameguy]

I was working on a few things on my 2016 Hawk today and noticed this odd rain gutter kind of thing on the back roofline. I assume it is just to keep water from the roof from coming down over the back door but it has this strange chanel in it. Does it have a different use?

 

[So Cal Adventurer]

The older ones had an optional rear awning that slid in there and was super slick and useful. Bummed they stopped making it.

Ive been trying to make my own and its been put on the back burner for now.

 

[sameguy]

Makes sense. Thanks for the info. Thinking it would be pretty easy to fabricate something, Some Silnylon with a chanel sewn in and some kind of rope inside the chanel.

 

[PaulT]

Search for keder (awning, track, rope) for possibilities. For example, the following could be attached to some tarp material to create an awning that used the track.
https://www.perfectfit.com/154247/products/Keder-Awning-Rail-Insert.html

You might find some usable coated fabric from here or another vendor.
https://www.seattlefabrics.com/Coated-Uncoated-Nylon-Polyester-Fabrics_c_20.html

The factory rear awning used marine Bimini top hardware. It could have been a lot lighter if they used aluminum poles and coated nylon tarp material rather than the steel poles and heavier material similar to the pop-up material.
One handy feature of the factory rear awning was that the poles were handy to hang towels to dry.

Paul

 

[Rjensen219]

I have actually thought using a Jeep Traditional Bikini top for a rear awning. I had more then a few CJ's in past years and I don't know why they wouldn't work. Although it wouldn't cover the entire rear it would get most of it. As far as its ability to hold up, they last for years even at highway speeds. Best of all they are pretty cheap.

 

[Beach]

I use a track like that to attach my big side awning to the camper, works very well.