Jason and Pauline Flanagan decided to create some new and amazing memories by taking the opportunity to explore this beautiful and unique country we call home. Being from Melbourne, they lived through the longest and hardest pandemic lockdowns in Australia,
This experience of not being allowed to travel more than 5km, visit family, restrictions on what and where they could work, cemented their need to travel.
Jason was in construction for 30 years, mainly working on commercial projects, and Pauline worked in corporate finance for over ten years. They made the call that it was time to change their life, purchased a caravan, rented out their house, and packed minimal belongings, including their two dogs Molly and Pepper.
The aim was to hit the road and with an open mind and see where it took them. To quote Jason: “Best decision ever!”
BORN OUT OF NECESSITY
Not too long into their trip, they experienced heavy rain while camping on the central New South Wales coast. With their awning out, a huge amount of water fell from the awning flap (valance), flowed under the awning and caused flooding and unnecessary damage in the under-awning living area, including saturated dog beds. To say the outside living space was now uncomfortable would be an understatement.
Jason and Pauline knew they needed a solution to this issue, knowing it would eventually become a problem again. After searched the internet for an off-the-shelf fix, they didn’t really find anything that would work.
They wanted something easy and quick to put up when needed, and compact and lightweight to travel with. It had to be a one-piece gutter, independent of the awning and not wear and tear the valance or any other part of the caravan by way of plastic clips, screws or clamps.
This is how his invention, the RainAway Awning Gutter, was born. They have perfected a sleek and elegant gutter with the ability to divert rainwater away, capture rainwater into a container, or store rainwater straight into the caravan’s water tank.
One-piece waterproof canvas suspended underneath the awning by double-sewn nylon strapping with rust-proof metal fasteners, and plastic flanges sandwiched in a universal garden hose fitting complete the registered design.
The RainAway Awning Gutter packs up neatly into a small drawstring bag to stash in your kit. With a centralised gravity fed outlet capable of handling water flow of 6L per minute, RainAway can be used with or without your caravan annex or privacy screens erected.
WHAT I THINK OF THE RAINAWAY
Every problem has a solution. RainAway is, in my opinion, the easiest and most compact rainwater catchment system on the market. The RainAway product has now become a source of supplementary income and something Jason and Pauline manufacture on the road, and the demand is booming.
RainAway makes caravanning more comfortable in the rain and prevents flooding of your outdoor living area. In addition it collects precious rainwater, which can be used to fill your tanks while free camping.
Jason and Pauline continue to explore Australia. When asked to name a few favourite locations and experiences, they were quick to point out swimming with the sharks in Port Lincoln, the amazing Bunder Cliffs on the Nullarbor Plain, Bitter Springs natural hot springs, NT, Horizontal Falls in the Kimberley, and star-gazing in central Australia.
Chasing the sun for almost two years now, Jason and Pauline have found new health, happiness and values that have changed their lives for the better.
More information: www.rainaway.com.au
