BANNER
TIPS…
Stakes: Use ½” rebar about three to four feet long. Pound about 8-12” vertically into the dirt. When I use on a sandy beach, I use a 4’ rebar and pound in about 12-18”.
Stake Washer and Protective Cap: After you pound in the stake, slip the special 4" UV protected PVC washer over the stake and let it fall to the ground with the stake in the middle. This servers as a pad for the pole to rest on. It helps to keep dirt out of the pole and provides a low friction surface so the pole can easily pivot as the wind changes directions. It helps reduce the banner from wrapping around the pole. Be sure to put the protective sleeve/cap on the top of each rebar. The top edge of the rebar is sharp and will cut the inside of the pole. The sleeve provides a protective cushion. Almost all the pole breakage I've seen has been from not using a protective cap on the stake.
Pole
tip cap: It is already on the pole. It helps to keep the pole tip from poking through
the top of the banner. The top of the banner is also reinforced.
Banner tie-down cord: This
is already on the banner. It is a cord you just slip around the hook near the bottom of
the pole. Strange as it may sound, the wind can suck the banner right off the pole. The
cord prevents this. It is best to have it snug BUT NOT TIGHT.
There is no need to “snug it down.” The wind pressure is mostly across the sail;
very little force is trying to pull it off the pole. If you have it too tight, it has a
tendency, over the day, to collapse sections of the banner pole.
Pole:
Included. Pull cap off the top. Tip downward and the sections will slide out. Grip two
sections and pull with a little twist to tighten. Then take off the bottom cap. Slide on banner gently, so as not to catch any of the seams. Pull
tie-down cord aroung the hook near the bottom of the pole. Then slide the pole straight
down over the post (make sure that the post has its protective cap/sleeve on it). ENJOY!
Power lines: Be sure there are
no power lines or other things the poles might make contact with as you raise it up to put
on the stake. Also, remember it moves around and bends over in the wind.
Underground utilities and sprinklers: Before you pound in that
stake, check for underground utilities or/and sprinkler lines.
Eyes and other soft body parts: As you are concentrating on
slipping your banner on the looooong pole, and taking the pole on and off the stake, be
careful not to poke someone in the eye, or elsewhere.
“How can I make them last longer? Some of our
sails are made of
impregnated ripstop nylon; the same used in spinnaker sails on sailboats. Others are made
from special Dupont SolarMax™ fabric which is woven with threads treated to resist UV
rays. They are all very durable, but eventually, as with everything, they
will wear out. The sun deteriorates the fabric and the wind wears it out. The higher the
winds and UV, the more wear on the material. You extend its life by
flying it when you’re around and can appreciate it and taking it down when
you’re gone. You can just leave the banner on the pole and slip the
pole off the stake and set the pole and banner on the ground, out of the high winds and
sun, then set it up when the winds calm down. Just like you wouldn’t leave your car
doors open and the engine running all night, “because I’m going to be using it
tomorrow anyway,” why leave your banner up all night and wear it out. If you take it
down in the evenings and night, you’ll double its life.
Extreme Winds: Never use your pole or subject your banner to extreme winds. You might hurt someone, it could damage your banner or pole and it will shorten their lives.