Awnings in strong winds

[parker1158]

We have just returned from a few days away on the Suffolk coast at a CC site that has pitches right on the edge of the beach. On Tuesday evening it blew pretty hard, I think sailors would have called it a stiff breeze, I would have said more gale force wind.

Anyway we were awoke about three in the morning by lots of banging and clattering and general noise, when I looked out I could see several outfits were taking down their awnings probably before they lost them, this made me check ours which was only being held in place by the tie-downs.

So picture this, me in boxers and trainers my daughter in her jim-jams and my wife in a very flimsy negligee which spent most of its time around her neck fighting to take down the awning (My seven year old son slept through it!)

I noted however that other awnings seemed totally unaffected so where did I, and others, go wrong? We were on hard standing and I had the right pegs (The ones that resemble giant nails) and I had the storm straps/tie downs on. There was even one awning that did not appear to have the storm straps and his stayed up!

So come on you seasoned vanners what's the secret, if only to save my wife's blushes should it happen again.

 

[AnnM1]

Might I suggest (without being rude) that it was all due to PANIC!!!!

If you have your awning tied down securely, and have atttached a storm band, I doubt that it would have moved very far.

I camped in a tent during the Fastnet Gales (force 10). On St David's Point Caravan & Campoing Club site. Kids couldn't stand upright and I had to keep them in the car for safety. Even the car took a bettering and had to be moved nose into the wind to keep them safe! This was 25+ years ago and my tent was the last standing --- then only a side pole gave way. Other tents on site were just flattened.

I sppose from the above comment I learned very quickly how to secure my unit being tent, caravan or even a motorhome!

 

[Hamer_5041128]

Martyn,

As a caravaneer who uses cliff top sites i will try to help.

Are your rock pegs long (7-8inches) with serated ends?

Did you peg down the mud wall round the awning? Whether it is inside or outside the awning. If the mud wall is not tight and securely pegged down, the wind will get underneath the mud wall and try to lift the awning sides.

Did you put the pegs in at 45 degress, this provides more resistance.

Was your awning skirt along the caravan side firmly pegged down, again to limit the amount of wind which can get underneath and stop the awning sides blowing out?

Was your awning tightly pitched? Poles as tight as you could get them.

Did you use every available pegging point?

Hamer

 

[parker1158]

Thanks Ann and Hamer

No it was not panic the awning was on its way, all the pegs had been uprooted and one pole was down. If it had been still up the wife would have got dressed first!

You make some valid points Hamer I suspect my awning may not be up to the strains of high winds. It's a Derema, it does not have peg holes for the mud skirt (Unlike my porch awning) or the side skirt and I must confess there may have been a couple of points not pegged by the flap we were using to enter and exit perhaps this created a weak point.

 

[Hamer_5041128]

Martyn,

The Canvas Repair Centre at Burton-on Trent are an excellent company who repair awnings and reduce and extend them. They also do mail order. Other than the problems you have had ,if you are otherwise satisfied with your awning they would put reinforced eyelet/pegging holes in both your awning skirt and your awning mud wall. they do an excellent job and much cheaper than buying a new awning.

Hamer

 

[Surfer]

We have a Dorema Madison and it has stood up to all sorts of gale force winds but then again we alays use our storm straps. On the Dorema that just clip into the sides no problem.