Hi we were sat in the awning tonight and it got a bit windy I was a bit worried as the awning sides were flapping out then in with the wind . Someone on site said you don't want it too tight as it would just go. You are supposed to ha e some movement . What's right and what's wrong anyone any I seas please . Just wondering do we need to peg down different . It's been tensioned with a herculean so the poles ate tight . 😐
I've always tightened up in high winds as your awning or tent is designed to cope with some wind. Flapping awnings are more likely to yank out the pegs and/or damage your caravan.The reason for looser guy ropes when it is rainy is often because they tighten up when wet.
If you are getting too concerned with the wind, then take the awning down completely.
------------- The Sun always shines on TV.(and not on my caravan!)
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The flapping allows the wind to tug the awning far more than skimming over the surface.
We were on a pitch on the hillside overlooking the sea in Cornwall the one year and the wind/rain battered the hillside. My lightweight 1/2 tunnel style held up with no issues. Looked out the other window to see my mates awning had been taken down.
If the wind is coming under the van then thats one of the few times i will use the underskirt and also fit the wheel cover. Prevent as much as you can from coming under and inflating the awning like a balloon.
Some folk dont half come out with some rubbish. 'Leave it loose'...'it needs a bit of flap'??
Modern awnings can take some right stick, however they are secured. I never go OTT when pegging ours down, very rarely using the actual guy ropes - of which their are only the 2 anyway.
I recall one occasion where they had warned of a bit of wind, so i did peg the 2 guys as an afterthought.
During that night, the wind was so bad that i had my mortgage on the awning being trashed the next morning, and wishing i had taken more care when pegging down. It really was that bad.
Next day, with blue skies and no wind, i opened the door, to find absolutely nothing had moved. The awning basically looked back at me as if to say...a bit of wind - so what!
Awnings will stick more than you think and leaving them "loose" can have no benefit at all.
However I have seen trashed awnings on a coastal site in Brittany, the more sheltered ones got away with it, but the only ones that survived the night where the ones, including mine, that had heeded the advice of the owner and fitted the storm straps. Any threat of proper wind, and my storm straps are fitted, it takes minutes.
I always peg the ones nearest the van first then the front corners I make it as tight as possible, in windy conditions I use a storm strap,i have never had any problems
------------- its our imperfections that makes us perfect
When sailing in high winds we put kicker, Cunningham and outhaul on tight. That stretches the sail in all 3 directions making it flat and tight. That depowers the sail.
When the wind starts dropping we loosen it all to power the sail up.
Makes a huge difference and I'm sure an awning is not that much different.
The awning roof and sides can all be tensioned almost independently. Initial positioning of the 3 walls to get them tight across the base when pegging out is the first stage. The height of the poles will stretch the walls vertically, finally the roof poles. There was a good video from Isabella on Youtube which shows the guy opening the top of the zip near the roof poles before tensioning them, then closing the zip again before moving on to do the the next side, it does make a difference.
I agree with Mike on the storm straps.
Dave.
------------- Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day,
Teach a man to fish and you can get rid of him for a whole weekend.
Thanks guys we have storm straps and will take them with us we leave awning up from march till dec when site shuts and last year there we a few bad storms xx