Hi all,so
We're currently on a campsite in Ullswater with our inlaws, we have a big Isabella awning which blew down yesterday despite all the extra ropes and pegs we attached to it and our inlaws porch awning blew down last night despite all the even extra stuff we'd put on that after ours had blown down! Can anyone recommend a good, wind proof, stormproof porch awning? Doesn't need to be big we just need somewhere to put muddy walking boots etc so I'm not cleaning up after the kids all day!
Any awning is only as good as the pegs holding it down and the ground they are fixed in. After this years incessant rain the ground is sodden and pegs just don't "bite". If you use 2 pegs at each pegging point and knock them in at opposite angles so they are crossed they are more secure, for guy ropes and hold down straps use screw in dog tethers. You need to stop the wind trying to lift the awning.
My drive-away awning never moved an inch in the Outer Hebrides despite 40mph winds. I was forewarned to get some and I'm glad I did.
I believe you get a discount if you mention you are a member of UKCS.
The other alternative is to turn your van around, so that the awning is sheltering in the lee of the caravan, but that's rarely possible on a lot of sites with a big caravan and awning.
Quote: Originally posted by Lbn26 on 31/12/2012
...... we have a big Isabella awning which blew down yesterday despite all the extra ropes and pegs we attached to it .......
Lynsey
Hi Lynsey, Is it possible you could tell us how the awning gave up the ghost. Off course it was a traumatic experience and I am reluctant to ask but if you can recall what areas gave up first it might help other owners in windy situations.
Best wishes
John
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"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." - Bertrand Russell
i use full rows of rock pegs in every where i can put one,also use a full storm strap across the top with heavy duty pegs and two storm straps at each corner.without these ours would have blown away a few times.more so at keswick.do not think there is a foolproof awning where the high winds are concerned.
Thanks so much for all of your advice! I think we'll try the dog tethers and the storm strap, which funnily enough is what we had gone out to buy when we got the call from the campsite saying it had blown down!
John in Leeds, we were out so didn't see it happen but the central pole in the roof wobbled itself out we think judging by the dents in the tables etc and then after that it all just collapsed! My father in laws awning actually ripped and the poles snapped, I've never known wind like it!
storm proof does not exist, all you can do is add extra poles extra straps and longer pegs.
We have a seasonal pitch and i have fitted 12 extra poles, looks like a space frame from the inside, double pegging including 15inch steel pegs at 6 points around the awning.
way over the top for normal touring.
went through a storm this year that brought 4 of my neighbors awnings down but mine stayed up my main concern in the new year is that with the awning now being 10 years old the canvas will rip to bits in a storm.
Look at the design and try to get something that does not catch the wind. The Issy Snowboy with the winter pole set would cope with most conditions but as Alpiner says cross brace poles make a big difference and take some of the load off the individual roof poles. Also with a porch you need to make sure it can't move along the awning rail, either with rail blocks or extra guy ropes. My old Trio Alpine withstands most things when used with extra poles but I did have some of the seams restitched a couple of years back. Stopping the wind getting into the awning is a priority as are straps to hold poles firmly to the ground and if possible with long pole spikes on the base of each pole.
------------- 'A sure cure for sea-sickness is to sit under a tree'
Have you considered a winter porch? They have a much more sloped front which allows wind and snow to effect the awning less, they also come with steel poles as alu, ixl etc are not recommended for winter.
Also Id have a read up on the tent section about internal guying. If you watch a dutchman (great tenters) guy a tent, they tend to cross guy internally. As was mentioned earlier, make sure you have the right pegs for the ground on that day, a 6" peg in grass may be fine in summer but if the ground is saturated, nothing will hold. In winter a use 12" pegs, doubled up, and I always cross guy, themore the awning wants to move, the tighter it gets
Regards
Simon
I agree with the comments regarding there,s not really a "storm proof" awning.
We lost our awning at the start of this year (3.5 mt). During the postmortem we noted that the main pole junction had lost the plastic pin which you fit the material eye over, causing the material to move.
Long story short 3 men trying to collapse a 3.5 mt parachute which was trying to lift off with the caravan. Cut the awning off at the rail before any more damage happened to either us or the van,
Basically if it is going to go it will go:-)
Now use the 14 salvaged poles from the old awning, 4 storm straps & 12" pegs. Another little tip is attach your guy ropes with elastic luggage straps.
Simon - can you explain the cross guying thing? I tried googling but couldn't find anything. How do you go about guying from the inside as well? Sounds like the way to go, but don't know how!
There are several ways to internally or cross guy a tent or awning. A basic principle would be to put guys at 180 degrees to the exterior guys. It's something that's the norm on all expedition type tents that are used in mountaineering etc.
If you are using a square Isabella type awning. Look at the front right hand corner, put an external guy line that runs in line with the front and another that goes in line with the side, both a 45 degrees to the ground. You will then have 2 guys at 90 degrees from each other.
Then do the same but inside, so put one guy running alongside the front fabric, the peg will be somewhere half way towards the center pole. Do the same at the side.
If you do this for all poles you can get 4 on a corner, and 3 on the center and any intermediaries.
Here's the real important bit. ALWAYS loop all your guy lines around the frame cross joint. If you go on the Isabella website and look at the video for their storm strap you'll get the idea.
If you guy in this way, the frame is being pulled down in all directions so it's much less susceptible to gusts, and it's usually the gusts that cause the damage.
My other point would be that the wind has to go somewhere, so giving it an easy route will help hugely. Park your car infront of it if your worried. Make sure you peg EVERYTHING in the awning and mud flap, with a 3-4" gap from floor to awning.
If it's very blowwy, you can lower the front ridge of the awning a little and peg the front and sides out at a small angle, not pretty but make the wind's route easier.
Another top tip is to always loosen zips across the top before tensioning poles and make sure the canvas is drum tight. Any flapping will be a weak point
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Topic: Stormproof porch awning?
