With the talk of stomy/windy weather, I am going away tomorrow but the forecast gives out winds up to 23mph, what is the limit you experienced vanners would accept for your awning to stay up? It seems I will be putting up and taking down ALOT if the winds are too high...so far it has (gusts up to)
Sat 13mph (setting up), Sun 23mph, Mon 19mph, Tues 15mph, Weds 14mph, Thur 22mph , Fri 13mph, Sat 7mph (take down)
As with all forecasts this can go up or down, but judging by the weather now and what is stated above, would you put an awning up? I am a single mum I really don't want to be fighting with an awning in the middle of the night with the kids screaming at me I am pretty new to this vanning lark
------------- Vid walkthrough of my Aztec Cantera 12 tent *Click Me*
Video of my folding caravan *Click Me*
As long as it is erected & pegged properly and is a conventional awning the speeds you mention shouldn't be a problem at all. We have had ours up in strong winds without a problem.
You can put up a storm strap if it makes you happier.
last night we had and ave wind speed of 29mph with gusts up to 49mph , in devon, very unsettling but the awning held out fine, we did bottle it for tonight and come home though.
30mph expected windspeeds with stronger gusts would put me off . below this I would carry on. The 30mph was the cut off point for me last year in our big tunnel tent.
When we were tenting last year the high winds were scary with a fibreglass pole synthetic tunnel tent.That said we did survive 60mph winds with 80mph gusts on a hilltop coastal site with no shelter, but after that I was much more inclined to check the windspeed map before going.
I think a traditional awning will withstand winds better than a lightweight one too.
Thanks people...I already have one of those storm strap kits, bought it when I spotted the windspeed So here's hoping for some decent weather for our hols
------------- Vid walkthrough of my Aztec Cantera 12 tent *Click Me*
Video of my folding caravan *Click Me*
We were in Poole over the last 2 nights with very high winds. We thought about taking the awning down but, as our daughter was sleeping in the annexe, settled for the tie down and strong pegs and guy ropes. It was a bit scary at times but we arrived back today safe and sound and no damage.
I've just come back from Abersoch in Wales where I went to help my elderly mum and dad re-erect their awning after hurricane winds (gusts up to 84mph) on Thursday night, a pole was bent and some of the awning ripped, the caravan moved 6" and they spent the night in the car! the awning was storm strapped and guy roped but the wind just ripped everything out of the ground, the only other person on the CL site spent all night holding onto the awning poles!!!
We've just got back from a week in Anglesey and the weather on Thursday afternoon/evening was scary to say the least! We got back to site at about 6.30 pm having been out for the day, and our awning was wrecked! It had been calm and sunny when we left at about 11.00 am. Poles all bent, two snapped altogether. Awning shredded. Brand new blue diamond windbreak also shredded. Metal folding table blown inside out. My brand new cadac (aaarrghhhhh) complete with full 6kg gas bottle several yards away, having been inside the awning. In fact, at first we thought someone had driven into it. Only damage was awning thankfully and no damage to the van.
Later that night the wind really hit, the van was literally rolling from side to side. We actually got out of bed and got dressed we were so sure something awful was going to happen. At 3.00 am OH moved the car away from the van as we thought at least that would be saved when it went over! There was a scout troop in the field behind us and the poor little beggars were hammering pegs in all night long. Things eventually calmed down around 5.00 am.
Awnings are just like tents - only as good as the pegs that hold them down. Invest in good, strong pegs. Buy storm straps. Use them even if winds are not forecast. Bad weather blows up fast and usually in the middle of the night, just when you don't want to be pegging out and tightening straps.
Even if you do all that, the awing will buck about and shake the van and, if you're anything like me, you won't get much kip, but we've been through weeks of 40mph+ winds with no problems apart from the occasional broken rubber or pulled peg.
------------- * You never know where you're going 'til you get there...
We had our awning damaged when we were away in our van last November in Penzance. The Heliport measured the wind speed at 103 knots and ithe following morning we counted a number of dead sea gulls that had been blown against the see wall. Thats really extreme conditions and I'm sure the campsite is not as exposed as the heliport but I suspect the wind was 45+
------------- Nigel
March 2012 - Dove Meadows
6th July Moving to Hayle
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Awnings and wind...
I am pretty new to this vanning lark 
So here's hoping for some decent weather for our hols 
