At 8:14 this morning, I get a phone call from where our caravan is sited.
[You 'that' feeling when you see a certain number come up on your phone, and you just know what they're going to say......??]
Well, she informed me that our awning decided to try a flying lesson over night!
Typical, we were planning to go this weekend anyway to take down the awing for the winter.
She said to come straight up and sort it our as she wasn't touching it.
Got there, and found it not to be as bad as she made out.
Poles removed - a couple bent. The clips where the awning poles secure to the caravan broken (2 screws and they can be replaced). But best of all, NO rips etc to the awning, which I was relieved about....
Until I saw the rear side window next to the main entrance door...
Cracked with a hole in it. Luckily only the outer layer broken. Must have been when the poles were flapping about once they came loose from the clips.
We had the storm strap on and even went a bit mad pegging it down when we set it up not long ago - even checking it regularly.
Any idea what else we can do in future when it gets a bit windy??
Your campsite owner sounds as bigger t**ser as the owner of the campsite nr me. A couple of yrs ago there was a massive gale & several seasonal pitched caravan awnings were well out of shape with 2 completely blown down. Several days later several had still not been attended to.
What sort of a tw*t of a campsite warden would not be out there sorting out his customer's awnings to prevent further damage?
When we were on Highfield Farm, Tunstall, near Catterick, Andrew (the owner) could often be seen chasing awnings, contents even water bottles across fields before storing recovered items in a huge shed. More importantly he would always try and secure any awning that was collapsing, I know because he saved ours twice. This was a wonderful site with super helpful owners and we only left because we got a static.
Why leave a awning on caravan when you are not there if I was on a seasonal pitch I would take it down saves somebody else sorting my mess out I love my van to much to leave possible problems for someone else to correct
When i saved a fellow caravaners awning from total collapse and being blown away when he was not there, and after telling him what i had done, he never spoke to me again, plus i got a black eye where a hole hit me when the wind was trying to destroy it.
the second time this happened to another caravan the awning was to far gone so i gathered all his valuble items like TV,radio etc and put them under cover and safe, he never even bothered to say thank you
so the way i see it thats two caravan owners that are TOSSERS, so it can work both ways
I think you will find a lot of sit owners will not touch this kind of problem because of this kind of situation
Plus the compensation culture we now have.
This is what i do
The main problem with seasonal awnings is the fact that you cant always be there when the weather is rough.
Problem no 1, in high winds, roof poles fall down were they contact the van,they fall inwards and then batter the side of the van doing loads of damage.
Problem no 2 , the canvas becomes slack and rain water collects on the roof untill the weight of the water bends the poles and the awning collapses. awning tie downs will not stop this happening.
i managed to find a spare set of awning poles and used them to add extra roof poles and uprights, placing an extra upright to each roof pole were it attatches to the caravan.
Roof Poles can now not fall at awning rail side of awning.
I also added some cross bracing the awning will now rip befor it collapses.
All this could sound over the top but consider the damage a collapsed awning can do to your caravan.
Each season there has been at least two collapses on the site i go to and each time it happens the owners have added these extra poles.
It works out very expensive to buy these poles new so look out for a second hand set.
I would take it down if high winds are in the forecast as,apart from it falling down and causing damage it will be pulling like hell on the awning rail which may cause leaks later on..
Quote: Originally posted by lexie71 on 23/10/2015
Why leave a awning on caravan when you are not there if I was on a seasonal pitch I would take it down saves somebody else sorting my mess out I love my van to much to leave possible problems for someone else to correct
It's sometimes not that simple, a seasonal awning usually is your living room, party room, everything, I put a floor down, fridge and freezer, sofas, the works, so taking it down every 5 minutes is not an option. I make sure it's up and will stay up for the season with extra poles, sandbags, straps, more poles...
Quote: Originally posted by Opensauce on 22/10/2015
Your campsite owner sounds as bigger t**ser as the owner of the campsite nr me. A couple of yrs ago there was a massive gale & several seasonal pitched caravan awnings were well out of shape with 2 completely blown down. Several days later several had still not been attended to.
What sort of a tw*t of a campsite warden would not be out there sorting out his customer's awnings to prevent further damage?
A very wise campsite owner. What if they did go out to sort out the awning and then got blamed for the hole in the window. It is not their responsibility to sort out errant awnings.
Probably explains why most site owners are miserable so & so's then... certainly true of him mentioned in my earlier post. This is why I don't do UK camping any more, it's fairly rare to meet a helpful & pleasant owner, one seems to camp in the the UK on a 'if you don't like it ***k off' basis most of the time.
It's like working somewhere where everybody hates their job & management & workers hate each other with equal passion.
Quote: Originally posted by jeff juke on 23/10/2015I would take it down if high winds are in the forecast as,apart from it falling down and causing damage it will be pulling like hell on the awning rail which may cause leaks later on..
Good point Jeff, I have always thought the same and only use an awning when we really need to. As you say the strain on an awning rail must be severe when really windy.
Some may say they are designed to take an awning so should not be a problem...they are also supposed to be designed not to leak when new?
------------- It is a wise man who has something to say.
It is a fool who has to say something.
I stand by my earlier post I don't care what you have in your awning to leave everything in it as if you were their when you clearly are not is crazy to me with the great British weather we have you are asking for trouble why let someone else save your awning and contents because YOU are not able to do it yourself
Ah well reading this has made up my mind regarding a seasonal pitch for next year. I have been swithering over the pros and cons now for a while, but this thread has helped me make up my mind.
I won't be bothering
------------- Who needs travel agents,we have our static
If the wind causes tension on the awning rail (and it's then only loose and flapping as the poles are usually downed), then what about when you put 'constant' tension on it to tighten the awing rail in normal circumstances when you have it erected normally?
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Topic: DISASTER!!!!
