I know that the answer here will be "pack up and leave before a storm hits", but for those full time on the road, do you have any emergency plans to cater for, if you are caught in the approach of a storm. Emergency services on the net detail securing your van in case of high winds. Do you carry precautionary tie-downs, and earth anchors. Do you have a plan.
Today in Perth the weather has been extreme, and I would be concerned if the van was in an exposed position. With a small camper trailer I would see no problem, but with a big van, you could be caught.
I some times think that there are people (Nomads) out there that are contemplating life on the road but are really not understanding what is required and what is needed to "live the life" on the road. The seasonal changes will determine what part of the country you will be in and the extreme weather conditions outlined for eg Kiwijim on this site keeps you up to date just for example.
I really think you need to take stock and evaluate your decision to become a "full time nomad" living the life on the road. You may really need the security of bricks and mortar and the comforts of home.
I have 5\8ths U bolts tied into mesh b4 pouring concrete slab at home for big boat.
Other boat can be strapped to brick house columns of house. BOTH Under carport.
2 cars + 6x4. inside garage.
Van insured for more than costs.. shhhhhh. Puleeeez.
Anywhere else. No matter when. Get the hell out.
OR.
Find someplace with decent brick\Concrete columns. and strap round the columns onto chassis\drawbar ear bar.
Maybe underground area\Carpark.
But You ALWAYS get weather warnings in civilised country's.
I carry several lengths of decent rope in box in tray.(Like 1\2 a doz)
Along with 3 tow straps. 3 x long ratchet straps.
half a doz decent shackles. And 8 or 10 18in long 1\2 in stainless rods.
Heavy plate on top. with flat 12in long blades welded along bottom ends.
With a 4 lb Mash hammer.
Ex crane driver\Yachtie. Collected lots of choices over the yrs.
BUT. The BEST defence is bolting. Day or night.
Just go in opposite direction. OK. Fast.. and loooong way.
My GPS has a permanent route locked in to Emerald.
in case middle of night and dopey.
350 km's inland should be reasonably safe.
we've been caught in a Cyclone with Yacht once. yrs ago.
Scared the brown out of me.
Carried lots of crap ever since.
I some times think that there are people (Nomads) out there that are contemplating life on the road but are really not understanding what is required and what is needed to "live the life" on the road. The seasonal changes will determine what part of the country you will be in and the extreme weather conditions outlined for eg Kiwijim on this site keeps you up to date just for example.
I really think you need to take stock and evaluate your decision to become a "full time nomad" living the life on the road. You may really need the security of bricks and mortar and the comforts of home.
Only my thoughts based on a lot of your posts.
JohnR
Gday...
As a full-time nomad for eight years now, I simply travel in areas that are 'seasonally more stable' ... why would someone who is full-time on the road want to be in the far north during the wet/cyclone season?
Whilst some of the southern areas can (such as SW WA did very recently) suffer 'gale force/damaging' wind and 'severe' weather conditions they are rarely a 'surprise arrival'. Therefore, if they are on the way, then I simply 'get on my way'.
I do not feel, in any way at all, that I have ever felt (or missed) the "need of the security of bricks and mortar and the comforts of home".
cheers - John
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2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
While out on the road, (part time), I always talk to a few travellers each side of me
Security from a storm has never been raised as a topic
Full time travellers have told me that there is no such thing as the wrong weather, only people wearing the wrong clothes
I would assume that full time on the road travellers, would always be going to where the weather was nice
If I ever did get caught in a storm, I would stay away from under a tree, and possibly go to a caravan park so that other caravans would act as a bit of a wind break
Two years ago I was camped in NW Victoria on the bank of the Murray river, deep in the forest and just rough camped in the bush using my rooftop tent.
The forecast was for moderate winds about 40kph to 50kph - it was wrong.
The morning had been a little breeze but nothing of consequence until around 11am when I saw it coming as it had whipped up a lot of dust off the Mallee and was advancing with a red haze which blocked out everything like a fog.
Then it hit.
It picked up my camp table which had 20kg of water and other stuff on it and threw that across camp. It carried the 3'x2' piece of 10mm plywood I use for a "coffee table" like a frizzbe for 50m. It blew over just about everything else in camp. The only reason the rooftop tent survived was because a massive River Red Gun was directly sheltering it from the wind. The only place away from the big trees was down by the water which was where I ran for safety but when I got there I realised the wind was so strong it may blow me into the river so I spent the next 15 minutes literally hugging a small gum tree until the wind abated.
I have been in very strong winds many times before and I estimate this one was around 150kph - very strong wind can happen in the wrong place at the wrong time and without warning.
Having a plan to secure a caravan or, at least, turn it front on to the wind is a very good idea.
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"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"
Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
When I was working and had kids and stayed at the beach for a month at a time I had 4 star picket about 400 mm long driven in on an angle which had a fixing point to the caravan on each corner and secured to the caravan , They did not take up much space , I don't carry it any more we try to work the weather .
Its fair enough to say move on, but if you are doing a farm sit for instance, you can't just up and runaway. I am just going through my stuff deciding on what to take and what to bin, the thought I had, was no matter what tie-down gear you have, ground anchorage would be the problem.
As far as the posts is concerned, I just put it in to add content, too many of us are just joining and doing nothing, with out content and participation the forum is dead, there are forums that haven't had posts for several years, nearly dead in the water. However if you find my input boring and unwanted, I can easily move on, it will be no skin off my nose.
I notice JohnR, I have contributed a thousand more posts than your 250, and never once have I responded in the way you have.
Ian.
Farm sit.
There's usually an empty\ish tooool, Tractor shed around.
Even if you get van partly into it.
the bulk of will deflect a lot of wind strength\Direction.
We were down in Adel (Yrs ago. Specialist surgery) Van in "Foreshore van park. second row back from beach.
90+ KNOT wind came through at around 3 am.
Long story short.
Annexe up.
Ripped roll out out of roof clips, half off van roller.
There are NOT always warnings in time.
Strapped it up and had replaced in Brissie at Aussie Traveller. Ins.
YES. They are that good.
Just don't leave stuff outside and half roll awning in. One side down. at night.
Unless annexe etc.
Was their windy season. Not normally there at that time of yr.
While on our "lap" we stopped at Port Lincoln. Winds were 80kph at the jetty. Luckily while building our timy 450kg caravan I built it with a roll bar, with eyelets on the top and tied these to trees. No problem . Then in Burra 100kph wind at the showgrounds. We tied it to telegraph poles. Our washing was on those ropes and was horizontal!. No problem. Keeping it hooked on the tug helps.
Face the front into the wind the wind has to go ober the tug before arriving at the van. You wont have eyelets on your van so consider rope on strong points like bumpers.
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Be nice... if I wanted my school teacher here I would have invited him...
We had never discussed this important issue until seeing this which was very remiss of us.We now have discussed it and we have come to the conclusion that if getting away isn't possible then we would get out in the open with no trees over us and point the van into the wind,storm.What do otherso think?
Macka17
I don'the understand whar use shackles and ropes would do? Maybe just my ignorance???? Iterested in what others have to say.
I have been a few blows, during our stay in Perth when we first came over we were living in a Jayco Swan, we went through four separate storms, having to Dyna bolt the annex down to the slab, the annex got blown in and damaged in one of those storms. I was also on shore during the Wahine disaster at Wellington airport where there was 275 KM winds, also on the out skirts of Ash Wednesday in the SE South Australia, I know what wind can do.
Like I said, I think the ground anchor points would be the weak link in roping down, the wind on a large surface will have so much power, of course shelter, facing end on into the wind etc. The emergency services have two posts on the web showing how to tie down a caravan, and Macka would be the only one carrying the gear to do as they suggest.
Have been in a few big blows that I had to weather. One, I was able to pull up next to a wall which helped some, others I have kept hooked up to the tug and faced into the wind. At times it has felt like the van was about to take off with no chance of sleep due to the buffeting but never had any damage bar frayed nerves.
Cheers, John.
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"My mind is made up. Please don't confuse me with facts."
Iana I recently stayed at a free camp in the Coorong SA and the first night there There was really strong winds blowing across Lake Alexandria and I kept looking out the window at the van opposite me, had their annex fully out and I thought it would blow away that night, but no when I got up in the morning it was still intact. I was chatting to the owner that night and mentioned how I thought his annex was a goner and he said 'No, never' I have invented these special pegs that a hurricane couldn't rip out. He said he sells them on e-bay but never bothered to ask him what they were called, but maybe asking in a well know camping shop they might know.
Anyway Iana I thought your question was very reasonable and you should be able expect a reasonable answer.
Ian you have a different lifestyle to the vast majority of us. Unfortunately you did not say so and thus got the expected replies. When you have special requirements you should state them to deflect those comments.
For my reply to the majority I would say there is nothing special that you should carry for protection. Flight is by far the best, particularly if you have a tent trailer or pop-top. It is extremely difficult to tie a van down in extreme conditions.
For all of us in high or extreme wind conditions. The only way you can protect an awning is to sow it, forget tying it down. Stow everything outside your tug and van. The biggest problem when sitting out extreme weather is flying objects. It does not matter how well you tie the van down, flying objects do not respect something as thin as a van wall.
For Ian and other extreme weather chasers. I will not attempt to put any advice in my own words. There are a few brochures that will express things better than I can.
Ian, PeterD's suggestions of websites are good to follow. I have had a PDF of the Western Austalian suggestions for a few years now, and was ready to deploy while in Mackay earlier this year as Cyclone Debbie approached. Fortunately, we took Option B, which was to do a runner, we out ran to Moranbah, then at the suggestion of the local constabulary, onwards to Clermont.
Best suggestion, if you can, listen to the warnings and be ready to move on ahead of the storm - have an escape route
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DUNMOWIN is no longer on the road and still DUNMOWIN!