I'm just wondering, those full time on the road with a caravan, do you have any plans about coping with wind when a storm comes up. I am wondering if I should be looking into ground anchors and tie downs etc., or do you watch the weather map and bolt if it looks bad.
Ian, I have been through 100kmh winds at Greens Lake, central VIC twice. The wind came from the back of the van so that helped. The awning was still out but well roped down with long thick pegs.
I was told one day by a passer by that my ropes were over kill. I just ignored them. I am not saying the awning won't take off though as one day it might. A decision will be made at the time if I take awning down or not. The van was rocken and rollin but was ok.
I had a van "on site" at Kilcunda, on the south coast of VIC on a cliff edge over looking Bass Strait for many moons. It was anchored down well and truly.
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Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
In our 2 years on the road we've been through some blowy weather and have tried to get the awning up and locked away before the storm has struck and so far so good.
If sufficient warning, definitely get the awning in, they are very flimsy, even if tied down, we just saved ours in time at Strathalbyn in Oct 2014, 111kph winds, we've ridden out a few thunder storms over the years, thankfully no hail, but they are hard to predict, so just take pot luck, and which way would you run?
We mostly avoid travelling in the stormy seasons, if on the road full time I would suggest plan your trips to avoid known weather event areas. ie don't go north in the cyclone season, etc.
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Bevan
Friendship is not a relationship with someone whom you've known for a long time, but with someone you trust, under any circumstances.
This week we were in only the 3rd storm in over 10 years. Awning naturally in but did not expect to see water running out from under the fridge! Wind had blown water in the bottom vent outside behind the fridge. Could have had our dust stoppers on had we known.
we always check the weather forecasts (which can sometimes be a bit like believing a fortune teller) and watch the weather as we travel.
If we put the awning out, we always anchor it down in each corner. We use a flat bungy cord (Bunnings) which have dog clips at each end and about 2feet long. We wrap them around the thick part of the winder (and they don't creep off onto the actual "axle" going through the annexe and then tie one down at 90o to each other. Rather than using the round tent pegs, we bought from Rays or BFC galvinised star pickets which are about 2 feet long with a hook welded in one end for your tie rope and the sharp end at the other. Great in sandy or light soils as they don't pull out.
The bungy cord we stretch which allows some play in the tie ropes so theres no too much tension.
If the wind gets up, we can quickly unhook the rope eyes off the bungy cord dog clips and close the annexe.
To stop us and others falling over the ropes, we bought those cheap styrene swimming pool float tubes - about $2 each. They are hollow in the centre and I slit it lengthways. We then just push then onto the ropes and they cover the length of them. No-one trips over these fluro coloured red tie downs anymore.
We picked up the ideas and many others by wandering through CPs and looking at what others did (and asking them why and how) - lots of clever little inventors out there !!!!
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
Does anyone take precautions to protect solar panels from hail? Can't think of anything that would be reasonably effective and at the same time be easy to deploy (mine are about 2.5 metres above the ground) and not take up much room. Sounds like a Catch-22 situation!
Cheers
Joe
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Hino Rainbow motorhome conversion towing a Daihatsu Terios
We have been through a few 90 kmh storms with awning/full walls and awning out only with 3 x double sprung loaded ropes with either 250mm Batten Screws as pegs or 500mm Sand Pegs and 3 x Roof / 2 x Aussie Traveller Anti -Flap Rafters without a drama over the last 14 yrs of Fulltime Travel. We are usually the only ones with an Awning left out in these circumstances most times except maybe when at Greens with Dougwe in residence. I have learnt an extra Tip from an Older Grey Nomad which also makes it less of a Problem with high winds. This is fitting a Small Rubber Stop under the end of the Top Locking arm near the Roller shaft before tightening the Locking Nob. Another I have devised which is to Stop the rubbing Noise of the Rafters where they fit into the Locating Brackets on the van ie a small triangular piece of UHT Milk Carton slid into the end of the Rafter and together with the end is slid into the Bracket and Acts as a Wear Plate.
