Wind speed to roll em up

[pattydoug]

My point with the Zip Dee is that they wouldn't have needed to replace the whole awning. Even for ones as old as ours Zip Dee has the parts.


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[RangerJay]

We have no rules about wind speed but after 12 years (with some trial and error) we've evolved into:

• awning rolled up overnight
• awning rolled up when away
• awning out only when at the campsite
• awning rolled up as soon as the question gets asked

I can pretty much guarantee that you will find yourself moving in the same direction once you've climbed out of bed in jockey shorts to try (emphasis on the word "try") and roll up the awning at 3 in the morning in driving thunderstorm or you have to abandon your meal at the restaurant table to rush back to the campsite when the wind unexpectedly whips up. There are lots more examples ..... all of them mitigated by the practices listed above.


Jay

[lsbrodsky]

I think those are excellent rules! I fell into the same rules, unspoken, after seeing posts on this forum about damaged arms. I use anchors and guy rope when the awning is out, for insurance, unless I know the weather is going to be calm, even when I am just sitting under the awning.
Larry

[AWCHIEF]

Hypothetical question just to to confuse things even more. My Safari came with a ZipDee screen room that has never been installed. If it was up how would that effect the requirements (wind speed etc.) for rolling the awning up? It just seems like putting the screen room up and taking it down is not as quick and easy a process as ZipDee advertises. Bug season is approaching so just trying to decide if it is really worth all the effort.

[Cannonball]

The awning on our Sport is my least favorite feature. We may go for months and not deploy it. Bottom line is that if I am not in sight of it, I put it away.

[Glenritas]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

Hypothetical question just to to confuse things even more. My Safari came with a ZipDee screen room that has never been installed. If it was up how would that effect the requirements (wind speed etc.) for rolling the awning up? It just seems like putting the screen room up and taking it down is not as quick and easy a process as ZipDee advertises. Bug season is approaching so just trying to decide if it is really worth all the effort.

It would mitigate the wind some BUT rain is another story.

[Mergatroyd]

We got woken up by a Tornado in the middle of the night with the awning out. It was only a Class 0 Tornado. Somewhere at around 80 mph winds the awning struts failed and the awning rolled itself up. The only damage was the struts and the strut attachments to the trailer skin. I'm sure the awning will withstand 40 mph easily.

[Mollysdad]

I was always more worried about the tremendous strain put on the roof and sidewall areas of the RV than the potential damage to the fabric and struts.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

There is a saying in sailing. If you think you need to take in some sail, it is probably too late. Lesson, be proactive. Personally I am still at that awning paranoid stage. I try to take mine in before the wind might be a problem regardless of the wind speed.

Well said!

Wind speed is deceiving, as the particulars of a site can cause updrafts under the awning even in lighter winds.

Fore-warned is fore-armed!

When to take the awning in?

A better question might be, "How much are you willing to pay for being lazy?"

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by Mergatroyd

We got woken up by a Tornado in the middle of the night with the awning out. It was only a Class 0 Tornado. Somewhere at around 80 mph winds the awning struts failed and the awning rolled itself up. The only damage was the struts and the strut attachments to the trailer skin. I'm sure the awning will withstand 40 mph easily.

I'm sitting here imagining what that must've sounded like, and hoping I never hear it for myself.

[Mergatroyd]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

I'm sitting here imagining what that must've sounded like, and hoping I never hear it for myself.

It was real scary. The trailer was on the brink of flipping. I thought for about a millisecond that I should go out and try to get the awning rolled up, but it was pure hell outside. No way could you out there.

[StreamingEagle]

Might I say that I hate the lack of definitive answer on this topic.... I'm currently sitting inside my airstream with only the main awning out for the sole purpose of trying to mitigate the afternoon sun on the side of the airstream. Winds are around 15-17mph... it's not shaking the trailer (yet), but I sure would like to know if there really is a good 'rule of thumb' number for when you ARE at the campsite for when you should bring the awning in.

(Yes, I agree and am paranoid enough to roll mine up whenever I'm away from the trailer and *most* nights unless the forecast calls for all calm winds).

[rmkrum]

Not that I'm totally paranoid, but we carry a portable weather station that measures wind speed, temperature, and humidity and a warning radio that gets National Weather Service (NWS) alerts as well.

30 MPH sustained winds in the forecast, and the awnings get rolled up before it hits 30 per the anemometer....