Awning Thinks It's A Kite...... (1 Viewer)

Allanm

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Jun 30, 2013
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We used to have a 4 metre Thule Omnistor awning on the near side of our van. Today we put it out, pegged down the legs and the weather was HOT with a very slight breeze. I was in the house with windows open cleaning ceilings and walls before decorating when all of a sudden there was one heck of a gust of wind. It blew over boxes of wallpaper rolls and sent them across the room.
I heard Mrs A calling me and looked out of the kitchen window ( we live on the first floor In our house here in France)
Imagine my surprise when I saw the awning on the offside of the van and 7 feet lower than it should have been!
The gust took the awning up and over the van, and these awnings aren't light!
Luckily, there is no damage to the van, but the awning is a write off. Twisted legs, twisted front and everything is bent a bit.
Bugger.
We rarely use our awning, last time we used it properly was last August It's only been out once in the meantime at home for a quick clean and check over.
So, my advice is to leave your awning rolled up, they are fragile and expensive if they break......
 

Chris

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Sorry about that.

You learnt a lesson today though - don't bother preparing walls and ceilings before decorating. Paint over or paper over cracks, dust and mess.

Had you been sat outside having a beer in the sun and keeping an eye on the awning this would never have happened.
 

scotjimland

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Jul 25, 2007
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Seen this several times.. awnings over roofs and motorhome damaged..

Once you have seen this, you will never leave your awning up in windy weather again or overnight .. tie down straps, foot pegs will not stop it if a gust gets under it.. ..

The force of 20mph wind on 1 mt sq material is 17.22 lbs per sq meter.. x 10 = 172 lbs

a gust of 40mph would exert a force of 688.6 lbs or 47 bar :eek:

pressures taken from this chart
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/weatherstation/technical/Windforce.html

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Steve

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Sorry to hear of your event but please no damaged done to mh. I have also had this happen to me, after the second time I replaced it with a blow up type no poles as such and so far so good. It just folds with the wind.
Steve
 

thehutchies

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Our awning was out for 365 days last year, mostly in the middle of the Somerset levels (windy!) or up a hill on the edge of the Cheshire Plain (WINDY!!)
The only problem we had was on a balmy summer day, otherwise completely still, when a sudden gust took the awning over the roof and punched a hole in the slide out awning on the other side.
All easily fixed, though, and the awning is now so secure that the van itself will blow away first :)

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sdc77

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Jan 28, 2013
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We always use footplates and a tie down strap.
Glad you got away without damaging your van
 
Nov 6, 2013
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We used to have a 4 metre Thule Omnistor awning on the near side of our van. Today we put it out, pegged down the legs and the weather was HOT with a very slight breeze. I was in the house with windows open cleaning ceilings and walls before decorating
That's the point you where you went wrong ;)

As Chris quite rightly stated - you should have been outside having a beer !
 
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Allanm

Allanm

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I thought 10:30 was too early for a beer, I was clearly wrong. Just a sudden gust of wind in an otherwise calm day with just a very slight breeze. The legs were pegged down and bottom of one leg is still pegged down!
Still only £650 to replace it back in the UK unless I can find a dealer here

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Chris

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One of our legs on our Omnistor fell off when we were rolling it out on Saturday. It was easy to fix back in but it's likely to happen again.

I don't think the 2013 Omnistor that we have on our current van is as good as the 2008 Omnistor we retrofitted to our old van.
 

jollyrodger

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Sorry to hear it but a common occurrence unfortunately that oh b****r it moment
Could always buy some foot plates from Suggy for the replacement :)

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Fletton

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As a newbie.... If it's windy.... I drop the windward side of the awning to be lower than the backside... Theory being if there is a gust... it will "ride over" the awning ... and push it downwards.... as opposed to lifting it...

sorta opposite to the rain-drain senario... :)

Do you Funsters do this too ? ...
 

Clickem

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Pleased that you escaped without damaging the van

Has anyone any experience of using the Thule "Supplementary Rafters" that are fitted in the centre, under the canvas, to stabilise and one version is curved to help with water drainage

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Vlad The Impaler

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Trouble is you've not used your awning to its full potential !
Everyone knows if you add a safari room you have loads more anchor points ,more space and less chance of a gust lifting the roof off. :doh:
An awning is a sail held down by two flimsy legs and 4 tent pegs !
Give it 3 sides ,a skirt ,extra anchor points and it's an EXTENSION !
And those that don't like them know why those in the know love a Full awning




Vlad

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Chris

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Trouble is you've not used your awning to its full potential !
Everyone knows if you add a safari room you have loads more anchor points ,more space and less chance of a gust lifting the roof off. :doh:
An awning is a sail held down by two flimsy legs and 4 tent pegs !
Give it 3 sides ,a skirt ,extra anchor points and it's an EXTENSION !
And those that don't like them know why those in the know love a Full awning




Vlad

I must admit our old safari room survived one hell of a storm in Pembrokeshire a few years ago.
 

Lenny HB

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On the last van got fed up with winding it in after having it out for 10min didn't even trust it strapped down, didn't bother with one on the new van not missed it at all.
 
May 8, 2011
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Since April 1846 but have always camped.
As a newbie.... If it's windy.... I drop the windward side of the awning to be lower than the backside... Theory being if there is a gust... it will "ride over" the awning ... and push it downwards.... as opposed to lifting it...

sorta opposite to the rain-drain senario... :)

Do you Funsters do this too ? ...
If it's windy at all I put it completely away. I ain't risking a very expensive awning just to sit in the shade.

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Oct 24, 2013
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So sorry to here of your woes. We know how you feel as we are now faced with a repair after getting a lake in ours though (rain). Luckily have found someone who can put it right.
 
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Allanm

Allanm

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Pleased that you escaped without damaging the van

Has anyone any experience of using the Thule "Supplementary Rafters" that are fitted in the centre, under the canvas, to stabilise and one version is curved to help with water drainage

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We had ours fitted and maybe if we hadn't, the front frame might not be bent like a banana.
The ally bracket at the top of one of the legs has bent round 90 degrees too.
Now sitting in the shade at the side of the house, beer in hand .
On a positive note, the water pump appears to be working properly again!
 

GJH

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We used our awning today for the first time this year. No wind so I just put the footplates on. Some time later a sudden gust blew the rear corner towards the van but luckily the arm just flexed and went back. Straps came out straight away. A van nearby nearly lost theirs over the top but managed to catch it before any damage was done. From now on it will be footplates and straps every time - and we will never leave it when we are not around.

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Allanm

Allanm

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Just looked online, Thule do a tie down/ lashing kit. Might have to order one with our new awning!
 
Apr 27, 2008
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From my experience two years ago in France, pegging down the legs and using tie downs will not help in a good gust. In our case the well pegged down legs snapped off and all the tie-downs did was buckle the front rail before giving up and the whole kit ending up on the roof. If it looks like wind roll it in, it only takes a minute. Ours was a grand to replace.
 

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