Roll-Out Awning - How useful and how often...

[Vagophile]

It’s nice to see ALL the uses of your awning having been tried..Really if you are too frightened that a gust of wind will suddenly rip it off your van then you really shouldn’t have one..My son in laws dad has a motorhome and once he “Heard” that someone had their awning damaged by a gust of wind so that was it the awning NEVER came out again..Really if you secure it well there is no reason it should get damaged in moderate winds. ..We use ours for cooking under either sheltering from the blistering heat in Spain to the torrential rain in Wales..Also just make sure it’s secured unlevel so the rain drains off nicely..Also the little adjusting brackets on the legs are handy for putting a rubbish bag off the ground..

I am one of those unfortunates who has lost an awning to a sudden squall and I wouldn't say that I was inexperienced. I thought that it was well tied down, but the wind, which "came out of nowhere" just whipped it over the roof of my motor home. Luckily the motor home was not damaged, but it was goodbye awning.
I have witnessed others who have been equally unfortunate. As you say "if you secure it well" is the key, but even then, leaving it unattended is a risk. In some areas, a lot of pegs of the type shown by @WelshGas would be required to feel properly secure.
Where you are in the world might have a bearing on your attitude to the risk of leaving an open awning unattended.
On one occasion, myself and two others were helping a fellow camper to retract his awning in a sudden storm by holding the front edge whilst he wound it in and the upward lift of the canvas (5.5 metre awning) almost took all three of us off the ground.
One should never be frightened, but it pays to be vigilant.

 

[GSX1300R]

We woke up one morning in France to a huge puddle in the Awning. It had been left level. Now we have the rafter pro which makes a huge difference..Now it’s just 2 smaller puddles..And not so scary..

 

[Vagophile]

We woke up one morning in France to a huge puddle in the Awning. It had been left level. Now we have the rafter pro which makes a huge difference..Now it’s just 2 smaller puddles..And not so scary..

Not enough tilt.

 

[GSX1300R]

I am one of those unfortunates who has lost an awning to a sudden squall and I wouldn't say that I was inexperienced. I thought that it was well tied down, but the wind, which "came out of nowhere" just whipped it over the roof of my motor home. Luckily the motor home was not damaged, but it was goodbye awning.
I have witnessed others who have been equally unfortunate. As you say "if you secure it well" is the key, but even then, leaving it unattended is a risk. In some areas, a lot of pegs of the type shown by @WelshGas would be required to feel properly secure.
Where you are in the world might have a bearing on your attitude to the risk of leaving an open awning unattended.
On one occasion, myself and two others were helping a fellow camper to retract his awning in a sudden storm by holding the front edge whilst he wound it in and the upward lift of the canvas (5.5 metre awning) almost took all three of us off the ground.
One should never be frightened, but it pays to be vigilant.

Some of the awnings you see on motorhomes are absolutely massive and by comparison the awning on the California is tiny BUT you always have to use common sense because if you don’t you will pay dearly...Have you seen the price of a new awning? Plus the damage to the roof..Not cheap...

 

[GSX1300R]

50% of the time we have the comfortz room fitted so the awning can’t be on a tilt..But the rafter pro does help a lot with the water problem ..

 

[Vagophile]

50% of the time we have the comfortz room fitted so the awning can’t be on a tilt..But the rafter pro does help a lot with the water problem ..

Have a word with @Borris about that, but try not to upset + Elly Swanson!

 

[BeagleMum]

Always use ours. Even out a bit, it'll act as a porch: to stop sun or rain getting in to the van.

Even if we just go out for the day we'll try and park in an end space so when we get back to chill we can wind it out a bit, makes it feel more like you're camping, not just parking (the grandkids love it).

When pitching on site , if we have enough room we always attach the driveaway to the wind out (that's wound out at least so the cab door can open). Why?

• you can easily adjust the connection:
  • ensures a nice taut tunnel (I can't stand a flappy tunnel)
  • if you drive away, when you get back you don't have to get it an exact distance, you just need to be straight
• it's light and airy in the van and not so claustraphobic
• it allows for more undercover, but well-ventilated, space
• if you have the deisel heater on you're not filling the driveaway with fumes

I use good quality shower curtains at the sides for privacy (pegged down) and tie them back (like curtains) when I want it open. If we don't have enough space for he driveaway to have it's tunnel extended you canwind out the awning so it covers part of the driveaway.​

If you're camped on a narrow pitch it mark out your space nicely (so you don't need to go round weeing in the corners ).If people are cutting across your space as a through path they usually won't walk under your awning so will be further away from the van.

Also you can attach things other than awnings/tarps to them (hung from the rail: washing line, coats, towels, outdoor lights, smelly boots, cooking utensils, etc).

It's certainly worth the money and the trade off for that little loss in aerodynamism (is that even a word?)/cost of fuel. I wouldn't be without ours.

Agree with you Ellie, we use ours for pretty much the same reasons, also it gives a nice area underneath for the dogs to relax.

 

[Elly Swanson]

Personally I disagree with some of the comments regarding the ability of the awning to withstand rough weather. If the legs are pegged correctly and a good tie-down kit used as well as the awning angled to provide run off then it will withstand, at least, as bad a storm as the pop top roof.
VW never show the awning with tiedowns, nor properly pegged out and they don't even provide pegs for the legs.
The number of times I've seen these Awnings on California and conversions just rolled out without pegs in the legs, as a minimum, its a wonder there aren't more posts of damaged Awnings.
No problem in the UK come rain or shine, summer or winter and I have yet to take it down and have only failed to put it up on two occasions when I didn't put the roof up either. Instead I used a tarpaulin, tied to the Awning canister and pegged out so there was protection to the sliding door. My storm porch.

Tarps are so useful for lots of things. I permanently carry a 3 x 3 metre in the van with guylines. Takes up very little space when rolled in to a sausage or flattened out on the parcel shelf at the back. Easy to deal with if they get wet too, whilst travelling and at home.

If camping I take a couple of poles too. Don't feel like I'm properly camping unless there's a tarp up somewhere (attached to the van or not). Poles and guys also come in handy if you need a washing line (either pole to pole or fixing from the van siderail to pole).

Am thinking of sewing a kador strip to another tarp for easy attachment to the rail on the wind out awning or the tracking/rail on the other side. Shading the fridge side of the van comes in handy in hot weather.

 

[Jodalo]

Tarps are so useful for lots of things. I permanently carry a 3 x 3 metre in the van with guylines. Takes up very little space when rolled in to a sausage or flattened out on the parcel shelf at the back. Easy to deal with if they get wet too, whilst travelling and at home.

If camping I take a couple of poles too. Don't feel like I'm properly camping unless there's a tarp up somewhere (attached to the van or not). Poles and guys also come in handy if you need a washing line (either pole to pole or fixing from the van siderail to pole).

Am thinking of sewing a kador strip to another tarp for easy attachment to the rail on the wind out awning or the tracking/rail on the other side. Shading the fridge side of the van comes in handy in hot weather.

I too have a tarp with kador strip attached 3m x 3m. As you say useful for the passenger side as a sunshade or attached to the leading edge of the wind out awning for a bit of side on protection/screening. V useful and takes up very little space.

 

[WelshGas]

Tarps are so useful for lots of things. I permanently carry a 3 x 3 metre in the van with guylines. Takes up very little space when rolled in to a sausage or flattened out on the parcel shelf at the back. Easy to deal with if they get wet too, whilst travelling and at home.

If camping I take a couple of poles too. Don't feel like I'm properly camping unless there's a tarp up somewhere (attached to the van or not). Poles and guys also come in handy if you need a washing line (either pole to pole or fixing from the van siderail to pole).

Am thinking of sewing a kador strip to another tarp for easy attachment to the rail on the wind out awning or the tracking/rail on the other side. Shading the fridge side of the van comes in handy in hot weather.

I have a load of these and jist tie the tarp to those.

Side Mounting Thumb Screw for VW California Awning Rail - CampervanBits

These side Mounting thumb screws have a variety of uses, from using in conjuntion with roof toppers or for making your own washing line.

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[Elly Swanson]

Agree with you Ellie, we use ours for pretty much the same reasons, also it gives a nice area underneath for the dogs to relax.

I think dog-owners think a little differently, maybe. Certainly keeping them cool is an ongoing concern when it's warm. Also, our Barney likes to know (and let others know) where his territory is. But then so does my hubby- doesn't bother me, I'm a spreader-outer, space-sharer type.

 

[Elly Swanson]

I have a load of these and jist tie the tarp to those.

Side Mounting Thumb Screw for VW California Awning Rail - CampervanBits

These side Mounting thumb screws have a variety of uses, from using in conjuntion with roof toppers or for making your own washing line.

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Me too. Initially for the calitopper, but useful for attaching loads of things. @Bigted 3D prints some rail fixings too that would be good for tarps.

 

[SimonB]

I am one of those unfortunates who has lost an awning to a sudden squall and I wouldn't say that I was inexperienced. I thought that it was well tied down, but the wind, which "came out of nowhere" just whipped it over the roof of my motor home. Luckily the motor home was not damaged, but it was goodbye awning.
I have witnessed others who have been equally unfortunate. As you say "if you secure it well" is the key, but even then, leaving it unattended is a risk. In some areas, a lot of pegs of the type shown by @WelshGas would be required to feel properly secure.
Where you are in the world might have a bearing on your attitude to the risk of leaving an open awning unattended.
On one occasion, myself and two others were helping a fellow camper to retract his awning in a sudden storm by holding the front edge whilst he wound it in and the upward lift of the canvas (5.5 metre awning) almost took all three of us off the ground.
One should never be frightened, but it pays to be vigilant.

We were at the Highlands End Meet last September when we all had to be moved inland to more sheltered pitches because of the strong winds. We were hosting the evening meal for 6 on both evenings. The awning room had to be used and by the Saturday evening the wind had got pretty strong. @Loz had some screw down pegs to hold the feet of the awning firmly to the ground, I had two awning tie down kits plus extra guy ropes. The meal was superb.

As you can see the candle flames are not being blown about too much. We wouldn't be without our wind out awning and the sidewalls. It did take five of us to hold the awning down as we started to dismantle it after the meal with the sixth doing the dismantling. We couldn't have held the meal in any other way and it worked perfectly. I think we were about the last to put ours down. That was the strongest wind I have had the awning up in. I bought a little wind gauge from Ebay as a guide in the future.

I agree with @Vagophile - it pays to be vigilant. We had a fun, if unusual weekend and the awning room gave us the space we needed to host the meals.

Simon

 

[Vagophile]

We were at the Highlands End Meet last September when we all had to be moved inland to more sheltered pitches because of the strong winds. We were hosting the evening meal for 6 on both evenings. The awning room had to be used and by the Saturday evening the wind had got pretty strong. @Loz had some screw down pegs to hold the feet of the awning firmly to the ground, I had two awning tie down kits plus extra guy ropes. The meal was superb.
View attachment 62467
As you can see the candle flames are not being blown about too much. We wouldn't be without our wind out awning and the sidewalls. It did take five of us to hold the awning down as we started to dismantle it after the meal with the sixth doing the dismantling. We couldn't have held the meal in any other way and it worked perfectly. I think we were about the last to put ours down. That was the strongest wind I have had the awning up in. I bought a little wind gauge from Ebay as a guide in the future.
View attachment 62468
I agree with @Vagophile - it pays to be vigilant. We had a fun, if unusual weekend and the awning room gave us the space we needed to host the meals.

Simon

Candleabra; that's posh, looks like a good do.
How does the wind gauge work. Will you be able to identify a level at which awnings should be retracted?

 

[SimonB]

Candleabra; that's posh, looks like a good do.
How does the wind gauge work. Will you be able to identify a level at which awnings should be retracted?
[/QUOTE

I don't have a definitive wind speed that awnings should be retracted, there are too many variables. Direction the wind is coming from, is it gusts or a steady wind, etc.
As a rule of thumb based on a lot of camping in Snowdonia I look at the BBC weather for the area. If the expected wind speed is in black then I ensure the van is tail into the wind, wind the awning to maybe half way in so it acts like a porch and put both sets of tie downs onto it.

The wind speed gauge is a small rotating wheel you can see at the top which you hold facing into the wind. You can see in the photo it is showing 50.8mph and that was pretty close to the speed being recorded on the roof of Harbour station with a much more expensive piece of equipment that we were checking it against. Mine is not a definitive gauge and it was under £25, but it is something that I can use. The wind speed does vary a lot depending on shelter.

It was a great meal and the candelabra adds a nice touch.

Hope this helps

Simon

 

[Erbster]

Personally I disagree with some of the comments regarding the ability of the awning to withstand rough weather. If the legs are pegged correctly and a good tie-down kit used as well as the awning angled to provide run off then it will withstand, at least, as bad a storm as the pop top roof.
VW never show the awning with tiedowns, nor properly pegged out and they don't even provide pegs for the legs.
The number of times I've seen these Awnings on California and conversions just rolled out without pegs in the legs, as a minimum, its a wonder there aren't more posts of damaged Awnings.
No problem in the UK come rain or shine, summer or winter and I have yet to take it down and have only failed to put it up on two occasions when I didn't put the roof up either. Instead I used a tarpaulin, tied to the Awning canister and pegged out so there was protection to the sliding door. My storm porch.

I have a Brandrup tie down kit, which I always install, which I should have pointed out in my post. I’ve also a lot of experience of camping, but I still don’t trust the awning. There are many posts on here of people whose seemingly well secured awning has been damaged by wind/rain.

CaliVentures

Adventures in a VW California camper van

caliventures364847572.wordpress.com

 

[Taff Tenor]

I use mine every time I can it really is nice to sit under and when I attach the sides it
Creates a great space would not be without it

I’d like to buy the Comfortz awning kit but sadly no more orders until September. But could anyone answer a question for me please? On rolling the awning out over this weekend the max distance was measured at around 1.95m and with both arms still with a slight elbow in them. Any attempt to wind out further and the awning just went slack. I’ve never tried to fully extend before and sure no damage that I know of has occurred. Is this normal however or should I be taking it back to a van centre as it’s still under warranty?

cheers

Taff T

 

[Ch1pbutty]

I’d like to buy the Comfortz awning kit but sadly no more orders until September. But could anyone answer a question for me please? On rolling the awning out over this weekend the max distance was measured at around 1.95m and with both arms still with a slight elbow in them. Any attempt to wind out further and the awning just went slack. I’ve never tried to fully extend before and sure no damage that I know of has occurred. Is this normal however or should I be taking it back to a van centre as it’s still under warranty?

cheers

Taff T

It’s normal, You just need to wind it back slightly to tension / remove the slack; Arms always have a slight bend in them so are never locked out straight.

 

[Jodalo]

Camping at moment in Derwentwater site. Very blustery weather today destroyed a roll out awning on a big white. Unfortunately the owners failed to secure the support legs properly and a gust of wind blew it over the side ripping 2 large holes in the flimsy side of the motor home. Horrendous damage that could have been avoided. Poor owners returned to find the site managers and several campers surveying the damage. I think the Cali would have faired better with it’s stronger structure. Big white now has 2 large patches keeping the rain out.

 

[Taff Tenor]

It’s normal, You just need to wind it back slightly to tension / remove the slack; Arms always have a slight bend in them so are never locked out straight.

Cheers Ch1pbutty ..will order that tension car now !

 

[Taff Tenor]

Cheers Ch1pbutty ..will order that tension car now !

‘Bar’ obvs

 

[Ch1pbutty]

‘Bar’ obvs

Get one of these as well:

Thule Hold Down Side Strap Kit | Thule | United Kingdom

Thule Hold Down Side Strap Kit - awning tent hold down side strap kit black

www.thule.com

 

[GSX1300R]

I use a strong washing line trebled up and tied through the top of the legs. 2 very large pegs knocked in the ground and That is as good as anything for securing down the awing apart from the usual 2 pegs in the bottom of the legs. Tie a cloth on so that you dont trip over it which you will. lol