Weather limits & panels

[Bryan2411]

Hello all,

Just looking for some opinions or experiences from other owners.

The wind out awning of the California is quite sensitive to wind, and I’ve always been paranoid about exceeding those limits and damage taking place. I do have tiedown straps but often just put it away if wind feels like it’s building up. Often I feel I give up too soon taking away the outside space. I recently bought the Hillcrest front panel, but often experience whether coming in from the sites of the van awning so was thinking about buying the fallcrest side panels (other brands are out there) so I could mix and match as needed.
My questions are:

What are peoples thoughts on the side panels?

Do they [the front and side panels in any combination ] toughen up the awning, allowing it to remain out in weather which ordinarily you may choose to roll the awning away? Has anyone pushed the boundaries or sleep better knowing the awning is a bit more resilient as a result of these extra panels and additional tie down points they offer over and above the tie down straps? To be clear, I’m not looking to leave it out in hurricane conditions, common sense shall prevail, but how have people got on in deteriorating conditions?

Cheers all

Bryan

 

[pchmlk]

My opinion is that the tie down straps give the awning a huge amount of resilience. We had some high winds earlier in the year in the Lake District and the awning was solid as a rock.

We did have an awning room set up which, to answer your question, I guess does stop wind getting under the awning.

 

[Kimbo]

Hello all,

Just looking for some opinions or experiences from other owners.

The wind out warning of the California is quite sensitive to wind, and I’ve always been paranoid about exceeding those limits and damage taking place. I do have tiedown straps but often just put it away if wind feels like it’s building up. Often I feel I give up too soon taking away the outside space. I recently bought the Hillcrest front panel, but often experience whether coming in from the sites of the van awning so was thinking about buying the fallcrest side panels (other brands are out there) so I could mix and match as needed.
My questions are:

What are peoples thoughts on the side panels?

Do they [the front and side panels in any combination ] toughen up the awning, allowing it to remain out in weather which ordinarily you may choose to roll the awning away? Has anyone pushed the boundaries or sleep better knowing the awning is a bit more resilient as a result of these extra panels and additional tie down points they offer over and above the tie down straps? To be clear, I’m not looking to leave it out in hurricane conditions, common sense shall prevail, but how have people got on in deteriorating conditions?

Cheers all

Bryan

I have found a foolproof means of knowing when to roll the awning in. My missus is only small so I tie her to one of the legs and when I look out the van and see her flying about like Mary Poppins, it’s time to wind the awning in.

 

[WelshGas]

Hello all,

Just looking for some opinions or experiences from other owners.

The wind out awning of the California is quite sensitive to wind, and I’ve always been paranoid about exceeding those limits and damage taking place. I do have tiedown straps but often just put it away if wind feels like it’s building up. Often I feel I give up too soon taking away the outside space. I recently bought the Hillcrest front panel, but often experience whether coming in from the sites of the van awning so was thinking about buying the fallcrest side panels (other brands are out there) so I could mix and match as needed.
My questions are:

What are peoples thoughts on the side panels?

Do they [the front and side panels in any combination ] toughen up the awning, allowing it to remain out in weather which ordinarily you may choose to roll the awning away? Has anyone pushed the boundaries or sleep better knowing the awning is a bit more resilient as a result of these extra panels and additional tie down points they offer over and above the tie down straps? To be clear, I’m not looking to leave it out in hurricane conditions, common sense shall prevail, but how have people got on in deteriorating conditions?

Cheers all

Bryan

If the awning is properly pitched, legs pegged and a robust tie down placed at 45o to the ground and in line with the diagonal of the awning canvas which is properly tensioned with one side lower it will cope with far heavier winds than the elevating roof will. Certainly as much as any drive away awning.
But not today if you are in the North or Scotland.