Wind Speed VS Awning

WillyB

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2020
Messages
1,593
Location
St. Louis
I know the automatic awnings are more sensitive but what’s your max wind speed that you will still deploy your Manual Awning?

10 MPH?
20 MPH?
CAT 1?
 
For me, having seen many 'awning tragedies' over the years, it's a condition-specific and generally conservative decision.

I don't carry an anemometer and IME wind-conditions are often very localized to the immediate environment. Direction, gusting, and likelihood of sudden change all play a role in the decision.

Bottom line, if the cautious little voice in my head expresses any concern whatsoever, I'll forego deploying my manual awning, or deploy it only a limited-distance for a bit of rain-protection at the door when that seems appropriate.
 
I often camp at the coast in the winter rain and wind. I put my manual awning out at its minimum deployment and flip the switch so it tries to retract. This causes tension on the fabric and minimizes the rattling and flapping. This works for me in pretty decent winds.
 
When it’s calm and sunny we put the awning out. When there’s a breeze we put the awning out. We take it in when we leave the campground and sometimes when we’re just leaving the site for an extended period. If the breeze picks up and we hear the awning “flop” a time or two we take it in. We often take it in after nightfall before we go to bed.

The entertaining and late Glenn Baglo who had an Escape 17 sometimes related taking in his awning in his underwear in a driving thunderstorm rain. He said this was “uncomfortable” at best. I told him when he camped next to us at Osoyoos one year that I did not want to see this in person and that I’d personally help him take it in.
I did not want to attempt to unsee his antics.

I’ve helped folks pick up their destroyed awning a number of times. To paraphrase “ Five minutes of prevention is worth a thousand dollars worth of cure.

Keep your slides lubricated with a light coat of Tri-flow lubricant.
Not cheap, just the best. Works on the door latch and lock mechanism and on the screw mechanism of the stabilizers.

Hope all is going well for you and your lady.
Iowa Dave
 
I like Iowa Dave’s “Flop” concept. Once or twice is like setting an alarm. You can hit snooze if it’s just a fluff of wind but get up if the wind is really here.
 
When it’s calm and sunny we put the awning out. When there’s a breeze we put the awning out. We take it in when we leave the campground and sometimes when we’re just leaving the site for an extended period. If the breeze picks up and we hear the awning “flop” a time or two we take it in. We often take it in after nightfall before we go to bed.
That's our scientific formula too.
 
When I'm camping out in the open I generally try and park with my street side facing the predominating winds, which is from the west or northwest. I've left my manual awning up in moderately strong winds without any problems... I do use those clamps that stop the sides from flapping.
Screenshot 2025-02-04 125050.jpg
 

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