Securing awning while at the Fort.

[medic9016]

I have seen a lot of awning decorations in the campsite pictures. Do y'all tie down your awnings while at the Fort? I know there are some bad thunder storm there and pretty gusty winds. We would like to hang rope lights while there, but we roll up our awning during bad weather or if we are gone for a long time.

 

[Cousin Ed C]

We usually stay for three months in the winter. We always use tie-downs. This year we rolled the awning up three times for threats of storms. We never got enough wind to do any damage anyway.

 

[lisa8200]

We didn't tie down this trip but, normally we do. This trip, I kept an eye on the weather just in case. Wether it will hold or not, we normally tie down because I have lights on the awning and don't want to take them down to roll it up. We also keep the awning on a slant for water to run off.

 

[fortcampers]

We also keep the awning on a slight slant for water to roll off. Figured that out the hard way our first time out in our 5th wheel last summer. We have never tied our awing down, but we should. Even though the forecast could be sunny and nice, wind and rain could move in. I didn't notice many people that had theirs tied down.

 

[LarryJ]

I have seen a lot of awning decorations in the campsite pictures. Do y'all tie down your awnings while at the Fort? I know there are some bad thunder storm there and pretty gusty winds. We would like to hang rope lights while there, but we roll up our awning during bad weather or if we are gone for a long time.

On our old trailer the awning was only like 12 to 14' and while we did slant it to the rear of the TT for run off we never used any thing else. Our new trailer has a 20' awning and I got some awning tie downs and de flappers

Awning de flapplers

Awning tie down

However if the winds are predicted much up above 40mph I would remove everything and roll up the awning. It's only like a 15 to 20 min job and I not only have awning lights, but a clothes line across the upper supports.

Larry

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I always tie it down for normal winds, but if a thunderstorm is rolling through, you can't beat the security of rolling that baby up. It only takes a few minutes to take down the lights.

 

[bama_ed]

I tie down but I make sure I slope/angle the awning down pretty good too. Back on the May 2006 trip I came back from Trail's End to find that the little rain shower that had entertained us during dinner had ripped a hole in my awning where the rain water collected between the pup and the crossbar. That was a very expensive mistake.

It's a little less convenient for us pup owners to roll up our awnings so now I make sure I have a good slope front-to-back on mine. It's been okay since so if you do the same you should be okay.

Bama ED

 

[kc5grw]

We also keep the awning on a slight slant for water to roll off. Figured that out the hard way our first time out in our 5th wheel last summer. We have never tied our awing down, but we should. Even though the forecast could be sunny and nice, wind and rain could move in. I didn't notice many people that had theirs tied down.

A slight slant isn't going to help in a sudden FL downpour. I had a slight slant in my awning while at the Fort this past June. It didn't help. If your not going to be around either roll it up, or have a very large slope in the awning.

 

[bama_ed]

Mike is right. Those look like pix of when my awning came down. If you expect rain or if it is the rainy time of year (June-Sep) then he's right, have an exagerated steep slope on your awning. Better too steep than too shallow!

Don't let this happen to you.

Bama ED

 

[LONE-STAR]

A slight slant isn't going to help in a sudden FL downpour. I had a slight slant in my awning while at the Fort this past June. It didn't help. If your not going to be around either roll it up, or have a very large slope in the awning.

WOW that stinks. I have left my awning out through some rough weather and never had a problem but I always have a big slope.

 

[djblu883]

I lost an awning with my last TT because I was away in the ICU after an ER visit with DGD...we saw the storm through the windows...but we were so worried about her it didn't even register to us to call the campground to ask if they would try to take it down...they did...but too late....DGD was diagnosed with a brain tumor that day...but she is ok...benign....she will be taking her 3rd trip to WDW at Christmas this year....we can hardly wait!!! MiMi is trying to get her a used Golfcart to go see all the "Christmas Stuff" as she calls the decorations....been ebaying like crazy....no one wants to sell at my price ...we want to do our own thing to it....oh well I'll keep bidding lol

 

[LONE-STAR]

I lost an awning with my last TT because I was away in the ICU after an ER visit with DGD...we saw the storm through the windows...but we were so worried about her it didn't even register to us to call the campground to ask if they would try to take it down...they did...but too late....DGD was diagnosed with a brain tumor that day...but she is ok...benign....she will be taking her 3rd trip to WDW at Christmas this year....we can hardly wait!!! MiMi is trying to get her a used Golfcart to go see all the "Christmas Stuff" as she calls the decorations....been ebaying like crazy....no one wants to sell at my price ...we want to do our own thing to it....oh well I'll keep bidding lol

Watch craigslist that is where I bought both of my carts for far less then what they where worth.

 

[YensidCamper]

We camped in July of 06 the first day of ten we set up our pop up and went to lunch. A sudden 2 inches of rain in an hour and we came back to a totally destroyed awning. We had about a 2-3 in slope but it wasn't enough. I always stake it down and now I use about a foot of slope if the rain is hard. The next morning we had to drive an hour away to a fleetwood dealer to get a new awning. $300 bucks later we were ready to finally go to the parks. Use your stakes and slope your awning!

 

[proudmomof4]

We tie ours down and we put it at a pretty good slant. On our recent trip earlier this month it rained for 3 days straight and even hailed with some pretty strong winds, but we didn't have any problems.

 

[djblu883]

Watch craigslist that is where I bought both of my carts for far less then what they where worth.

I saw no listing for one when I looked...but I'll keep looking...thanks

 

[LONE-STAR]

I saw no listing for one when I looked...but I'll keep looking...thanks

I check it every day. In about 9 months I was able to find two yamaha gas carts.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

I check it every day. In about 9 months I was able to find two yamaha gas carts.

Im not even looking for another cart, but just like to check craigs to see whats out there...I also check o RVs all the time, as well as utility trailers. I window shop for some weird crap, huh!

 

[LONE-STAR]

Im not even looking for another cart, but just like to check craigs to see whats out there...I also check o RVs all the time, as well as utility trailers. I window shop for some weird crap, huh!

The second cart is for my parents to play with. I like to window shop to.

 

[des1954]

We've been lucky & never have lost an awning due to rain/wind, and we've been in some pretty nasty storms at FtW,,,, even a tropical storm when they had to evacuate FtW!

Our current MH has an automatic awning w/a wind sensor. I hate it! I can't hang any decorations on the awning because a minor gust of wind will cause the awning to close. We can turn off the wind sensor, but then you might return and find your awning over the top of the roof!

Believe it or not, I'm thinking about removing the auto awning & going back to a manual one. I'm probably the only person out there that feels that way, but hey.... dare to be different!!

 

[medic9016]

Believe it or not, I'm thinking about removing the auto awning & going back to a manual one. I'm probably the only person out there that feels that way, but hey.... dare to be different!!

I have talked to several people who do not like them. They have said the sensor for rain/wind is very sensitive.