Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2014 18:41:17 -0800
Reply-To: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Shady Boy: That bad in wind?
In-Reply-To: <CAB2Rwfje=RgHhotvPuPgi59K6yjif2kXRdpWGJ_eo5F8g-eHgA@mail.gmail.com>
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"So. Shady Boy owners. How bad is this thing in windy conditions? Do
the poles actually help to stabilize the awning?"
I've used my Shady Boy in amazingly strong winds. A couple tricks:
1. Use the optional downdraft poles to keep the thing from being blown
down by, well, downdrafts.
2. Use the included cordsets to tie the outer corners of the awning to
the van to keep the awning from being blown up by strong winds. I also
run a line down from each corner to a stake in the ground near the foot
of each downdraft pole to help keep the thing down.
Rigged like this, it doesn't budge.
3. In rain, lower the outer corners so the rain can drain. This is
easily done by moving the feet of the two downdraft poles in toward the
van, and hauling the awning down with the additional cords I described
in Step 2.
4. There is a gap between the rain gutter and the awning's storage case.
Rain can drool in, which is not fun if your favorite place to sit is in
the slider doorway, which is my favorite place to sit. The gap can be
easily plugged by stuffing a length of inexpensive split-foam pipe
insulation in there. This can only be done before you deploy the awing
-- ask me how (many times it took before) I remembered to do this. And
don't forget to pull it out before departing as highway speed winds will
remove it for you.
Anchored like this, the awning is surprisingly robust even in gusts that
topple chairs. I've camped in conditions that emptied campgrounds,
without a problem.
I like my Shady Boy.
--
Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
Bend, Ore.
On 02/20/2014 04:21 PM, Neil N wrote:
> Hi all.
>
> Searching the archives, it seems that possible water ingress (I think
> a solution was found) and how the awning handles windy conditions, are
> 2 main complaints.
>
> So. Shady Boy owners. How bad is this thing in windy conditions? Do
> the poles actually help to stabilize the awning?
>
> Recent weather conditions at Ft. Flagler Wet Westy event showed that
> Mother Nature "always wins", (it got dang windy at times) but the
> Shady Boy deploys quickly and if I'm not mistaken, can attach to the
> rain gutter with clamps; no holes need to be drilled?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Neil.
>
> --
> Neil n
>
> Blog: tubaneil.blogspot.ca
>
> '88 Westy http://tinyurl.com/c8rlw6p
>
> '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco" http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
>
> Vanagon VAG *Gas* inline-VR Engine Swap Group:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/d7gd5ej
>
