coolrunner Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 As i am new to owning a caravan ( i have a 17 ft 1995 bailey limosin ) only bought it in september,the one thing that panics me is when we have strong winds (it was strong in bristol on saturday ) i look out the house window and see the van swaying about and im panicing that its going to blow over,.do any of you take any precautions when parked off site and if their is going to be strong winds when on a site ? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WispMan Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I have never heard of a stationary van being blown over or have others heard differently? Quote Graham Unless otherwise stated all posts are my personal opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I have never heard of a stationary van being blown over or have others heard differently? Yep there were 2 or 3 on the site at Flamborough a few years ago, a right mess they were too. Ap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brocher12 Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Living north of Aberdeen we have experienced 80+ knot winds(88mph) recently and with the steadies down and lightly tightened up, it has never moved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotsstag Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 (edited) Wouldn't ever dispute its happened and caravans have actually been blown over, but surely its a rare occurrence with all four corner steadies down. . Edited January 27, 2014 by scotsstag Quote Defender 90 cruising along with a Coachman Laser 640/4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kobelcokid Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Strong winds and stationary caravans bring bad memories for me, i use too store caravans (10) at the back of my house for friends and about 7 years ago in FEB GALES we had a lovely twin axle BESSACARR Rocking from side to side with the Gusts coming across open fields . So i parked a TRACTOR along side it which helped BUT has i got out of the TRACTOR a big six asbestos roofing sheet ripped off a Barn missed me head by inches and pierced the side of the above Caravan AND i mean went straight through !!!!!!!!!!!!! What a nightmare, needless to say i DONT STORE ANYMORE. Ste Quote . ....One life, Don't waste it fixing LandRovers . Ford F350 SUPERDUTY Towing 640 Hobby @ 1% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyandBailey Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I related a story on another thread recently about last Easter where a coastal pitch left us feeling the brunt of some strong easterlies. .....likewise concerned about my family I used my Land Rover as a sort of wind break. ....parking it between the van and the wind. I don't know if it made any real difference. ...but we slept better for it!!! I like to think that a slab sided 4x4 should be breaking up the airflow and perhaps sending turbulence tumbling around the van. ....who knows. But I will do it again if it happens this Easter! Quote Freelander 1. 8i or Discovery TD5 and Bailey Ranger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulR Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Yes, we go away all year and have seen caravans blown over (in Scotland). On site if the wind gets up park your car upwind and close to the caravan it does help. I carry storm anchors for when storms are forecast, just simple T bars made by a local fabrication company hammer in and rope to the chassis. Steady as a rock & sleep soundly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolrunner Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 sorry to sound thick but as i said im new to this,what is corner steadies ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison01326 Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 They are the "legs" which you wind down when you pitch your caravan. Two at the front and two at the back. Quote The traveller sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see (GK Chesterton) There's no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong equipment (Alfred Wainwright) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolrunner Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 (edited) hahahaha sorry,ive only known them as legs, oh dear Edited January 27, 2014 by coolrunner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulR Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Yes screw in storm anchors work well I have two permanently in on my drive for when the caravan is parked up. We get quite severe SW winds as we are on the top of a hill and fairly open. It depends where you intend using the caravan most sites in the UK should not be a problem but if you intend using more out of the way locations it does give peace of mind and better nights sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirjohnfaulkner Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Several years ago two caravans were blown over on my seasonal site. One was impaled on a fence post. One caravan had its side ripped off by the awning which had been left off. The farmer saved one van by hitching his tractor to it and turning it to face the wind. The more exposed caravans are now chained down, the farmer set metal eyes in the concrete hardstanding for this purpose. Other sites on the lleyn peninsula had similar events that year but it is very exposed there and storms of that intensity are rare. Quote Ford "FutureTaxi". less bhp than last year, sticky toffy down seat rail. Towing big white box with comfy seats and some steak knives from daughters boyfriend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolrunner Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 thanks to all of you,i feel a lot better and relaxed, will order screw in storm anchors, just seen them on ebay. thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kobelcokid Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Quote . ....One life, Don't waste it fixing LandRovers . Ford F350 SUPERDUTY Towing 640 Hobby @ 1% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul_B Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 I'm sure Mechs has some pictures of a caravan blowing over Also dunoon had a bit of blow in 2012 heres a picture from the daily mail http://www. dailymail. co. uk/news/article-2081141/UK-severe-weather-warning-Britain-battered-105mph-gales-leave-2-dead. html Quote Paul B . .......Mondeo Estate & Elddis Avanté 505 (Tobago) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulR Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Hi coolrunner, you may never use them but if you got them you will always sleep well. I hope you enjoy your new caravan, if you have any questions just ask looks on this forum are happy to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capricorn12 Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Hi coolrunner we have had some pretty bad winds blowing on our van parked on the drive but I have not noticed it rocking at all but I do wind the steadied down a bit harder when it is windy. Towing in windy weather is another matter and must be the decision of the tower. Up to 30 mph should be OK but over that will be dependant on outfit and driver. Quote 2004 Citroen C5 2. 0ltr diesel auto VTR and 2011 Bailey Orion 430/4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulR Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Hi coolrunner we have had some pretty bad winds blowing on our van parked on the drive but I have not noticed it rocking at all but I do wind the steadied down a bit harder when it is windy. Towing in windy weather is another matter and must be the decision of the tower. Up to 30 mph should be OK but over that will be dependant on outfit and driver. I was reluctant to step into this minefield as I was the op regarding the caravan been blown over on the A66 (and that got censored) but I will happily tow <35 mph & depending on the route <40 mph after that I change my plans. As Capricorn points out its the outfit that dictates what is safe and comfortable. The bigger the caravan the bigger the 'sail area' more for the wind to push on. Hopefully coolrunner this gives you a starting point, like anything start low and build up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolrunner Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 good info thankyou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mechs Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Sorry to be a boring misery guts again but yes stationery caravans DO blow over. I was a "it won't happen to me" until 3rd January 2012 when this happened to mine outside the house as well as the shed out the back blowing apart! http://s1206. photobucket. com/user/Mechs2/library/Storm%20damage%202012%20so%20far?sort=3&page=1 Don't know what the speed of the wind was that day but believe me it's the scariest wind i've known. Heard it peak around 6am and for some reason OH went to pick up the wheelie bin Then I heard a huge thud and said to myself "that'll be the caravan blown over then" thinking it had toppled and we'd be able to push it back up after the worst of the wind but when I went to the window it had actually lifted from one side of the garden, over the path and onto the other side of the garden and if it wasn't for the fence being there it was getting blown onto the road as it was getting dragged! After getting over that shock we went through the kitchen and I put the kettle on and OH said "Oh there goes my shed", I turned round and looked and it was bulging outwards. I asked if he locked it then turned round and heard a window smash, then he said "there it goes" and as I turned round the roof blew off landing next door, the back wall came down, then the front blew off then the side wall! He tried to rescue a few boxes but told him to get in in case he got a roof tile on the head. next door came out and we were trying to talk / shout and couldn't hear a word of it so went in. All we could do was just watch helpless. Suppose our damage was minor compared to some peoples as we had bits of roof and stuff in our garden from over the road. The whole time I just knew of our caravan on site hadn't blown over a tree would have landed on it but there was no way I could get up that day. I went up the following day expecting the worst and couldn't believe my eves when it and others were still standing so I anchored it down and always have any caravan of mine anchored 24/7!! So do take care! Quote Compass Shadow 1988 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capricorn12 Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 (edited) It is certainly not a common occurance for a parked tourer to blow over even in gale force winds. We were on Dartmoor in the 80's when the really bad gales struck. We had the awning up and spent 4 hours holding it down but the van and awning survived with just a bent pole or two. We were a bit sheltered but it did bring trees down and caused damage to properties nearby but no vans were blown over. Edited January 29, 2014 by Capricorn12 Quote 2004 Citroen C5 2. 0ltr diesel auto VTR and 2011 Bailey Orion 430/4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mechs Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 The wind before the above pics were taken the caravan was ok but a smaller caravan around the corner was parked in a drive between two houses and would've toppled over if it hadn't bashed off one of the walls. God knows how many times it had did that before and after I seen it but it was all dented and bashed so went to caravan heaven! Quote Compass Shadow 1988 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discodunc Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 we had 80-90mph winds in aviemore a couple of years ago. the TA Abbey Spectrum rocked a little bit but nothing major - at the height of it I couldnt open the caravan door it was that strong the warden's motorhome rocked so much the week before we arrived, that everything feel of their table etc and the TV fell on the floor and broke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulR Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Please remember Coolrunner all the above are the exception and not the rule don't be put off. We all have stories of wind rain and snow it all adds to an interesting drink with friends. I remember when. ..... Rule of thumb, pack an extra bottle of wine for emergency (or two). Main thing is to enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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