Handling the Wind

[rrheik]

We have been having gusts up to 38 mph the last two days, with 15-20 mph steady winds. The slide toppers are doing just fine. we have been watching them closely, and the rockers on them are doing a nice job of keeping the awnings taught. Followed a couple of tanas down the road yesterday when the winds were averaging 25-30 and they never even wigggled in the wind. Haven't towed mine in anything over 20 mph thus far, but it seems to handle well at that strength without any problem. Seems to be a lot dust blowing around, so that is probably more of a problem at this point.

bob

[CmdrDewey]

Rich's chart is very helpful and you should take a look at it. Allow me to add some perspective. The Coast Guard posts small craft (under 33 feet)warnings at between 6 and 7 on the Beaufort scale which is 25-38 MPH sustained winds. I have been on the water in a 30 foot boat in those conditions and it is not fun but doable. Of course in a boat you turn into the wind which helps considerably. I have also been in a 37 foot boat tied to a dock in 50+ winds basically broadside and it was an experience I won't repeat.

It is difficult to estimate wind speed but with some experience you can use a flying flag. At about 10 mph the flag is more or less fully visible. At about 25 mph it begins to snap and at about 38 mph it begins to tatter. I suggest to you that if 30 mph SUSTAINED winds are predicted it is time to bring in the slides. That probably means gusts of 40 to 50. I further suggest to you that when gale force is predicted (38 mph and above) it is time to seek shelter unless and that is a very big unless, you are sure the wind will be on the nose and there no obvious hazards to impact the rig. Even then you are in for a very unpleasant time. If you are driving, much over 25mph is very unpleasant. The problem is that wind over water is somewhat predictable in terms of direction but wind over land can be very unpredicatable because of terrain features, ground temperatures etc. When coupled with big rig traffic, you can get buffeted around pretty good. Probably most of you have one but I recommend a weather radio. My CB has one built in and it claims that it will broadcast an alert even if not tunred on. I've never verified that because I turn it on if I am the slightest bit suspicious

[sreigle]

quote:Originally posted by rrheik

We have been having gusts up to 38 mph the last two days, with 15-20 mph steady winds. The slide toppers are doing just fine. we have been watching them closely, and the rockers on them are doing a nice job of keeping the awnings taught. Followed a couple of tanas down the road yesterday when the winds were averaging 25-30 and they never even wigggled in the wind. Haven't towed mine in anything over 20 mph thus far, but it seems to handle well at that strength without any problem. Seems to be a lot dust blowing around, so that is probably more of a problem at this point.

bob

That's pretty much my experience when towing in wind. I've looked back in the mirrors and seen the Montana moving sideways slightly but never feel it in the truck. Ours is single rear wheel. It's very stable in wind, probably because of the pinweight. It moves more when solo in the wind.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

CmdrDewey,

You said: "When coupled with big rig traffic, you can get buffeted around pretty good."

I read this days ago, and it has bothered me since, I am not sure I understand, so, I am gonna ask: Do you mean to tell me that when you are towing your Montana the 18 wheelers passing you give you trouble, that you can feel them buffeting you??

I think I must be mis-reading your post, what am I missing here Dave?? Could you elaborate please??

[rickety]

We just went through winds here in the northwest (Allyn, Wa) on the peninsula that my wind gage regstered at 60mph gusts from the south. We had sustained winds all through the night at between 30-40. The side toppers did just fine, but we were facing into the wind. We rocked and rolled a bit, but with the stabilizer behind the rear wheels and the ones at the end of the trailer and the front legs we were amazingly steady. The winds blew down some fences here in the park and destroyed the covering on a cabana in back of the Monty. We are please with her performance in high winds. Year befor last we were getting 40-45 mph wind directly on the passenger side where the big slide is and bedroom slide is and experienced quite a bit of rocking. This was at Westport, Washington at Christmas time and the seas were breaking over the rip rap (huge boulders) at the oceans edge. What a Christmas!!!!!!

[CmdrDewey]

Carol, I'm sorry I didn't see your post until now. We were traveling on our way to the valley. Arrived 12-23.

My post was not clear. I am virtually never bothered by any wind at all but I try to follow my own advice and if the sustained wind is forcasted to be 25 or above I stay off the road. I meant to say that the 25+ winds, which can mean gusts 35 to 40 may be coming from one direction and the big rig wind from another. That combination creates turbulence and it can make for an unpleasant ride. YMMD

[Montana Rog]

Use inflatable beach balls! You can inflate them as much as is needed to get them in there rock solid..I push them in with my broom, and hook a string on the valve. Then you can pull them out and deflate and they don't take any room. They are cheap too. What do you do with all those balls when not using them..I mean the volley balls...ha ha..
They are only about a buck at Walmart too. I put two in each slideout. Rog..currently hanging out in Cut and Shoot, Texas

[refocused]

What are you talking about with the beach balls? Can you be more specific for us? Appreciate it!

[sreigle]

Rog, you may see a trash can icon above each post. You can click that icon to delete the extra posts. You only see that icon on your own posts so I can't do that for you.

[richfaa]

We pulled through some heavy winds in N.M on our way down to Az and we were impressed with the stability of the rig however the wind was coming in off our port quarter, more or less and not broadside. We are not Sailors as cmdrdewey obviously is but live on the Great Lakes and his advise should be seriously considered.Once at a Campground in Sandusky, Ohio , being forwarned, we hooked up and turned our camper into the wind.Those who could not or did not suffered much damage..(these were straight line winds or Micro burst out in front of severe thunder storms.

[richfaa]

Havasu City..Wind advisory, Sustained 25 to 30MPH, gust to 50. Using Cmdr Dewey's "flag" method how does "starched" sound..We are pointed more or less into the wind and we are rocking and rolling Lots of flapping sounds from the main slide topper..Stability in high winds..Zip.

[JimF]

Had my unit sit thru 2 hurricane direct hits, in 3 weeks yet, in FL a couple of years ago. Wind wasn't that bad (tongue in cheek) the 1st was sustained 115 for 30 hours the other was 128 for 36 hours. It truly looked like a combat zone afterward. The unit came through fine, had about 2 drops of water in it. Of course it was chocked, blocked and slides in sitting in open storage. Sooo, we left Florida and went to Houston, just in time for their hurricane scare and attempted evacuation. This time we stayed in the unit and slept through it as we had no option. Have no idea what the wind was but the hurricane went east of Houston and we were west of down town. Lost my fear of wind in our unit over these experiences. What will happen, will happen.

[Montana Rog]

well, the beachballs are inflated and stuffed under the slide awnings. You don't need to have them hard..just hard enough to push up the slide awning. It will keep the water off, and put just enough tension on the awning so it won't flap in the wind.