High wind in a Quicksilver

[idlerockfarm]

Thunderstorms and 25-30 mph winds don't wake me up. 

This storm though.... I wasn't expecting 50 mph gusts. Had to ride out almost 2 hours in my car. The 6.0 was rocking a bit and my dog looked at me like I was crazy. If we'd had another 1,000 pounds, no problem, but light trailer and light load and water 10 feet away meant the car it was. 

What do y'all do when gusts exceed 45mph? I thought I read about someone staking down their trailer. I wasn't prepared for that...this time. 

How do people deal with storms with high winds?

[admin]

High wind and storms are a catch 22 in my opinion. I don't normally worry about it in my 10.0 but I have worked through a plan of action in case its needed. Some have suggested hitching the camper to the tow vehicle as a precaution but for some of us, thats not possible while setup. In the 10.0 the bunk makes it impossible in just about any situation to have it hitched while open. So for me the only real option would be to ride out any storm and just hope it doesnt tip, or carry and deploy ground anchors.

Ground anchors are a pain to use properly because they require a fairly sizable depth to be effective. For reference here are the types of anchors I'm referring to: http://amzn.to/2brdi7E or these http://amzn.to/2bySc3a . Keep in mind that I don't have specific experience with either of those but rather just that style anchor.
Some will use a spiral ground anchor like these http://amzn.to/2byR7s4 as well.

My personal feeling is that anchors are never going to be part of my standard setup, but if I have enough warning of imminent high winds it would be possible to get these in the ground and stabilize the trailer. I have found that the spiral anchors are easier to set, and have a minimal impact to the site, but they have a lower hold rating. So let's say you have one of the spiral anchors at each corner of the camper and its rated at 450 of force (in an ideal scenario), that means you should be able to resist nearly 1000 pounds of force in any direction just from the anchors. The theory of it all can go much deeper when you start talking about the angles involved between the anchor to the load (trailer) but that goes down a rabbit hole I dont think we want to get into here.

You could place a spiral anchor at each corner of the camper. Then attach each one to the frame rails with ratchet straps. I would think these should provide that extra security you are looking for with minimal hassle.

-Sean

[chuck893]

I've lost count of the number of windstorms we've been through in Rose, our 8.1. We've been terrified more than once. She rocks and rolls and seems to be ready to overturn. The little Velcros above the door flap on the outside beat out a tattoo on the canvas that sounds as if they are shredding themselves. The canvas breathes in and out like bellows and the bars can be seen to bend. The first time it happened I was sure there had to be damage but there was none. Each time after that I was sure there had to be damage. None. Even the little Velcros showed no wear.

A couple of years ago in Colorado in the spring we got hit with the worst we'd ever experienced. The weather radio said it was gusting to 60. I think it was worse. We stayed in the trailer, partly because the pressure on the canvas was so great I really, really, really figured this was it, this time the poles were gonna bend or she was going over. If we lost her we'd have to just go home. The chocks actually blew out from under the wheels and she shifted, rotated on the pad! At one point I was bracing the forward bimini myself, where most of the pressure was. I figured this time there HAD to be damage!!! 

Nope. She shook it off. I can't guarantee all QS's can handle it, but most of their load is carried low. The big threat I would think is to the tent and the bars. We've had to give it up now due to medical issues, but that's our experience over 6 full, very long seasons. The little trailer is a champ!

(We incidentally tried once to lower the storm canvas in a big blow to relieve pressure on the tent but it was no help, plus we got tons of dust inside so we quit doing that.)

[idlerockfarm]

Thanks for the information, links, and personal experience. My dog really made the call for me, and our proximity to water, if I'm being honest. 

If I ever do an extended trip, I might just invest in some anchors. I have a rubber mallet and some stubborn persistence. ?  Only IF the forcast says +50 mph winds again. The 6.0 is just so derned light that I worry above that speed. 

Sidenote, I have a BAL leveler and BAL chock and they were SO worth the money. I could feel the trailer moving a bit and trying to turn and BAL said NOPE.