| Some RVers are not aware of a potential problem | | | | coach for travelling, but don't bet on it. |
| awaiting them. | | | | One or more of the attach fittings may be ripped, all |
| Here's the problem: While driving down the road, the | | | | or partially, from the body of your rig. Not pretty, |
| fabric on the RV awning comes unfurled and might | | | | but you might be able to leave them as they are, |
| damage the fabric, the awning support pieces, and | | | | temporarily. |
| even the coach. This requires your immediate | | | | Delay |
| attention, whether or not it is convenient for you | | | | If you're a full-time RVer and retired, you may be |
| with regard to time or location. | | | | able to absorb delays with no affect on your |
| Not every RVer will have this experience. I was | | | | schedule because you have no schedule! But what if |
| talking with Wilson Forbes, President of Loess Hills | | | | you had just finished a Workamping experience and |
| Innovations who makes the RV Awning Travel Lock, | | | | were on a rather tight schedule to make it to your |
| recently and he estimated that one in five RVers | | | | favorite granddaughters wedding? A significant delay |
| would experience the problem at least once during | | | | would not set well with other family members, would |
| their days of RVing. I have no data with which to | | | | it! |
| refute that figure and it seems reasonable. | | | | Or what if you were on a two-week vacation from |
| So if you know you will be one of the four who | | | | your job and had it scheduled full of sites to see with |
| won't have the problem, feel free to skip the rest of | | | | your family in our beautiful Pacific Northwest? |
| this article, as it will be of no benefit to you. But | | | | In each case, a forced delay to make repairs just so |
| therein lies a problem; we never know when we will | | | | you could get back on the road could be devastating. |
| be the victim of a lost awning event. | | | | Expense |
| I hate to dwell on negative things, but in this case | | | | It is possible that you could have a "light case" of |
| that's what it is all about. The only reason you would | | | | unfurling and your expenses to put things back in |
| want an awning lock on your RV is to greatly reduce | | | | order would be nothing. But don't bet on it! |
| the chance that your awning would come unfurled | | | | At the other extreme, the repair cost could be |
| while traveling because with that comes a mess, | | | | thousands of dollars, especially if your roof or the |
| delay, expense, and frustration. | | | | side of your coach was punctured. Some hundreds of |
| Let's look at the reason in a little more detail. | | | | dollars to replace the awning fabric and possibly other |
| Mess | | | | awning components is more likely. |
| Once you become aware that you've lost your | | | | Frustration |
| awning, the event will probably be all over, because | | | | There is no question but what concern, frustration, |
| once it progresses to the point where one notices it | | | | and certainly disgust, will follow this incident. And it will |
| the event will be over in a second or two. Then, no | | | | effect the entire family. In short, losing one's awning |
| matter where you are--quiet mountain road or busy | | | | is not a pleasant experience. |
| freeway--you'll need to stop and clean up the mess. | | | | If you'd like to minimize the chance that your awning |
| That includes dealing with the awning canopy, which | | | | becomes a problem awning while travelling down the |
| may or may not still be in one piece. It might have a | | | | road, invest in an awning lock. They run about 50 |
| big rip in it and be wrapped around other pieces of | | | | bucks--some more, some less--and most RVers can |
| the awning structure. You can never tell what you'll | | | | install their awning lock themselves. If you believe |
| find. | | | | avoiding the results mentioned above is not worth |
| The arms may be bent and hanging from a single | | | | that modest amount, forget about installing this |
| attach fixture instead of two. In the worst case, | | | | protection and hope for the best. |
| you'll want to get them removed from the coach. | | | | Happy RVing! |
| You may be able to secure them to the side of the | | | | Copyright 2007 by Keith A. |