Three years or so on my Shady Boy. Besides our porta-potty it's the best
thing I that I have added to our Westies.
I own no poles.  I use the guy lines to the bumpers.  Once, in a real
wind/rain storm, I had to take the awning down as a precaution. Otherwise,
no problems. I really like the way it dumps the water off in normal rains.
Fellow campers are out there "tending' to their rigid awnings to make sure
they don't overload with trapped/pooled rainwater and break their
awnings/poles.

I recently got up enough nerve to move the Shady Boy from my '87 to my'89
Westy. Drilling for the mounts is major step (I still haven't decided on
whether or not to mount my Yakima racks on the pop top).
--
Stephen
Chillicothe OH

on 6/8/05 12:32, Loren Busch at starwagen@GMAIL.COM wrote:

> RE: Shady Boy and Wind
>> From what I've seen here at least three people have had damage done to
> their Shady Boy by severe and unexpected winds.  That suggests to me
> that the poles and tie downs are a must.  As for me, I only destroy
> 10' Fiammas the first time they are set up (wind+rain+hail),  Ain't
> Mother Nature a b***h?