Do not set up SB w/o the optional poles!  In strong winds, the poles should
also be fastened to each 1/2 pole & the bottoms anchored to the ground!
As me how I know? Cantilevered canopy w/o poles will get bent down in a
downdraft & bend the brackets DRILLED into your Vanagon roof before it gets
blown upward & onto your roof!  That said, I have had it up in 60 mph gusts
w/ all the attachments mentioned & it will stay in place.
I drilled small holes thru the fiberglass poles to run rebar tie wire thru
the holes to attach pole halves to each other, & to anchor to stakes or
something heavy on the ground. If the pole halves get separated from uplift
w/o the wire, then the canopy can bend down & torque your brackets, etc.

YMMV,

Mr. BZ-still like the SB in any event after 10 years

On Thu, Feb 20, 2014 at 7:21 PM, Neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi all.
>
> Searching the archives, it seems that possible water ingress (I think
> a solution was found) and how the awning handles windy conditions, are
> 2 main complaints.
>
> So. Shady Boy owners. How bad is this thing in windy conditions? Do
> the poles actually help to stabilize the awning?
>
> Recent weather conditions at Ft. Flagler Wet Westy event showed that
> Mother Nature "always wins", (it got dang windy at times) but the
> Shady Boy deploys quickly and if I'm not mistaken, can attach to the
> rain gutter with clamps; no holes need to be drilled?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Neil.
>
> --
> Neil n
>
> Blog: tubaneil.blogspot.ca
>
> '88 Westy http://tinyurl.com/c8rlw6p
>
> '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"  http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
>
> Vanagon VAG *Gas* inline-VR Engine Swap Group:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/d7gd5ej
>

--
Tom Buese