Silvercloud Posted March 2, 2008 Report Share Posted March 2, 2008 Hi, Need some more good advice if you don't mind. We were asking about Croft to buy while back and got some good advice,if we were unsucessful in managing to buy a Croft we are planning a selfbuild as option B .Now providing our plot wasn't so remote with no other houses to provide some shelter around, and here comes the question, Would a 21ft caravan so not small by any means, with a double axial chanined down if needed be okay with the wind on the plot whilst building the house from October,realising not best time year as we camped at Clickamann in our professional tent from October last year and the wind finally got better of us on our last day and snapped to metal poles so we forced to take it down,but we very exposed and it was still only a tent .Just thinking of all the wooden sheds that we saw on plots etc obviously dependent also of location I guess and just how exposed??.We could consider renting at a push however we relly need to be on site as partner would making the frame of house weather tight and would help asd famil to be on site to help out .Renting also proves more difficult when we have 6 well behaved polite children and not alot available ,they also have to get school,so again easier to be on site to go to the school where the new house would be anyway. We know its no means easy fea,t thought about this long and hard so no whim here,the build itself not a problem its just wether the caravan would be okay especially if we lashed it down chained possibly to concrete if need be? Silvercloud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jps Posted March 2, 2008 Report Share Posted March 2, 2008 Hi Silvercloud If it was exposed I wouldn't like to try living in a caravan in some of the winds we get up here. A friend of mine has a similar sized caravan which is chained down to concrete and is sheltered at the side of a barn & that still got moved a few feet in one of the storms a few months ago. Cheers Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJ Posted March 2, 2008 Report Share Posted March 2, 2008 There is a seven bed room house up for rent at the moment in weisdale area. Seem to remember it looked cheap, but then they were looking to sell also.As for a caravan of any size I personally wouldn't want my child sleeping in one in the winter storms. It's not nesserally the fixing down of the caravan it's also what's blowing in the wind.when I was a bairn was lucky that the workmen's portacabin flew over the but'n'ben into the back garden not through the house. Last winter was shocked to see the photos of a very neat hole in my mothers window from a stick that got blown through. When these things are traveling 70m/h+ you really want something a little more solid between you and it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabiaTerra Posted March 2, 2008 Report Share Posted March 2, 2008 It should also be noted that a properly sited and secured caravan can be quite safe. My parents have recently replaced a residential caravan which had been on-site for more than 30 years without any problems. It all depends on the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madasaferret Posted March 3, 2008 Report Share Posted March 3, 2008 Does anyone remember the TV report in the 91-92 gales? There seemed to be a lot of Hoofields reduced to matchwood that winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medziotojas Posted March 3, 2008 Report Share Posted March 3, 2008 ^Are you sure you're not thinking of the Annsbrae Caravan Site which was destroyed by gales? It was located on a very vulnerable site near the Knab. I don't seem to remember the Hoofields' damage, but I may be wrong. Provided you have a good sheltered spot for a residential caravan and it is firmly secured, preferably to a concrete base, then it should be able to survive a winter in Shetland. You really need shelter from all directions because, although most of the prevailing winds are south-westerly, you may be caught out when it blows from an unusual direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvercloud Posted March 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2008 Hi, Thanks for all replies its actually touring caravan ,however it can be lowered down on to blocks and we are planning putting concrete posts into ground with metal rings to achour chains on underneath to really hold it down.Spoke with one of your camping caravan sites they ssid it should not be a problem they had people come up with theirs in winter with no problems, lash it down for bit extra secuity .It is a good size and weight so it should hold,and just be senseible about positioning.However I much prefer comfort of a house anyday alot of hard work ahead and needs must thanks all the advice . Silvercloud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madasaferret Posted March 3, 2008 Report Share Posted March 3, 2008 ^Are you sure you're not thinking of the Annsbrae Caravan Site which was destroyed by gales? Doh, you are right, it was Annsbrae. But that was reduced to matchwood overnight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 3, 2008 Report Share Posted March 3, 2008 A good idea for securing a caravan of any type, for a Shetland winter, would be to put cargo straps, or something like that over the caravan itself, as well as lashing the chassis down. As the wind could possibly separate the body from the chassis.Not trying to worry you,, just better safe than sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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