Hurrican Florence

[zackyboy3rs]

As of now I am in direct line of having this storm hit us. We live about 60-70 miles inland. Kinston, NC. Should I hook up my 5th wheel to my truck or just leave it unhooked?

[Learjet]

pointed into the wind...once you know the direction would be helpful.

[Chris_Bryant]

zackyboy3rs wrote:
Thanks everyone. I should have clarified I have the 5th wheel sitting next to my house. I am not trying to go through this storm in a 5th wheel.

Cool! As has been said, put the trailer as close to a building as possible. I would not hook the truck to it, I would protect the truck as best I could also.

Good luck!

[Travlingman]

zackyboy3rs wrote:
Thanks everyone. I should have clarified I have the 5th wheel sitting next to my house. I am not trying to go through this storm in a 5th wheel.

zackyboy3rs wrote:

Leaving is not an option. Livestock still have to cared for...

Put slides in.Would put stabilizers down. Fill all tanks with water.

I would also check with insurance company Monday to see what is covered. Is it insured for cash value or replacment cost. If cash value, check to see how much it would cost to up to replacement value. Big difference between the two.

Good luck, hopefully storm will go out to sea.

[coolmom42]

Jim&Sharon wrote:
I like to think I'm wiser in my old age, but maybe I'm just more cautious.
If I knew the hurricane was headed to me, I would load the camper up and go camping, about 300 miles inland.
Come back home when services have been restored, and see if you need to call the insurance company.

Having "hunkered down" thru several hurricanes, I can tell you thru experience that there is no reason for you to "live thru it ". There isn't a darn thing you can do to fix problems as they occur. So since you have to wait until the storm has passed anyway, you might as well wait where it's safe and comfortable.

This.

[Terryallan]

Aridon wrote:
Good luck but you're stupid if you ride out a category 4 in an RV. Straight up Darin award.

Pressure is calculated at the square of the winds speed. Just because you can do 70 in your trailer in a controlled environment like the highway is in no way similar to a category 1 much less a category 3 or 4 with shifting winds and huge gusts. The increase is exponentially dangerous as it rises the numbers get bigger, faster.

Good luck you better hope it misses you.

Dude. He is at home. Not camping. Not riding out the storm in a RV

[Aridon]

Good luck but you're stupid if you ride out a category 4 in an RV. Straight up Darin award.

Pressure is calculated at the square of the winds speed. Just because you can do 70 in your trailer in a controlled environment like the highway is in no way similar to a category 1 much less a category 3 or 4 with shifting winds and huge gusts. The increase is exponentially dangerous as it rises the numbers get bigger, faster.

Good luck you better hope it misses you.

[Terryallan]

Were it me. I would watch the weather closely. Be ready to leave. Don't wait for the Gov to tell you to leave. He ain't real bright.


Right now the storm path is headed toward Carolina Beach, Kure, and Wilmington. It could slip in there and get you from behind. So stay on top of it, and be ready to evacuate. Silly to try to fight a Hurricane head on. We live 200 + miles from the Coast. Hurricane Hugo destroyed lots of trees, and houses in my town. So 70 miles is nothing. Also remember what Floyd did to Tarbaro, and Princeville. they have not completely recovered to this day. so be smart, and leave if it comes here.

[wildtoad]

We live inland but still are preparing for lost power. Just filled the fuel tank, water tank, propane tank. MH is under a carport next to the house. Turned fridge on to cool it down. Hugo came through here and it was not a pretty site.

[TXiceman]

zackyboy3rs wrote:
I am not leaving. Should I hook trailer up to my truck for more stability?

Hooking up to the truck will have little effect. Your best bet is to leave the area with your 5er. Take important papers, medicine and pet and go. The RV may have to bee your home.

I presume you have insurance on the home and furnishings. Sitting in the house and wait for trees to fall on it, or wait for water to flood it does no good for you or the dwelling.

Look at the aftermath from Harvey last year on the Texas coast. Rockport took the direct hit and it destroyed mobile home as well as sticks and bricks homes. Tornadoes are a side effect from a hurricane.

The big issue is the lack of services after the storm. Many people loose power and water for days and some for weeks. Communications is shut down and there are lines to get the basic food and fuel.

Having been through this we do not intend to go through another Hurricane. If you are "dead" set on staying, make sure you have all of your papers in a safe place and place a identification card on a sealed bag on your person so you are easily identified. Let family members know where you intend to ride out the storm.

Best of luck,
Ken

[zackyboy3rs]

Thanks everyone. I should have clarified I have the 5th wheel sitting next to my house. I am not trying to go through this storm in a 5th wheel.

[zackyboy3rs]

Jim&Sharon wrote:
I like to think I'm wiser in my old age, but maybe I'm just more cautious.
If I knew the hurricane was headed to me, I would load the camper up and go camping, about 300 miles inland.
Come back home when services have been restored, and see if you need to call the insurance company.

Having "hunkered down" thru several hurricanes, I can tell you thru experience that there is no reason for you to "live thru it ". There isn't a darn thing you can do to fix problems as they occur. So since you have to wait until the storm has passed anyway, you might as well wait where it's safe and comfortable.

Leaving is not an option. Livestock still have to cared for...

[DutchmenSport]

We have 40-50 mph winds where I live quite often (and this is normal). We live in the country with flat fields all around us. Fortunate for us, 99 percent of the time, the wind blows West to East. My drive way runs East to West. And I park my TT in the drive way.

I have found that my TT does just fine unhitched from the truck. My jacks are always down, snug, and it's always powered up. We use the TT all year round.

Facing the trailer directly into the wind, head on, is the best position you can put it, if you have the ability to point it any direction.

Consider, you drive your rig down the road at 60-70-80 mph and the camper doesn't blow apart. They are built pretty well, when you really think about it.

Now, even a mild wind hitting the same trailer from the side can cause it to tip over, hitched or not hitched, if it blows just right, or a gust hits just right. They are designed to take head-winds, but are nothing but gigantic sails on the side.

If you are staying put, I would suggest facing the camper toward the oncoming wind. (whatever direction that is.) Make sure all slides are in, reducing the overall footprint and size of the camper, and put all the stablizer jacks down, tight. Unplug from power, and fill the fresh water tank. A few hundred pounds of water under the floor of the camper will help keep the center of gravity even lower, making it a bit more difficult to tip.

I'd keep the trailer unhitched, but position in such a way you can bug out in a heart beat if you need to.

If you keep it hitched and ready, then put all the jacks down, stabilize everything, add water, unplug and hope for the best. If you fell you still have to bug out, all you have to do is raise the jacks and GET!

[abom2]

If I was located in the Coastal Area Carolina's (within 100 miles) looking at a Cat 4 at landfall I would not be there.

I have been through several in my life. Ike was Cat 3, huge, and made land fall 53 miles SE of my location. Rode it out in a S&B with fiver set up on leeward side of house. I had no real damage but will not do that again.

Due to our location our personal rule was anything Cat 3 or less, hitting between Freeport, TX and Winnie, TX we would stay at the S&B. Based on our location in relation to Downtown Houston. (Acts a little like mountains).

After Ike I have lowered it to CAT 2. Anything greater and we are leaving the area.

I was stuck in my fiver when Humberto popped up as a disturbance during the day, and became a strong Cat 1/ weak Cat 2 and the eye passed 10 miles south of the fiver. Not fun at all and my Guardian Angels were working over time and at full tilt.

As I said, I would never try to ride out any strong TS or any type of Hurricane in an RV.

After evacuating for Rita and that mess of getting out (18 hrs to cover 120 miles) I looked at hardening up my position, installing a whole house generator, etc.

My epiphany was this, Spend up to 20K on generator and some hardening of the S&B to protect what? At most $500 of food, some clothes, furniture,etc.

House and furniture is insured, riding out a storm in the house, never again for me and my family. I will get them out of harms way and after the storm I will travel back in to secure the homestead and start the clean up.

After Ike I was out of power for 3 weeks and neighbors were out for 6 weeks. Those that did not have generators we shared ours with them. Ike was different with cool air after the storm. Usually things are Hot, Sticky, no wind, and lots of bugs, snakes, and other critters. Very unpleasant.

Nothing at the house is worth riding it out. If it is that valuable and not insured, take it with you to a place outside the storms path. Leave early enough to avoid the traffic jams of the mandatory evacuations and last minute folks.

This is my advice only. It is free and probably worth every penny charged.

[Second_Chance]

Even the PhD meteorologists say it's too early to place any certainty on landfall location - if it makes landfall at all (I just finished reading an article on Weather Underground about the storm). Keep an eye on the storm and be prudent about evacuating when the probabilities are more certain.

Rob

[Halmfamily]

If it were me I would get it as close to your home or garage as possible to help alleviate some of wind hitting it. All slides in, stabilizers down, maybe even load all tanks with water to help lower the center of gravity. I'd keep the truck away from the FW and garaged if possible.