“Cyclone Gabrielle is the most significant weather event New Zealand has seen in this century. The severity and the damage that we are seeing has not been experienced in a generation,” said the NZ prime minister, Chris Hipkins earlier this year, mentioning the highest wind speed measured during the storm in February 2023, was up to 165 km/h. The cyclone also slammed over 22 hectares of Cravo retractable roof houses throughout New Zealand - but without causing any damage to the structure or coverings. Growers share their experiences.
“As Cyclone Gabrielle hit Hawke’s Bay early this year, it reinforced our reasoning and confidence as to why we purchased a Cravo Rafter house", says Daniel Hart, director with Oderings Nursery, located in Hastings, New Zealand. "Not only does the structure provide an optimal growing climate for our plants but it also eliminates the risk of crop and infrastructure loss to the ever-increasing weather extremes such as a direct hit from a cyclone. Happy to say our Cravo sustained nil damage while enduring wind gusts in excess of 130kph and 150mm of rain.”
NZ grower Gourmet Blueberries has 12 hectares of retractable roof houses. "During Cyclone Gabrielle the roof and walls were closed to protect crops. No damage was sustained to the structure, roof coverings or walls", says the team with Gourmet Blueberries, Hastings, New Zealand. Winds in excess of 130kph were measured locally (Cape Kidnappers)
Also the team of Southern Pacific Berries Limited, located in Kaitaia, New Zealand, saw their farm sustained the storm. “We operate a 2Ha Cravo X-frame in the Far North of New Zealand, initial tracking of the cyclone was for extreme wind and rain and a direct hit from Cyclone Gabrielle. We were confident enough in the X-frame structure and covers to have it fully closed in order to protect the crop. Fortunately, the cyclone tracked away. It still brought winds of over 100km/hr at exposed sites around the peninsula and the X-frame didn’t suffer any damage", says Reade Freeman with Southern Pacific Berries Limited.
And it's not just crops that are thriving under the Cravo structures. The greenhouses enable the cricketers to train on grass year-round in a climate-controlled, high-performance environment. Lance Hamilton, Chief Executive with the Central Districts Cricket Association in Hastings, shares that throughout the night of cyclone Gabrielle, the wind was so intense, he wondered if the next day I was going to find shredded plastic attached to the steel frames. "But the Cravo A-frame structure withstood the 120kph winds with no visible damage whatsoever. With so much of the region devastated by the cyclone it was such a relief to find it not only intact but that it had also managed to keep out all of the rain.”
“Simple but so effective", added Danny Reuben with the England & Wales Cricket Board, as the English Cricket Team was on tour in New Zealand and visited the team with Bay Oval. Danny was amazed that the English Cricket Team were able to train on real turf, in 100mph winds during the worst of Cyclone Gabrielle impact at Mount Maunganui/Tauranga (Bay Oval)."The permanent turf indoor net marquee at the Bay Oval is genius. Cyclone Gabrielle is stirring up Tauranga with 80-100mph gusts and lashing it down with heavy rain but the prep for the first test is in full swing. Every county venue should look at this.”
According to Richard Vollebregt with Cravo, 24 hurricanes, cyclones, typhoons have now hit Cravo houses globally over the last 20 years and still no houses have been lost and over 98% of the roof coverings remained intact.
Source - https://www.freshplaza.com
