Just got back from camping and I have knot questions

[andy753421]

If you're in a wooded area that allows it, I would suggest making an a-frame out of your tarp. This seems to help keep the wind and rain out a bit better, and you don't have to worry about water puddling in the middle.

1. Tie a center line between two trees about 7 foot high, and pull it very taught. I'd suggest a truckers hitch on one end, the other end doesn't really matter.
2. Drape the tarp over the line and tie the corners down to the ground or to some lower trees.

(optional)
3. If it's raining you may have water dripping down the center line, you can tie a couple small pieces of cord around either side of the line just under the tarp. This will make the water drip off at the cord instead of in the middle.
4. If the tarp bunches up in the middle of the line, you can tie the middle of the tarp off to the same trees the center line is attached too. Using a separate line for this will help keep tension off the tarp so it doesn't rip as easily.

(pulls out the ascii art, #4 not shown)

\______/    .-Drip cords-.     \______/
   ||       \_____________\       ||
  .--oo-----/|           /|----O----.
  '||'|    / '          / '\    |-||'
   ||     /            /    \     ||
   ||    /            /------o    ||
   ||   o------------o        \|  ||
   || |/              \|          ||

P.S. Please be kind to trees and don't destroy the bark. If you're pulling anything very tight put some sticks between the rope and the tree.

[Andy]

Hi Carpaccio!

I finally found the time to upload my pictures from the new year.
Two photos illustrating some of the setups I mentioned in my earlier reply, with a particular fine example of a setup over tripods.






Smiles,

Andy

[Erickson]

I go camping just for the excuse to put up tarps! I use two knots: a bowline through the grommet (I don't like wrinkles in my tarps, if they rip out, and they do, then I use the pebble and gather method) and a truckers hitch around a fixed object. You can (and obviously will have to) play with what "fixed objects" are available. Trees are obviously best when available; they're usually fairly solid and height is adjustable. If sparser vegetation is available you can put a pole at a corner and tension down (you'll want two lines each for stability). This is not as elegant but it works. You can also try, if anchors are not where you'd like them, to have opposite corners high.

I'm kind of going off on tarp design and away from the knots. I don't like the Taut-line, Bunt-line, or any of the other easily adjusted (and unadjusted) hitches for camping tarps. They're fine for a picnic, but for an extended camping stay I like the good solid pull of a Truckers hitch. Did I mention I'm in Oregon?

Just say NO to baggy tarps!

As far as getting the rope over limbs, I got nothin' for you. I usually try to lift line over the nubs of broken limbs. But I have hurled a stick or two tied to my rope (don't think I ever tried a rock) but I can't remember what knot I might have used. And honestly, we're mostly pine and fir here with lots of twiggy nubbins (and not a little pitch) so I could probably just give the stick and rope a firm talking to and be good to go.

Here's a handsome fellow teaching some rapt Cub Scouts the finer points of knot theory under a tarp with a skylight! Unfortunately I had nothing on the side toward the camera to take the slack out with. The two corners on this side are tied to a tree and shed at very shallow angles (45 degrees is always preferable.)

K-

[Dan_Lehman]

I go camping just for the excuse to put up tarps!

   I know the symptoms of this affliction.  I believe most problems
have some cordage solution, and some things are worth doing expressly
for such a solution -- why knot?!

Here's a handsome fellow teaching some rapt Cub Scouts the finer points of knot theory ...

He'd be the one with the "I-tend-to-get-lost-but-you-should-be-able-to-see-me"
-colored shirt on?