Tarp tensioner question ????

**cataraftgirl** · 08-31-2010, 17:17

Newbie question (sorry this is pretty basic),
I'm trying to understand how tarp tensioners work. I think I get it, but do you stake out your tarp line tight like you normally would with the tensioner stretched out? I know this is a dumb question, but since I've never seen one of these things in action, I'm trying to understand exactly how they work. I leave for an eight day river trip in two days, so I don't have time to make/order the fancy tensioner set-ups. In another thread PIZZA talked about just using shock cord loops tied to the D-rings of the tarp, then attaching the guylines. I might try that for now?????
Thanks
KJ

**PuckerFactor** · 08-31-2010, 17:21

The basic ideas is that the shock cord takes up the slack as the tarp stretches. Silnylon has a tendency to stretch overnight, so you'd want to stretch the SC out in the evening, so it can absorb the extra length and keep everything tensioned during the night and still be taut in the morning.

Make sense?
Acer

**lori** · 08-31-2010, 17:27

Also - once you have the line under tension, with a tensioner in the line, it's easy to shoot your stakes into orbit if you aren't careful. Spent an hour looking in brush for a stake last week after my failure to seat the stake deep in the sandy soil AND add a large enough rock on top. The wind caught a corner of the tarp, I heard a THWANNNNNG, and suddenly the tarp was flapping around. We found the stake (red, thank goodness) in the brush 30 feet away.

**Shewie** · 08-31-2010, 17:29

I'm using short lengths of shock cord tied into loops on my tie outs, then I just larks head my guy line onto those.

Seems to work okay in heavy Scottish winds

**Cannibal** · 08-31-2010, 17:32

You've got it. You can make yourself a whole set of them in about 20 minutes; very easy.

**oldgringo** · 08-31-2010, 17:47

I am using 1/8" shock cord loops ~ 12" long. Cut the shock cord to 26", and form the loops with single fisherman's bends. I tested one of these to failure: the sheath failed at the knot...there was no slippage, and the rubber bands remained intact.

**cooldays** · 08-31-2010, 18:10

if you want a quick possibly temporary solution just go to home depot or lowes and get a bag of the smallest bungee cords for a few bucks, with a hook on each end. You can hook the 2 hooks together and make a loop that you can put between your stake and your line. Cheap mason line even works fine with this except it tangles if you are not careful. still it is so light you might find you like it better than other lines most peopleyou.....you don't need fancy dynaglide/zing it or lash it or anything. for 8 bucks and 10 minutes you have self tensioning guy lines with one stop at home depot.

**cataraftgirl** · 08-31-2010, 18:20

Thanks everyone for the ideas. With the shock cord loops, how are you attaching them to your tarp d-rings/loops? Larkshead there as well?
I'll be using MSR groundhog stakes. Hopefully I won't turn them into unguided missiles. I'll remember the rocks. Plenty of those on the Middle Fork Salmon, especially the ones in the river that I get my cataraft stuck on at low water !!!!!
KJ

**Shewie** · 08-31-2010, 18:26

Originally Posted by cataraftgirl

Thanks everyone for the ideas. With the shock cord loops, how are you attaching them to your tarp d-rings/loops? Larkshead there as well?

Yep that's pretty much it for me. I was being a bit lazy when I fitted them but I just tied an overhand knot with about 8" of SC to give a simple loop and then larks headed that through my webbing loops.

**Cannibal** · 08-31-2010, 18:41

Here's Headchange4u's thread on DIY tensioners. I use the method shown in post #3 on all my sil tarps. Works great and are very easy to make. They also don't freeze as fast as the ones using surgical tubing, which is nice if you do any cold weather camping.