How to lower the tarp

**koffar** · 03-22-2012, 13:20

Maby a stupid question, but Im still a noob

I hang my tarp under my ridgeline, and I like to hang it high.
Does anyone have some tips on how to lower my tarp fast if it suddenly starts to rain sideways? without untying the ridgeline?

Edit: I have a 10x10 tarp

**taylo** · 03-22-2012, 13:32

Abandon your continuous ridgeline, and go with two separate lines from each end. I use a prussic that slides up and down each line and attach to the tarp. If I need to lower the tarp, I just slide each prussic down a bit, lowering the tarp.
But it can be done with continuous. Just loosen it to the point where the tarp is sagging lower. I prefer the two separate line method though. Use it on all my tarps and have never had a problem.

**OutandBack** · 03-22-2012, 15:33

I use figure 9 type of connections on both ends of my tarp.
It really doesn't take very long to loosen to lower.

**2Tall** · 03-22-2012, 15:39

Originally Posted by taylo

Abandon your continuous ridgeline, and go with two separate lines from each end. I use a prussic that slides up and down each line and attach to the tarp. If I need to lower the tarp, I just slide each prussic down a bit, lowering the tarp.
But it can be done with continuous. Just loosen it to the point where the tarp is sagging lower. I prefer the two separate line method though. Use it on all my tarps and have never had a problem.

Thats pretty slick! So a fixed eye with a dutch hook and about 10' of cord and burry the opposite end ...and a soft shackle prussick on the line with three or four wraps??

**FireInMyBones** · 03-22-2012, 15:40

I like my continuous RL. If you want to hang it high, and be able to pull the tarp down if needed, do not snug the RL too tight. Leave it loose and crank down on the guylines. If it starts to rain sideways, you'd need to loosen the guylines just enough to allow for sliding the RL down the tree trunks. I know of no other way. I no longer do it that way. Instead I don't hang my tarp too high that I can't snug it down if I need to. I also keep it in my snakeskins unless it is really windy or starts to rain (or looks like rain).

**Tendertoe** · 03-22-2012, 15:45

I'm surprised hanging the tarp RL above the hammock suspension tree connection points isn't a more popular method than it is. It is more versatile IMHO and your hammock suspension never interacts with your tarp suspension.

If you throw a prusik in there you can make it possible to quickly adjust the height of your tarp by loosening the prusik on the tarp ridgeline and tightening your 4 corner tieouts.

No moving your tarp attachment points up and down the tree trunks on both sides and then tightening your corner tieouts as is the case with the more "traditional" tarp setup.

Around the 4:15 mark I demonstrate what I'm referring to.

**MrClockWork** · 03-22-2012, 15:50

Have you used porch mode instead of hanging it high? you could do that and then just batten down the hatches if it starts raining. Right now I just have two loops on each guyline. One for porch mode and one for hunkering down.

**OutandBack** · 03-22-2012, 16:36

Originally Posted by Tendertoe

I'm surprised hanging the tarp RL above the hammock suspension tree connection points isn't a more popular method than it is. It is more versatile IMHO and your hammock suspension never interacts with your tarp suspension.

If you throw a prusik in there you can make it possible to quickly adjust the height of your tarp by loosening the prusik on the tarp ridgeline and tightening your 4 corner tieouts.

No moving your tarp attachment points up and down the tree trunks on both sides and then tightening your corner tieouts as is the case with the more "traditional" tarp setup.

None of my hammocks use RL's I like having my tarp RL under the tarp to hang items from using #1 S biners.
My tarp ends are attached to the RL using prussic's and when I pull the tarp tight by sliding the prussic's towards the tree the center line sags just a little not touching the tarp.

**koffar** · 03-22-2012, 16:47

Many good solutions to my problem, thanks

Now I just have to try them all and find out what suits me best

**Cuthalion** · 03-22-2012, 17:05

Also being a "noob", I have run into the same difficulty. I ended up using figure-9s which allows one to raise and lower a continuous ridgeline from either side.