DIY Tarp Modification? - On a Budget...Help!

[FightingTheTide]

The short version: Baby #1 is due november, gear budget is shot, I need to modify an existing 9.5' x 5' tarp to provide ample coverage for light rain with my 85" SRL (Ghost Hammock). Suggestions?

The long version:
I've made a 9.5' x 5' sil tarp with 3 tie-outs on the short sides and 5 on the long sides (12 total). It has great coverage for ground sleeping when pitched as a low a-frame. I love it for that.

However, I am trying to switch to a hammock setup while backpacking, and recently made a Ghost Hammock. The SRL is ~85" long. I am a lightweight backpacker, not SUL.

Here's where I need help. I am on a budget. My wife and I are expecting our first son in November...so I have zero gear money right now. I need to use what I already have, hence why I want to use my existing 9.5' x 5' tarp for my hammock.

Pitched as an a-frame, it seems to lack coverage on the bottom if the wind picks up. Pitched asym it seems that the ends are more exposed. I have read a lot of posts about hex tarps and their advantages, so what I am looking for isn't education on tarp design but instead help in making a modification to fit my needs.

I don't anticipate going out in any big storms, but I am new to hammock camping (not hammocking itself) and want to be sure I don't end up miserable if the rain does come. The reason I made a Ghost Hammock was to make it work better for my lightweight backpacking setup.

Let me know if you have any suggestions for modifications. I am very familiar with my sewing machine, but want to be sure of what I need to do before I cut my existing tarp.

Other materials I have on hand that might be useful:
-scrap silnylon (random pieces leftover from this and other projects)
-about 3 yards of 1.1oz ripstop (from an old hammock)
-about 2 yards of impetus 1.0 (never used)

[FLRider]

The ends are exposed with that type of tarp hung diagonally...however, you can prevent the hammock from getting soaked by driven wind by using an undercover. If the undercover doubles as your rain gear (a poncho), it saves weight as well.

It's what I do; I've spent ~12 hours in a tropical storm with this set-up. The only problem I had was through water intrusion via the whipping ends. A fix suggested by member Black Wolf was to use a pair of mini S-biners to hold the tarp suspension in line with the hammock suspension worked like a charm.

A photo of my set-up:




A video that shows it off (the portion on my hammock starts at ~8:30 or so):




Let me know if you've got any questions!

[VictoriaGuy]

IMO, you need a bigger tarp.
To do that will need more waterproof fabric, i.e. you'll need to spend money.

In a blowing rain I can't imagine your 9.5 x 5 tarp keeping you dry.

You could always get a cheap blue plastic tarp, or even use clear plastic to do some experiments about what size tarp you really need.

Once you know what size you want, you can decide whether you want to build a new (bigger) tarp from scratch, or modify the one you have.

The materials in your 9.5 x 5 tarp would cost about $20 (plus shipping) to buy from diygearsupply if you used silnylon 2nds for the fabric, so it might be just as easy to make a new tarp and keep the 9.5 x 5 .

[Floridahanger]

FLRiders minimal setup is very fine, indeed. Seen it first hand and the poncho works great in this capacity.

If your still not convinced and want to modifiy your tarp, Walmart has a $10, blue hiking nylon tarp. 10x5 or 10x7 I think. Don't get the all purpose tarp if you can avoid it unless that's your last choice. It works ok, if nothing else, but you already have a nylon tarp, so no need to go backwards.

To modify, cut the tarp in half lengthwise and French seam or Flat Felled seam 1 half panel to each bottomside of your tarp. Trim and seamseal the stitching. I believe it has grommets already so add your guylines and your good.

[FightingTheTide]

FLRiders minimal setup is very fine, indeed. Seen it first hand and the poncho works great in this capacity.

If your still not convinced and want to modifiy your tarp, Walmart has a $10, blue hiking nylon tarp. 10x5 or 10x7 I think. Don't get the all purpose tarp if you can avoid it unless that's your last choice. It works ok, if nothing else, but you already have a nylon tarp, so no need to go backwards.

To modify, cut the tarp in half lengthwise and French seam or Flat Felled seam 1 half panel to each bottomside of your tarp. Trim and seamseal the stitching. I believe it has grommets already so add your guylines and your good.

I've thought of getting 3 more yards of sil 2nds and cutting my existing tarp in half and sewing it onto the edges of the new fabric...and maybe adding a cat cut to the bottom.

But now I keep thinking, "don't add new wine to old wine skins". Is there any reason new silnylon will shrink or stretch and cause an issue when sewn to the silnylon I already have in my 9.5x5?

[Floridahanger]

I've thought of getting 3 more yards of sil 2nds and cutting my existing tarp in half and sewing it onto the edges of the new fabric...and maybe adding a cat cut to the bottom.

If you get more than 3 yards, greater length than your existing tarp, then I agree with you to mod it that way. That's actually how I did mine. It works for me, but others like the ridgeline seam only.

But now I keep thinking, "don't add new wine to old wine skins". Is there any reason new silnylon will shrink or stretch and cause an issue when sewn to the silnylon I already have in my 9.5x5?

Silnylon or nylon will stretch a little, new or old. Just match the edges by cutting what you want to after you attach the panels together. I can't tell you if there will be an issue or not using fabric from different bolts. I used fabric from the same bolt.

[FightingTheTide]

I may actually have enough scrap silnylon to add some sides to my existing rectangle tarp. I need some insight on dimensions for a hex tarp.

My SRL is 85" and my hammock (unweighted) hangs about 30" down from the SRL.

9.5' long seems perfect for the length since it would add a little more than 12" overhang on each side of my hammock. But what about the width of the tarp? Would 84" still be too little considering the size of my hammock?

[Floridahanger]

...9.5' long seems perfect for the length since it would add a little more than 12" overhang on each side of my hammock. But what about the width of the tarp? Would 84" still be too little considering the size of my hammock?

The width of the tarp has little to due with the length of the hammock if going with a hex and not diamond. Your good there.

The width will have something to due with the coverage your comfortable with. Are you shy when changing or do you want to use for blizzards or tropical storms and want full coverage? Are you wanting to save some weight and use less coverage, no doors, etc? It's your call, but most are ok with a 7 foot width as a medium coverage, mild to med weather tarp.

[cinnamon]

But what about the width of the tarp? Would 84" still be too little considering the size of my hammock?

depends on just how much coverage you are looking for and your site selection
here are the widths of three popular tarps
OES standard: 84"
WL tadpole: 92"
WB edge: 94"