I am gonna try and do this today ..... I will post some pix ........
Shuggy
I am gonna try and do this today ..... I will post some pix ........
Shuggy
Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven
http://cableorganizer.com/wire-wrap/
TeeDee, would these help with your reefing? Don't know if they're long enough, but I use them at home for cables and such.
"Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities." - Mark Twain
“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” - John Burroughs
Does the tarp need to be 'reefed' to the 'Spar'[ rope ridge line]. Instead could you use 3-4 omni tape cinches to reef the tarp edges to its own ridgeline every 2-3 feet? In essence they would provide the advantage of the snake skins but with out the hassle and bulk. I have played with this a few times and found it to be workable. Where I could string the tarp up between two trees while it was 'reefed' to itself and then I could remove a couple of the straps and anchor one end at a time to keep from having it billow in the wind. Onces all my points were anchored I would just need to go in and tighten them. I really dread pitching the tarp in the wind, and doing something like this really helps.
Here is a link to a velcro cinch strap like I describe above:
http://www.hookandloop.com/extra/cinchstrap.html
I was thinking something similar to this except I was thinking of sewing 7 inch grograin ribbons along the ridgeline of my JRB tarp where there is already a seam. Of course I'd have to seam seal the attachment points. But this is also where I already have seam seal and would continue to seam seal along the ridgeline whenever necessary. Since I use my tarp 90 percent of the time in the A-frame setup, the ribbons would allow me to reef the tarp to its own ridgeline.
I've been using snakeskins for over a year now and like the ease of setup, but reefing sounds like it definitely has merit. Thanks Tee Dee!
Last edited by HappyCamper; 11-10-2009 at 11:33.
Exercise, eat right, die anyway -- Country Roads bumper sticker
Fall seven times, standup eight. -- Japanese Proverb
"Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities." - Mark Twain
“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” - John Burroughs
OK ... I fooled with it and shot video for later ... doing one on Speer Winter Tarp.
Here is what I did .... sloppy I know....... it worked but I was slower on this than with snake-skins but everything speeds up with practice.
Is this the idea?
Shug the Sailor
tarp 3.jpg
tarpm 4.jpg
tarp 2.jpg
Tarp 1.jpg
Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven
NCPatrick - thanks for the suggestion. I have a load of the Velcro wire wraps and use them for a lot things. The Velcro ones I get at Home Depot and they are 15" long, but RED. It never occurred to me to use them for the reefing.
Also, thanks Happycamper for the idea of sewing to the tarp. I love it.
Great - I love the forums. People can improve on what I do every time.
So then do I sew to the edge or the fabric ridge line??
Sewing to the edge means I don't have to seam seal.
Sewing to the fabric ridge means I have to sew to both the 11' and the 10' fabric ridge. Or pivot back to the one with the Velcro/cords on take down. On the JRB 11'x10', that would put a line of Velcro/cords down the middle of the 10' fabric ridge which doesn't have a seam. I don't like that.
Sewing to the edge, I can sew on 2 edges so that both fabric ridge lines can be used and since they're on the edge, I'm not concerned about them being in the way. Also, all Velcro/cords are sewn to a seam.
Sewing to the tarp means I can sew the middle of the cord and use a reef knot (guess where the name came from) - just be sure to use a reef knot and not a Granny knot.
Tired Feet has just reminded me of what we did before the snake skins - string the ridge line cord and hang from that using toggles in the Prussics. I had to hang the reefing cords from the ridge line to keep them from getting lost. That meant that we had to include the ridge line cord in the stuff sack which meant that the tarp went up with the ridge line cord. More hassle - doing the ridge line cord separately is LOTS better.
So by sewing to the tarp, I can again separate the tarp from the ridge line cord. And sewing them to the edge keeps them from getting lost. Or I can sew the reefing cords to the edge and use those. The cords have an advantage over the Velcro in that the Velcro tends to pick up debris from the ground which then tends to prevent the Velcro from sticking. The Velcro has the huge advantage that it is simply wrap and stick, quicker and easier. I'll bet I could cut one of the 15" Velcro wraps in half and that would work. Also, the Velcro might not squeeze down much and that might be just enough to keep the tarp from fitting into the stuff sack. Time for some experiments.
Either way, Velcro or cords, sewing to the edge means I can again separate the tarp from the ridge line cord making hanging and take down much easier.
Ahhh - decisions, decisions.
THANKS - this is getting even sweeter.
Those who sacrifice freedom for safety, have neither.
Do not dig your grave with your teeth. (Unknown)
By Jove, I think you got it!
I would tie a loop in one of the tag ends of each reefing cord, and complete the reef by passing the other tag end through the loop and securing it with a slippery half hitch.
Dave
"Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self."~~~May Sarton
Those who sacrifice freedom for safety, have neither.
Do not dig your grave with your teeth. (Unknown)
TeeDee, the double-sided velcro is available in rolls, so you can cut whatever length suits you...pretty cheap that way.
Dave
"Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self."~~~May Sarton
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