How in the world can I get this tarp pitched taut? Ive been fiddling with it and just can't the top figured out. I got a Dutch CRL with soft shakes and a couple tarpworms with zing it for the two tie outs. I wish I could use it Aframe but it's too short for that. And I wish it was a superfly but that's out in the future somewhere. Any help is appreciated.
It looks like the ridgeline (the rope itself) is getting taunt, but the top two ends of the tarp aren't taunt enough. I know tons of people do it that way (with the rope above or under the tarp, but I've always connected the rope to the ends of the tarp directly and never had a single problem.
On a side note, for a minimal coverage tarp like that I would be sure to pitch a lot farther/lower down so it's closer to the hammock. That'll help if it rains, especially if the rain is blowing in.
I may have to try it without the CRL. And I agree about pitching lower but I was fiddling today and wanted some room to move around. I didn't have the soft shackles pulled quite as tight as I could have so that everyone could see what the problem was but even when I crank that sucker as tight as I can it still doesn't do right. This is the first non Walmart tarp I've used and I figured I was missing something in my technique. I've weathered some real storms under those Walmart tarps though.
Yeah, the ridgeline of the tarp (not the CRL) is not pulled tight. I'd pitch the tarp over the CRL.
Also, you hang your tarp like me, high. If you choose your site well, you're not going to have wind blown rain. Instead rain will come straight down and you'll be dry, even if it doesn't look like it. Can't stand getting into and out of a top loading hammock with a tarp pulled way down - would make me want to go back to bottom entry!
"I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
- Kate Chopin
Maybe tomorrow I will try with the RL under the tarp. Will the zing it wear the tarp in windy conditions I wonder?
I've had my CRL under the tarp for years w/ no problems wearing it out. Just make sure its not to tight at any point.
I'll try it tomorrow and see what happens. I've used that method many times with paracord and Walmart tarps and come to think of it never had any problems with wear. Maybe I'm just overthinking it and worrying too much about all this expensive gear lolOriginally Posted by Tarheel Hanger
Could it just be your trees are too close together? The tarp is right up on the one tree.
Also looks like its windy. The force from the wind may be causing you not to be able to pull it tight enough. Maybe roll it up and tie it in a roll, then pitch the ridgeline. (Simulate snake skins).
It could also be that the material is simply atretching from the wind. What material is the tarp made from? Is it a single piece, or is there a ridge seam?
Also, the few times I used a crl I found it more difficult to get a nice tight pitch for the ridgeline.
BriarJumper, I notice that you might be fighting physics here.
I notice that the fabric from the guylines to the tarp ridgeline supports is nice and taut. But the fabric between the tarp ridgeline supports is not, which is the point of your post, obviously. I'm going to posit that this is because you attached the guylines before attempting to make the tarp ridgeline taut. So, you're fighting against the pull you've already put in one direction that is deflecting the force of the ridgeline direction.
If you haven't already tried this, try slackening the tarp guylines. Then get the tarp's ridgeline set. Then redo the guylines. If my interpretation of the photo is correct, that will fix the problem for the most part.
Unfortunately, after doing that, pulling the guylines taut may re-introduce some of the deflection. Hopefully it will be to a lesser degree, and you can eyeball it by letting the guylines have the slack you don't want the tarp ridgeline to have.
Since the ridge of the tarp only has three anchor points, and the guyline anchors are between them, you've "told" the tarp to bow downward from those ridge anchors. But then you'lre trying to "tell" the ridge to undo the bow. So you're in a tug of war with yourself, and one of you has a head start. If that makes any sense.
Either way: good luck!
looking at the photo - to get that tarp tight IN THAT SPOT,
i would not orienate it as you have but have it in rectangle not diamond shape - I.e. the seam would follow the ridge
- as others have said you have too much lenght for the tree gap.
also, should the weather be bad you can then lower the tarp more effectively.
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