Easy tarp guideline adjustment

**jons4real** · 03-27-2012, 20:04

Ok so I have been kicking around an idea on how to make my tarp guylines as easily adjustable as my CRL. I only did it to one as to see how well it works. So I took say... 8ft of zing it, added a shock cord tensioner. I then spliced on a dutch hook to the end of the zing it after placing a prusik on the line. So my line now goes... line to tarp, line to stake then loops backs to prusik. I should be able to easliy tighten down my tarp by sliding the prusik up. I havent had this set up yet but I hope it works the way I think it will. One thing that kinda stinks is I made my prusik out of zing it as well (its all I had). I wrapped it 3 or 4 times to get it to bite. I places it in a vise and yanked and yanked, it appears to hold well. So time will tell, I'll report back.

**jons4real** · 03-27-2012, 20:06

I guess my goal is to find a way to adjust my tarp lines without just tying off to my stakes and then having to just stretch my stakes out as far as I can go get a tight tarp.

Oh and without having to buy anything.. just with what I had laying aorund

**Bubba** · 03-27-2012, 20:27

Here's a pic gmcttr posted. Its how I also do my tarp lines. I don't have a tensioner on it though. The advantages are that you can adjust the lines from under the tarp when raining and you can get the line really short if you want to set the tarp low to the ground. The disadvantage is the prusiks can be hard to move.

**FLRider** · 03-27-2012, 20:51

Originally Posted by jons4real

I guess my goal is to find a way to adjust my tarp lines without just tying off to my stakes and then having to just stretch my stakes out as far as I can go get a tight tarp.

Oh and without having to buy anything.. just with what I had laying aorund

How about a tautline hitch? It's what I use when I want adjustability in my guylines.

Most of the time, though, I just tie an overhand bight and stretch out the tensioners to the ground. I pretty much only use the tautline when I want to be able to convert from porch mode to storm mode quickly.

Hope it helps!

**jons4real** · 03-27-2012, 21:11

Guylines .... Guidelines..... I'm a goof lol

**jons4real** · 03-27-2012, 21:16

Originally Posted by FLRider

How about a tautline hitch? It's what I use when I want adjustability in my guylines.

Most of the time, though, I just tie an overhand bight and stretch out the tensioners to the ground. I pretty much only use the tautline when I want to be able to convert from porch mode to storm mode quickly.

Hope it helps!

I thought about that knot but I wanted something that was a permanent fixture.

**AaronAlso** · 03-27-2012, 21:25

I like line locs, personally.

**Downhill Trucker** · 03-27-2012, 21:36

I tie a small plastic figure 9 to my stake, then wrap my guy line to the figure 9 after staking. Has worked the past several years for me.

I do like some of the new ideas out though.

**pgibson** · 03-27-2012, 21:43

The picture that Bubba posted above is how I do up our guy line and ridge line kits. Simple and fast to make adjustments even from under the tarp.

**jons4real** · 03-27-2012, 22:17

Originally Posted by Bubba

Here's a pic gmcttr posted. Its how I also do my tarp lines. I don't have a tensioner on it though. The advantages are that you can adjust the lines from under the tarp when raining and you can get the line really short if you want to set the tarp low to the ground. The disadvantage is the prusiks can be hard to move.

So if I see the picture correctly, you have your line attached to your stake, one pursik larks head directly onto the tarp .