Catenary cut?

[Chas]

What is the reason or purpose for a catenary cut tarp? Is it better than a straight edge tarp?

[pgibson]

It helps to maintain even tension across all of the edges of the tarp. Less flapping sound in the wind and a tighter overall pitch to the tarp maintained.

[Mrprez]

It allows you to spread the pulling force of the tie out giving you a tauter tarp.

Paul got it just before me....

[warbonnetguy]

Cat cuts allow you to get the interior of the fabric tighter, a straight edged tarp will get tight along the edges and then sorta stop stretching before the interior gets tight leaving the edges very tibght but the rest of the tarp looser than it would be, getting rid of those straight edges and replacing them with a curve (curves stretch) avoids that situation in that the edge of the tarp will no longer limit how tight you can get the interior, same goes for edge binding around the peremiter, the binding can only stretch so much, once it maxes out you can't tighten any more regardless of how loose the middle may still be

A straight edge tarp like the Cloudburst has panel pulls, so you pitch it tight (which mainly tightens the edges) and then you use the panel pulls to tighten the interior more if needed, this was actually part of the design of the CB on purpose, the straight edges don't allow you to get the interior super tight like you can with the superfly, MJ etc, ensuring the interior will always be loose enough to pull the sides out alot (which you need for a bridge hammock)

[Chas]

Thanks, good explanation.