View Full Version : tarping knots
i'm wondering if anyone knows of a knot that can be tied in the middle of a ridgeline (without slipping out) and used to increase tension from under the tarp. the only solution i've come up with is totally inelegant.. thanks.
I'm guessing you're talking about once the tarp is already up. If there's a ton of slack(which I don't know why there would be if you pulled the line taut to begin with), you could tie a sheepshank knot. Or you could do what I do and take a .99 cent carabiner, thread it through a half hitch(which is just a loop and a twist), and twist the line around it or it around the line and clip it. Try to ensure it's gate is hanging down. Now you have a taut ridgeline AND a place to hang your headlamp.
Bigben
one approach that might work (completely untried by me for this application) is to have a 6 inch loop on one part of the line and two lines coming from the other part of the line - make a cow hitch (lark's head) with the loop and feed the two lines through the cow hitch, pull the cow hitch tight around the two lines and then tie a single overhand knot with the two lines - the function of the single overhand knot is to act as a stopper to keep the two lines from slipping through the tight cow hitch - to increase the tightness of the overall line grab the two lines hanging down and pull them back where they came from until the line is suitably tight then spread the two lines apart to move the overhand knot back to the cow hitch to hold the desired length/tightness
Alligator
07-24-2006, 15:27
I was thinking of running the ridgeline through two grommets on the tarp (opposite sides) and then having two cordlocks under the tarp on the line. Then you could just slide them out to tension, one on each end. This would only work if the grommets line up with the ridgeline. I was thinking of doing this on my hammock.
Just Jeff
07-24-2006, 15:57
I always use some form of the trucker's hitch on my tarp ridgelines. Very simple to tie once you get it down. I use the tarp's tie-out point for the loop so I don't have to tie a bight in it. Very easy to adjust and doesn't slip.
blitz134
07-27-2006, 09:49
I would use a taut line hitch, possibly paired up with what I call a truckers hitch (which isn't the right name for it). To do this tie one end of your rope to your first tree. Then run it across to your second tree and tied a loop in your rope a couple of feet before the tree you plan to wrap around, this loop should be able to slip. Now, wrap the rope around the tree and put in through your loop (now you have a pulley system). Then put a taut line in it to allow you to tension it up. Essentially you end up with a loop that acts as a pulley so you can get things extra tight, and on the loose end you have a one directional knot that can be slid one way to tighten the rope.
Taut line:
http://www.animatedknots.com/rollinghitchscouting/index.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com
Actually this is a rolling hitch that is supposed to be less slip prone, but I have a hard time getting it to work, so I use the taut line detailed a little below on that page. Its tied the same way except you dress it a bit differently.
There are many ways to position this setup. A couple would even position the taut line underneath your tarp so that you could tighten it w/o getting up in the middle of the night.
blitz134
07-27-2006, 09:54
Looking at that page I linked to earlier...it seems I do use a truckers hitch, but a simplified version which is mentioned on the bottom of the truckers hitch page.
You could position this underneath the tarp with a long enough rope.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
07-27-2006, 10:59
blitz - thanks for the link to antimatedknots.com. What a resource for the tying-impaired :D
blitz134
07-27-2006, 22:47
No prob...its an awesome site...I'm a knot person. Sometimes I'll sit around the camp fire after a day of hiking and practice tying them. Its fun to try it in pitch black too...
It depends somewhat on the rope used. If you use a stiff pre-stretch dacron, like the control lines used on small sailboats, you will find they have very good holding power even when wet. They are also easy to tie and untie even with cold hands. Something like a 3/16" marlow prestretch. Find a stiff one, with tiny little hairs sticking out of it.
As for a knot. I would try something like breaking the ridge line into two ropes. Put a 'half knot' on the end of one as a stopper knot. (saves a little rope over a 'figure eight') Tie the other rope to it with a 'rolling hitch'. If this doesn't hold, change the half knot to a bowline, and put the other rope through it and tie it back on itself with a rolling hitch. This will give you more than twice the holding power, and a little more precision also in adjusting the tension. If that is still not enough, you could slide a small ring over the two parts of the rope where they go through the bowline. There should be lots of variations on this, but I would start there.
Instead of a ring a piece of tubing would work very well over the two parts and the 'bowline'. You may not even need the 'rolling hitch'.