View Full Version : Best Way To Anchor A Tarp In Sand?
headchange4u
06-05-2006, 14:48
My wife and I will be making our annual trip to Edisto State Park in South Carolina in a couple of weeks to do a few nights of camping on the beach.
My wife likes to sit in the sun all day, and while I do like lying on the beach, long exposure to the sun is not for me. I had planned on taking a tarp with me that I could use for a sunshade so that I can enjoy the beach with my wife.
I will be using hiking poles to prop up the front of the tarp. What is the best anchor/stake to keep the tarp in place and keep it from blowing away. My initial thought is a couple of Wal-Mart bags filled with sand and then tied to the anchor points of the tarp.
Punch holes in the center of some aluminum pie plates and run cord through them. When you set up your tent or tarp, bury the pie plates a foot or two in the sand leaving the cord out then tie off. Works great and doesnt weigh too much.
Hikes in Rain
06-05-2006, 14:59
Crossed sticks will also do the trick. Whatever the shape, it's called a "deadman".
headchange4u
06-05-2006, 15:03
Punch holes in the center of some aluminum pie plates and run cord through them. When you set up your tent or tarp, bury the pie plates a foot or two in the sand leaving the cord out then tie off. Works great and doesnt weigh too much.
That's a great idea, but wouldn't a rope pull out of a pie pan pretty easy? A small peice of aluminum or tin might work better. Weight is not really an issue as we will be driving into the camp spot and the beach is not more than 50 yards from our site.
rocks my friend or bring some blocks or bring some trash bags or some kind of tough bags and tie around them.
Just Jeff
06-05-2006, 16:01
Look up snow anchors...any stuff sack will do if you don't want to spend the money on anchors. Walmart bags to the same thing, but you might want to double or triple in case the winds get high.
i have never had a problem with the rope pulling through the pans. I use this method on my annual trip to Assateague Island and have to worry about weight as i have to pack in 2 days worth of water (although not much in the way of clothing). All good ideas though
headchange4u
06-05-2006, 16:43
Crossed sticks will also do the trick. Whatever the shape, it's called a "deadman".
So you just tie the tarp to each end of a stick and cross them? Do you need to bury them?
Frolicking Dinosaurs
06-05-2006, 17:13
Whatever you use, bury it about a foot - more if it isn't solid (like crossed sticks). I've done it with kitchen size trash bags 1/2 filled with sand (tied those off like the hammock hangers tie hammocks) and buried to about 1 ft at Hammock Beach with no problem. Had a loggerhead sea turtle nest about 25 ft from my camp!
headchange4u
06-06-2006, 08:37
Had a loggerhead sea turtle nest about 25 ft from my camp!
The campground in Edisto is a state park and there are probably a hundred (maybe a lot more) or so turtle nests right there on the beach. They are on the dunes close to the campground and are maked off so people know where they are. The campground has quiet time after 10 p.m. and no flashlights on the beach after that time so the adult turtles will come in to nest without being disturbed.
Although my wife and I have yet to see it, we are told that it is pretty common to see the baby turtle emerging from the nest. They also said you can see the adults come in at night, if the season is right. You could go out on the beach in the early morning, about sunrise, and see the drag marks where the adult turtles had come across the beach.
Hikes in Rain
06-06-2006, 10:23
So you just tie the tarp to each end of a stick and cross them? Do you need to bury them?
No, no, I wasn't clear. Cross the sticks first, then use the tarp line to tie them together. Then yes, they'll need to be buried. What you're doing is increasing the cross sectional area of resistance perpendicular to the line of force the tarp line is imposing. Pretty much anything buried will work, but sticks are cheap and often found on site.
So you just tie the tarp to each end of a stick and cross them? Do you need to bury them?
If you can't find any sticks or anything else handy you could bury extra shoes, empty beverage cans, or anything else you won't be needing till time for it to come down. Tie a strong cord to an empty can and bury it a foot or so deep in sand or loose soil and you will be surprised how much force is needed to pull it out at an angle such as will be on a line from the tarp.
Amigi'sLastStand
06-06-2006, 15:42
So you just tie the tarp to each end of a stick and cross them? Do you need to bury them?
Nah, just leave em on top of the sand....:rolleyes:
Just Jeff
06-06-2006, 16:03
So you just tie the tarp to each end of a stick and cross them? Do you need to bury them?
Nah, just leave em on top of the sand....:rolleyes:
Yep - your faith will do the rest. And if your tarp falls, you just aren't faithful enough!
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Yep - your faith will do the rest. And if your tarp falls, you just aren't faithful enough!
You guys are just mean!
You left out the instructions: Paint your head orange, jump up & down waiving your arms while yelling "I am king of the beach" over & over at least 12 times. At least that works for me.
Seriously, I have used a small plastic bag with handles as a deadman: Dig a hole about 1 1/2 times as tall as the bag, (double bagging may be a good idea) line the hole with the bag, fill mostly full with sand, (I tie the handles at this point) tie your guy lines to the handles, fill the hole with sand. Follow the above dance instructions :D
The bags I use are the ones you get at most convenient stores.
headchange4u
06-07-2006, 09:36
One last question. Should the "King of the Beach" be preformed naked? Will that help?
Amigi'sLastStand
06-07-2006, 10:41
One last question. Should the "King of the Beach" be preformed naked? Will that help?
Works for me in Key West....:D
One last question. Should the "King of the Beach" be preformed naked? Will that help?
Sorry, forgot to put that in. My error :D
Thank you for catching it.
Doctari.
:rolleyes:
Tha Wookie
06-07-2006, 11:04
[thanks for letting me know about this thread, Buckles]
I did this over and over again on the west coast during my 1800 mile hike there. I found out some interesting things that I will share.
The ideas here are great. However, there are certainly ways to do this without lugging in metal plates or (gulp) mall-wart bags during your trip into nature.
I did this the other night in fact, here in the Virgin Islands.
You can do this with stakes, but it will help to have a deadman of some sort. What you can do it tie your guylines with the stakes on them to a log, stick, rock, whatever, and pull them to 45 degrees from each corner of the tarp. Use sticks or factory-made poles if you wish at the gables of the a-frame and anchor these lines in the same fashion for the main guylines.
The "trick" is to mound the sand over each line anchor, whether it be a stake or metal plate or (cringe) plastic advertising bag, etc.
I took a minute to find some pics on my trailjournal for the west coast hike, but didn't find a straight up sand pic. I did write about it too. Here are some other pics:
Using rock wall on beach:
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=59195
On driftwood cobble beach
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=53628
Amigi'sLastStand
06-07-2006, 11:12
[thanks for letting me know about this thread, Buckles]
I did this over and over again on the west coast during my 1800 mile hike there. I found out some interesting things that I will share.
The ideas here are great. However, there are certainly ways to do this without lugging in metal plates or (gulp) mall-wart bags during your trip into nature.
I did this the other night in fact, here in the Virgin Islands.
You can do this with stakes, but it will help to have a deadman of some sort. What you can do it tie your guylines with the stakes on them to a log, stick, rock, whatever, and pull them to 45 degrees from each corner of the tarp. Use sticks or factory-made poles if you wish at the gables of the a-frame and anchor these lines in the same fashion for the main guylines.
The "trick" is to mound the sand over each line anchor, whether it be a stake or metal plate or (cringe) plastic advertising bag, etc.
I took a minute to find some pics on my trailjournal for the west coast hike, but didn't find a straight up sand pic. I did write about it too. Here are some other pics:
Using rock wall on beach:
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=59195
On driftwood cobble beach
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=53628
I'd rather just use the plates, than to have to haul all that wood in the pics.....:rolleyes: :)
Just Jeff
06-07-2006, 11:41
Works for me in Key West....:D
Those weren't stakes or deadmen they were offering you...
Frolicking Dinosaurs
06-07-2006, 12:00
This thread is useless without pictures....
Just Jeff
06-07-2006, 12:07
Seriously. Amigi, you got any pictures? :p
Amigi'sLastStand
06-07-2006, 12:18
Ya'll are killing me today. I havent laughed this hard in a long time. Thanks. Jeff and the Dinos.... ya'll are too much... NO PICS, at least....none that I know about.....
headchange4u
06-11-2006, 22:03
I have, what I think, would be a great idea for something to used as sand anchors. Tell me what you guys think:-?. Defective or junk CD/DVD media (otherwise known a coasters). I have a tons of junks discs just sitting in my closet. They are basically free, light weight, not bulky and would be easy to bury.
My idea to tie a piece of parachute cord about 2' long through the middle of the disc and form a loop at the other end. Bury the disc about 1' to 1 1/2' deep in the sand and leave the loop on the other end sticking out of the sand. I could then pass the tarp lines through the loops and secure the tarp. Viola.
Just Jeff
06-11-2006, 22:25
That might be genius! Just have to make sure it stays broadside to the direction of force. And multi-use as a frisbee.
One last question. Should the "King of the Beach" be preformed naked? Will that help?
A pink Tutu and silver slippers works better, or so I'm told...
I have, what I think, would be a great idea for something to used as sand anchors. Tell me what you guys think:-?. Defective or junk CD/DVD media (otherwise known a coasters). I have a tons of junks discs just sitting in my closet. They are basically free, light weight, not bulky and would be easy to bury.
My idea to tie a piece of parachute cord about 2' long through the middle of the disc and form a loop at the other end. Bury the disc about 1' to 1 1/2' deep in the sand and leave the loop on the other end sticking out of the sand. I could then pass the tarp lines through the loops and secure the tarp. Viola.
About those CDs.
My neighbors have a few dozen of those free AOL disks. They tie them to the branches on a small tree in their front yard for holiday decorations.
The epitiome white trash Christmas decorating but it looks really cool on a sunny day. I like it!
headchange4u
06-12-2006, 09:00
About those CDs.
My neighbors have a few dozen of those free AOL disks. They tie them to the branches on a small tree in their front yard for holiday decorations.
The epitiome white trash Christmas decorating but it looks really cool on a sunny day. I like it!
I had a music room in a house that I rented. I got bored one day and hung CD's from the ceiling. About 200 total. I turned one of those rotating party lights on and instant disco! I also had a friend that made a lamp from a stack of a few hundred discs. He ran a threaded rod down the middle of the stack and ran his wiring through the threaded rod. Looked really cool.
That may be genius! Just have to make sure it stays broadside to the direction of force. And multi-use as a frisbee
I was still thinking about this and I came to the conclusion that it would probably be easier to tie the line to the middle of a tent stake and push the stake through the hole length-wise. After you get it through the hole the stake will go sideways and the be unable to come back through the hole. You could do the same thing with a small stick.
Let's not forget the use as a signal mirror either.:rolleyes:
I used to be in the tent rental business and we living on the coast, we put up tents on the beach. We put a small plywood plate under each pole and use metal screw anchors to tie off each rope. These auger screws would not pull out, period, even in soft sand on the beach. I do not know if they make small ones, but if you use those, it will hold.
Just Jeff
06-12-2006, 16:47
Or you could just carry 10 lb plates - one for each guyline...that would probably hold it pretty well. :p
Nearly Normal
06-13-2006, 21:36
While you're at Edisto Beach ask around about the trip to Shell Island.
You'll meet interesting people, find lots of shells and have the privacy for the afore mentioned dance. Don't worry, the guy will come back to get you.
Careful around the Turtles. They spook easy until actually laying eggs. Bothering a turtle will get you fined and or jailed. Flashlights are a no no. People living next to the beach are suppose to use black out curtains during Turtle season.
You can inquire through Hunting Island State Park about hatch dates and attend. They may have the same thing at Edisto.
Pete