Hog On Ice
2013-10-19, 12:01
I have moved to using a 6 strand 200 lb 0.80 mm dyneema fishing line for my tarp lines and in the process have tried a few different approaches to adjusting the tension in the lines
- initially I tried using an approach similar to Rock's where a prussic loop was tied the line coming from the stake/tree and attached to the pull out of the tarp - this allows the tension to be adjusted while reaching from under the tarp (ie when raining and one wants to stay under the tarp) - unfortunately this seems to work much better for setups such as Rock's that use two different types of line - a smaller diameter one for the prussic and a larger diameter one (heavier) for the main line - when I used the same 0.8 mm line for both parts it would either slip or jam - this got old and I abandoned this approach
- next I went back to the approach I had used with the 1.8 mm Spyderline I had previously used where the tarp line is tied to the pull out using a 3 wrap taunt line hitch - this it turns out was almost as bad as the previous approach with the adjustment slipping or jamming
- currently I found that using a relatively small adjustable loop between the main line and the pull out worked very well - I put an 8 inch adjustable loop on each of the side pull outs and a 16 inch adjustable loop on one side of the ridgeline pull outs - usually only a couple inches of adjustment is needed for the sides and the longer adjustment for the ridgeline allows me to be fairly relaxed about how I tie up the main line to the trees - for example if I want I can use Evenk knots for both ends of the ridgeline and then take out the slack by shortening the adjustable loop
- the next change I will try is to lighten the adjustable loop approach by tying a small loop to the pullout and tying a line onto the end of the main line so as to have a two tail segment I can then larkshead the small loop onto thus producing an adjustment similar to that currently used by the A Simple Sling chair - this approach should also work just like the adjustable loop approach but will use less line and thus be lighter for the same amount of adjustment capability
minor notes : the tarp these adjustments are being used on is a cuben fiber tarp and as such the adjustments are really only needed during setup - cuben fiber stretches very little after setup - tarp is also designed for use with a hammock or ASS chair and as such has a specific cat cut ridgeline along its center
also note both of the last two approaches permit adjustment of tension while working from the underside of the tarp and that the lines used are all the 0.8 mm dyneema fishing line
- initially I tried using an approach similar to Rock's where a prussic loop was tied the line coming from the stake/tree and attached to the pull out of the tarp - this allows the tension to be adjusted while reaching from under the tarp (ie when raining and one wants to stay under the tarp) - unfortunately this seems to work much better for setups such as Rock's that use two different types of line - a smaller diameter one for the prussic and a larger diameter one (heavier) for the main line - when I used the same 0.8 mm line for both parts it would either slip or jam - this got old and I abandoned this approach
- next I went back to the approach I had used with the 1.8 mm Spyderline I had previously used where the tarp line is tied to the pull out using a 3 wrap taunt line hitch - this it turns out was almost as bad as the previous approach with the adjustment slipping or jamming
- currently I found that using a relatively small adjustable loop between the main line and the pull out worked very well - I put an 8 inch adjustable loop on each of the side pull outs and a 16 inch adjustable loop on one side of the ridgeline pull outs - usually only a couple inches of adjustment is needed for the sides and the longer adjustment for the ridgeline allows me to be fairly relaxed about how I tie up the main line to the trees - for example if I want I can use Evenk knots for both ends of the ridgeline and then take out the slack by shortening the adjustable loop
- the next change I will try is to lighten the adjustable loop approach by tying a small loop to the pullout and tying a line onto the end of the main line so as to have a two tail segment I can then larkshead the small loop onto thus producing an adjustment similar to that currently used by the A Simple Sling chair - this approach should also work just like the adjustable loop approach but will use less line and thus be lighter for the same amount of adjustment capability
minor notes : the tarp these adjustments are being used on is a cuben fiber tarp and as such the adjustments are really only needed during setup - cuben fiber stretches very little after setup - tarp is also designed for use with a hammock or ASS chair and as such has a specific cat cut ridgeline along its center
also note both of the last two approaches permit adjustment of tension while working from the underside of the tarp and that the lines used are all the 0.8 mm dyneema fishing line