I have an awesome CCS 10x12 tarp. I go in early June and mid-September so I don't need it for shade. I use it when it rains. But when I really need it is during rainy windy days and storms. Do you have any tips for setup or can you point to me a video that shows how to set it up so it works in heavy winds and sideways rain? Thats a lot of surface area to stand up against 20 mph winds.
Joe

One of my friends is a tarp genius and set up my CCS 1.1oz 10'x10' in a big storm with high winds on Polly on night. We probably even had some small tornados that night. It was whistling and loud. I think the trick was that he set it up low to the ground. The not wall was almost down to the ground and maybe only 3 to 4' high. We had to sit on logs under it. The roof was then horizontal and so there really wasn't a lot of sail area. It probably had some slope to it but I can't remember the angle. I think the other trick was staking it really well. He might have used multiple stakes on each point and maybe it was tied to trees on the lower corners too. I can't quite remember but we had a good dinner under it (spicy Thai soup got us nice and warm) and it was still up the next morning.

So maybe the trick is to take Rad on your trip. He's a nice guy and good at lots of other camping skills too.

This is an old Campmor tarp and CCS tarp roof combined. For the wind wall I tied some inner panel ties to add strength.

butthead

Low, and staked out tight with the wind behind you(hopefully doesnt change). I used 2 poles here, but trees will obviously work as well. We literally experienced I estimate 50+ mph winds that night with rain and a lightning storm that came out of nowhere on the Wisconsin River several years ago. Nothing in the forecast and I thought I might have actually missed a tornado warning. By far the worst storm I experienced in my life, including in my brick home, a testament to Dan's tarps. This one is a 10x14, wind was at our back, pitched fairly low, if wind was coming from in front of us, we would have moved further back into the tarp and I think we would have been fine, the tarp was large enough for that. NOTE: regular stakes are useless in sand, I used snow/sand stakes (toughstake/msr) and 12 liter stuff sacks filled with sand, worked great!! it is a must to know how to make your lines tight and know your knots, Don't use paracord either, you will lose tautness when wet. Apologize for my blacked out friend, did not want to be in the picture, let alone the internet.

joewildlife: "I have an awesome CCS 10x12 tarp. I go in early June and mid-September so I don't need it for shade. I use it when it rains. But when I really need it is during rainy windy days and storms. Do you have any tips for setup or can you point to me a video that shows how to set it up so it works in heavy winds and sideways rain? Thats a lot of surface area to stand up against 20 mph winds.
Joe


"

My 10x12 CCS tarp is set up with the ridgeline stuff sack (see Wintertrekker You tube video) and pre-rigged. It has been through plenty of 20+ mph winds with 40+ gusts. There are lots of tie out points if you have plenty of cordage and stakes (tress, roots, rocks). It can be set with one side as a wall staked to the ground. Of course direction is critical and obviously the more sheltered and less exposed the location, the better. In the past I have set up tarps as a 2-sided teepee on the diagonal with 3 corners staked to the ground and the other tied up to a tree or branch. Provides less space, but more protection.

Wintertrekker video link

If I expect rain I set up my tarp in A-frame configuration and set my tent so its vestibule is under the tarp - beyond obvious advantage of being able to freely enter and exit the tent, it provides extra protection partially closing one of the open sides of the tarp. The tent vestibule could be kept open, at least partially.

Good stuff guys! M8260 the two pole setup, or at least one pole in the middle and the front with a pole or guyed out...that's the ticket in giving inside room when the back wall goes to the ground. Thanks for the pics! Sure wish I knew who was in that picture LOL.

Joe

Top secret G12 classified :)

Cliff Jacobson's "Forgotten Skills" DVD is $20 or the download of it is $10 (what I did). It is pretty good for setting up a tarp that will hold up in strong winds. I believe he devotes over 30 minutes in the video on setting up tarps. The center ridge line is good too but in high winds I would use Cliff's setup.

Butthead and EM8260. Thanks for the pictures! I love both set ups. Great imagination and function by situation in both.

I've switched almost exclusively to the center ridgeline setup. It is surprisingly good for rain from nearly any direction.

If the wind is strong and steady, I will set the ridgeline perpendicular to the wind. I will lower the upwind side as far as I can. I find that tying to roots it especially useful. The roots are low and strong. I will raise the upwind side quite a bit.

One key point: make sure that you don't raise both of the downwind corners. The rain water will pool in the tarp. Have one corner high and one corner low.

I have rode out some pretty serious blows with my CCS tarp.

For when it's raining down:


For when it's raining sideways:

unshavenman: "For when it's raining down:


For when it's raining sideways:
"

+1

Frenchy19: "

unshavenman: "For when it's raining down:



For when it's raining sideways:
"

+1"

Looks about right!

Might look up "Adirondack pitch" for tarp set up. Looks pretty close to a Whelan, and a 10x12 should allow plenty of good coverage (sorry, I'm not too good with posting pictures).

tranquilwaters67: "Might look up "Adirondack pitch" for tarp set up. Looks pretty close to a Whelan, and a 10x12 should allow plenty of good coverage (sorry, I'm not too good with posting pictures)."

Looks good Link

tranquilwaters67: "Might look up "Adirondack pitch" for tarp set up. Looks pretty close to a Whelan, and a 10x12 should allow plenty of good coverage (sorry, I'm not too good with posting pictures)."

Adirondack and Whelen are near if not the same pitch with a square tarp, sometime 2 back stake are used with the point folded under the tarp as a partial floor. These can be done with a rectangular tarp just asymmetrically. Works very well as a small tent fly that allows max ventilation and rain coverage.
Another classic is a "flying diamond" with 3 corner staked to the ground the 4th in the air,


butthead

unshavenman: "For when it's raining down:


For when it's raining sideways:
"

For chronic wind and rain situations I do about what Unshavenman does, but with one exception; I use a pole or stick to raise the center of the downwind portion which then angles the two downwind corners down a bit. I think this helps shed wind a bit, helps prevent water balloons from forming, and provides a good exit for smoke from my twig stove.

For acute storms or overnight, don't forget you can use your canoe as a wall to help block wind and rain if re-rigging your tarp is problematic.

unshavenman: "For when it's raining down:


For when it's raining sideways:
"

Hey unshaven, what's the story with the longer cordage pieces on each tieout? I don't think I've seen that before.

fadersup: "

unshavenman: "For when it's raining down:



For when it's raining sideways:
"

Hey unshaven, what's the story with the longer cordage pieces on each tieout? I don't think I've seen that before. "

You know, I don't even remember now. Maybe to easily identify the long vs. the short side? That pic is about seven years old and whatever I was thinking at the time I changed my mind and haven't done that with the cordage since.

unshavenman: "

fadersup: "

unshavenman: "For when it's raining down:




For when it's raining sideways:
"

Hey unshaven, what's the story with the longer cordage pieces on each tieout? I don't think I've seen that before. "

You know, I don't even remember now. Maybe to easily identify the long vs. the short side? That pic is about seven years old and whatever I was thinking at the time I changed my mind and haven't done that with the cordage since."

Ha! I can relate to that!