[shoenfeld13]

My buddy who I split gear with all the time sent me this link to a camp tarp/big top for shade and rain protection.

https://www.cascadeoutfitters.com/i...ID=2497&CFID=5880888&CFTOKEN=19916536&framein

For a 20x20 tarp made of 400 denier pack cloth they charge $550 but you need to spend another 50 for the straps, and another 50 for the center pole strap set up. I thought this was insane money for a tarp. You use the oars for the poles.

Has anyone tried making their own. I own a sewing machine and found what appears to be the same fabric for about $144 for 20x20 plus another 50 for straps.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[gwheyduke]

We use a tent ground cloth which is made of the same material. We were able to purchase it at REI for 10 bucks at their garage sale as it was just the ground cloth that someone had returned. It is not 20 by 20, more like 15x20... i usually just use parachute cord and trees to put it up. I would suggest you try and buy multiple ground cloths from the garage sale and that way you would have lots of material to work with. I think you'll need to seam seal all of your sewn sections or you will likely get drips...

 

[flatheadrafter]

I just ordered a Kelty 16' Noah's tarp from Sierra Trading for less than $50 using an on line special they have right now. Doesn't have the poles and may not be as big, but the price is right. If it looks good when it arrives I may get a second.

 

[MountainMedic]

+1 for the noahs tarp. I have one & several of the folks i boat with have them too. Light & many pitching options. Great value. I wouldn't spend the money for the high dollar wings.

 

[shoenfeld13]

My buddy agreed that it was crazy to spend that kind of money on a tarp. I may just make my own out of the same material, since I know how to sew. I can get 400 denier pack cloth for $6/yard for 59 in. width fabric. It still will work out to about $200 for a 15x15 with straps and all. I like the idea of being able to mount it on the oars.

 

[MountainMedic]

On my last mfs trip we figured out using loop straps (the kind that you use for coolers/dryboxes) on the corners of the tarp made pitching & adjusting pretty easy.

On mine i also attached small loops of p-cord that just fit the handles on oars.

 

[TriBri1]

+2 for the Noah's tarp... I have a smaller one, I think it is 12'. It works well for a small trip, but I typically only use it to sleep under. The 16' is a sweet size, bring big stakes and a lot of guidelines and you should be able to keep it in place if the wind kicks up.

 

[flatheadrafter]

straps

Good ideas. How long are your straps, I'm thinking of having some 15-20 footers made for this tarp.

On my last mfs trip we figured out using loop straps (the kind that you use for coolers/dryboxes) on the corners of the tarp made pitching & adjusting pretty easy.

On mine i also attached small loops of p-cord that just fit the handles on oars.

 

[MountainMedic]

Well, because we figured it out a couple of days in, we used what we had.

When we got home i made one for each corner of mine- about 18" with the male end. From there you can use any straps you have for the other end. Nice thing is that you can just keep adding straps this you have the right length.

 

[shoenfeld13]

Thanks for the Noah recommendation. I just bought one. I am a little confused Medic, how did loops on the corners help?

 

[TriBri1]

Thanks for the Noah recommendation. I just bought one. I am a little confused Medic, how did loops on the corners help?

It sounds like you can put the loop and the buckle on the corners, there are plenty of grommets to attach to. Then you can use as many straps as you need to get the overall length. I tied loops to the corners large enough to Larks head the oar handles, then I use the figure 9s with a carabiner to adjust the guidelines. I really like the loop strap idea and may go that route in the future.

 

[cataraftgirl]

Attach your guylines to your tarp with either a larkshead or bowline, and then learn how to make & use a tautline knot. The tautline is a knot every boater should know for tying up your boat to shore. It's easy to adjust to keep your tarp guyline tight (taut), and won't budge under tension if tied properly.
The Noah 16 is a very good economical tarp. Good choice.
KJ

 

[MountainMedic]

It sounds like you can put the loop and the buckle on the corners, there are plenty of grommets to attach to. Then you can use as many straps as you need to get the overall length. I tied loops to the corners large enough to Larks head the oar handles, then I use the figure 9s with a carabiner to adjust the guidelines. I really like the loop strap idea and may go that route in the future.

Thats it.
I just used some 2 footers & sewed a loop on the running end. They stay attached all the time & i just pull what i need from the strap bag.

 

[mdconner]

Reinforced tarp corners...

Picked up a polyurethane coated rip stop nylon remnant at Seattle Fabrics for $50. Chose white to reflect the sun. Sewed in heavy umbrella corner reinforcements both sides. Reinforced edge and mid seams with 2" seat belt webbling. Sewed 2" polypro webbing over the corners looped through a 2" D-ring to insert an oar handle down to its shaft. Installed grommets for the typical tent/tarp pole option in the doubled webbing outside the tarp corner so that they won't rip out or tear the fabric. Also, added a welded 2" ring for the oar shaft for a lower oar height (down to the oar right/sleeve/stopper). Sewed in the cam strap with buckle so that I won't have to rig one in the rain. above the buckle added a fabric reflector to minimize tripping over the tie down at night. 15x18 foot tarp for maybe $75. Redundant, heavy and overkill but hopefully bomber for those gusty up canyon winds or afternoon thunderstorm gust fronts. Forgive the inelegant sewing but I am still learning the walking foot industrial sewing machine. Can show the unrootable aluminum sand stakes that go with the tarp if you like.

 

[Dave Frank]

Nice work mdconner. leave it the PNW guys to get tarpology dialed in.

 

[TriBri1]

Picked up a polyurethane coated rip stop nylon remnant at Seattle Fabrics for $50. Chose white to reflect the sun. Sewed in heavy umbrella corner reinforcements both sides. Reinforced edge and mid seams with 2" seat belt webbling. Sewed 2" polypro webbing over the corners looped through a 2" D-ring to insert an oar handle down to its shaft. Installed grommets for the typical tent/tarp pole option in the doubled webbing outside the tarp corner so that they won't rip out or tear the fabric. Also, added a welded 2" ring for the oar shaft for a lower oar height (down to the oar right/sleeve/stopper). Sewed in the cam strap with buckle so that I won't have to rig one in the rain. above the buckle added a fabric reflector to minimize tripping over the tie down at night. 15x18 foot tarp for maybe $75. Redundant, heavy and overkill but hopefully bomber for those gusty up canyon winds or afternoon thunderstorm gust fronts. Forgive the inelegant sewing but I am still learning the walking foot industrial sewing machine. Can show the unrootable aluminum sand stakes that go with the tarp if you like.

How can I order mine

 

[cataraftgirl]

A Cottage Industry is Born !!!!!!

 

[shoenfeld13]

I am going to copy yours completely. That is awesome looking. Are you a third world child laborer? You do beautiful work.

 

[MountainMedic]

yeah....... I'm just gonna have to appropriate that idea right there.

nice work, very nice. we bought a "semi" industrial sewing machine this winter. time to fire that thing up.

 

[tomrefried]

I have loopstraps with trigger snap hooks (makes it easy to remove the straps when packing) on my two larger wings and it makes it much easier to set up (even by myself). I have two 25' straps on the ends, and 20' straps on the sides, I put 20'ers on my MSR wing and they seem to be long enough. the cam straps are great, just a quick pull and the wing is tight again. the only problem with a wing with square sides is they start flapping in a high wind, wings made with rounded edges (canterary cut on the sides) can be pulled tighter and resist flapping.