So this will be my first burn and I'm camping with 11-14 people most of whom are virgins. We have a few veterans in the group, but while they're supplying us with their old shade structure, they're not engineers.
The existing structure, which we're looking to add to, is a flat 20'x12' (technically 2 10x12sections) of EMT conduit frame with a flat horizontal tarp stretched between each section, supported on vertical EMT conduit poles set on half burried rebar. We're looking to make it larger, but I'm nervous.
From what I've been hearing this thing should have been a kite. They only used it last year, and from what I've heard the winds last year were relatively mild. On top of that, I'm worried if we make it three times as large it could be a nightmare.
Even if we bring absurd amounts of rebar and stake down the corners like there's no tomorrow, I'm still nervous about blowing debris. I came across a certain picture and I'm not just worried about our structure taking off, I'm worried about keeping us safe should our neighbors stuff tear loose since the current structure has no side walls at all.
*shudder*
My initial idea was to try to add half-arch walls (like half a monkey hut) to two opposite sides while parking our vehicles along a third leaving the fourth side open. I'm curious if anything like this has been tried before and how feasible it will be.
My rough draft is as follows. Each square is 2' by 2'. Black rectangles are EMT frames with 10x12' tarps strung between, grey rectangles are "Monkey Half-Huts" designed to buffer the wind and keep it from getting under the roof and protect the camp from blowing debris, red circles are EMT posts set on rebar, red lines tie downs to half-buried 3' rebar.
Three questions for any experienced burner construction crews:
1) Does this look sufficiently staked down? Does it look like this will weather the weather?
2) How reliable is the wind direction? I know it tends to come out of the south west, but how consistent is it?
3) Does anyone have any ideas or recommendations for securing the top spine of the half-monkey-hut to the EMT frame? There is going to be considerable force from the bent PVC that will tent to pull up and away. I'm considering dropping a second piece of rebar along the anchored edge of the hut and tying the top spine to it in three places, holding the curve in the PVC like a bow and arrow. Then I could just lash the spine to the EMT frame and not worry about any added stress.
Thanks!
