Monkey Hut Plan

[PL_FL]

FINAL RESULT!
Monkey Hut for a Fly-In

Overview: I had to plan for the possibility of two separate huts, because I wasn’t sure of the exact nature/size/orientation of the space someone was saving for us. So, I planned for a 10x13 and a 16x13, which as it turned out, became a single 26x13 hut, covering three tents (7x9, 7x7, 7x7).

Materials carried, checked bags, FLL to RNO:
o 2lb sledge
o Tent stakes (12”)
o Lag bolts/screws (12”) and chain segments
o Ratchet/breaker-bar
o 3/8 rope
o Paracord
o PVC “T” and splice connectors
o Hacksaw
o Solar lights

Materials drop-shipped to Home Depot in Reno:
o 10’ x 1-1/4” PVC/spines (qty 4)
o 10’ x 1” PVC/ribs (qty 14)
o 10x16 tarp, 16x16 tarp, and a couple of blue tarps for under tents and for back of rented pickup truck.
o Rebar, 3/8 x 3’ (qty 14)
o Duct tape

Build:
o In hotel room, hacksaw some 1-1/4” spines into 2ft pieces, to join the ribs, with a 6’ piece left over to complete the (26’) spine.
o On playa,
-pound in 12 of the 3/8x36 rebar, about half-way
-build 12, 20ft ribs (1x10 into the 1-1/4x2 sleeves)
-join 3 spines into one 26ft spine, slide the 2 “T” connectors onto the end ribs, slip spine into two “T”s, duct tape for temp hold
-bungie-ball the ribs to the spine
-use 3/8 rope to hold together a solid overhead spine, “T” conn to “T” conn
-install (pound then ratchet) the two main guy line/lags, and rope/guy the two ends
-skeleton done
-toss on the two tarps (1ft up on east/morning side, 3ft up on west side) and bungie ball to the ribs
-use alternating lags and tent stakes to tie down tarps to playa, using paracord
-install lamps and solar lights
-Two 10ft ribs and two “T” connectors were left over, because they were brought for the “2-hut” configuration
-NOTE: after first winds, I had to install two “in hut” tie downs/guys, because the hut was starting to lift in the middle

Post-Event:
o Total cost of hut(s) was about $250, I had to gift the PVC/rebar/tarps, about $150 worth of materials… hey, it’s the ‘cost of doing business’ as a fly-in.
o I retained the lags/chains, tools, lights, tape, rope and paracord

Lessons learned:
o Make sure, if joining two tarps, that the distance is exact for the ‘seam’ rib. We didn’t do it exact, so one tarp was a little loose and the other a little tight.
o Unfortunately we had to align this beast off-north, so some light still came in one end just a bit… I should have insisted on strict North-South for the tunnel.
o I should have brought greater variety and quantity of bungie balls.
o I was SO glad I learned and practiced the truckers hitch! That fucker came in handy EVERY DAY!

Photo Comments..
Main photo: overhead, before final tarp tie downs
Upper-Left: tie down tarps
Lower-Left: tie down and tents
Lower-Right: two additional tie downs inside the hut