Tent rigging question - running guy lines

glitch000 · Post by **glitch000** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 9:55 pm

Hi,

I have a stupid question. This is going to be my first burningman and I've never actually camped in the desert before. I've been told that the wind could be pretty nasty out there.

Here are my questions - how exactly do I run guy lines from my cheap 1 person ozark tent? How may guy lines should I use?..and what should the angle placement of those lines be?

What knots should I use...taut line hitch?...trucker's hitch?

Sorry for the stupid questions. I'd actually feel more comfortable if I knew what I was doing :wink:

Thanks in advance!

ron5657 · Post by **ron5657** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 9:58 pm

12" stakes and you should be fine!

StevenGoodman · Post by **StevenGoodman** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 10:15 pm

More specifically. If you have a small low profile tent you just need to make sure it is staked down well. But the tiny little stakes that come with backpacking tents do not cut it.

But you don't really need anything fancy. Some nice long stakes will be enough. Even nice long nails (10+") will work.

For a little more wind security, and some sun protection, stake down a tarp over the tent.

phil · Post by **phil** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 10:18 pm

See these pages:
http://www.burningman.com/preparation/e ... tml#storms

http://www.geocities.com/potatotrap/tech/bluetarp.htm
(which may have exceeded its bandwidth limit - keep trying, it's that good.

I haven't seen your tent (I couldn't find it on Walmart's web site - smallest was 3-4 person). My guess is that it has guypoints sewn into it, so use those, if you think you'll need it to be guyed. As ron said, 12-inch stakes on the tent itself probably will be sufficient to keep it from flying away. Follow the tips in the BM survival guide for placement vis-a-vis the wind.

Do you have a back-up tent? I've had a tent pole break in the wind at Burning Man, and one of the poles on a shade-structure broke, too, another year. Can you get spare poles for it? Pole-repair sleeves?

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 10:30 pm

Taut-line hitch should be fine, maybe with a wrap around the stake first. Bring extra stakes & cord, and try to secure the tent at mid-height in addition to the floor level.

glitch000 · Post by **glitch000** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 6:31 am

Thanks to everybody for responding so quickly. I guess the general consensus is to not worry about the guy lines. Do you all put anything over the poles joints to re-enforce them?

Thanks again

safetythird · Post by **safetythird** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:06 pm

Can you get spare poles for it? Pole-repair sleeves?

I have a large tent that snapped a pole in some heavy coastal winds. To "fix" it I used a (maybe) 2' length of 1/2" pvc to crutch it by slipping over the broken area. Since the break was at a point covered by material when fully erected I wrapped electrical tape around the broken pole a bunch of times so that the pvc would just barely slip over the break. This held the crutch in place during assembly and the arching of the pole held it in place once assembled. It's been holding up well for my camping trips over the past 2 years.

This is the first year it's coming to BM (and possibly it's last) so there are all kinds of lessons I'll likely learn.

S3

sputnik · Post by **sputnik** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:11 pm

You can also use a beer can and duct tape. Cut the top and bottom off, cut up the side of the can, wrap it around the break and duct tape into place.

Wear gloves.

glitch000 · Post by **glitch000** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 4:59 pm

Wow. That beer can idea is great.

Thanks!

...and many thanks too everybody that contributed.