So I had my tarp all set up, nice and tight with a good angle to shed any rain. Then I find a stick in the woods behind camp that someone obviously spent some time on to use as a tarp pole. Well my current set up isn't made for the pole but I shove it under thinking "why not".

Well that night we get a fair amount of wind and a lot of rain and I step out to find this....

I've owned several fish tanks, that was at least 10 gallons (80lbs) of water in there! Note the dry gear underneath :) Lesson learned, set up your tarp correctly and don't modify it unless you modify all the corrections necessary. The seams in the middle around the pole were stretched pretty bad and obviously the sealer was torn. I thought it was done for but after getting it home and drying/cleaning it it has some how regained it's original shape! I'll need to re-seal it but I think it may live to see another trip!

Lucky your CCS tarp will live another day. Testament to the build quality.

It always looks so good on paper...
I'm not a big fan of using those large tarps because things like that can happen more easily than if using two square tarps instead.
Next time try tying the line to just the corners (as the back four) instead of lacing through all the loops. At night, tip two opposing corners down toward the ground. It works for me.

At least you didn't have to walk all the way down to the lake to get water...

That is why I suspend tarps from overhead or a good ridgeline.

Not rely on a center pole. And set it up to drain well.

butthead

quote old_salt: "At least you didn't have to walk all the way down to the lake to get water..."

Good point, free water, oh wait bird poop.

quote butthead: "That is why I suspend tarps from overhead or a good ridgeline.


Not rely on a center pole. And set it up to drain well.

butthead"

That is one squared away boy scout setup! Always nice to sleep easy in a storm eh?

I generally set mine up with a center ridge line and adjust for wind if necessary.

I also use a ridgeline about 95% of the time, and leave about 50' of cord on all the time. I don't run the line through either of the end loops tho. I attach them with a prussic knot like shown here.

There are times that I still use a center pole and I have a tennis ball that I cut an "X" into to allow for the pole. It goes into my rope bag and also has a hole opposite the "X" from when I used to hang my food pack. Made it easy to throw over a tree branch.

Use Dan's instructions for using the quad loop , and stake it to the ground.

You need to send Dan Cooke a copy of those pictures and thank him for the good quality workmanship he does on his products. Any other tarp and it would have probably ripped out.

quote Savage Voyageur: "

quote old_salt: "At least you didn't have to walk all the way down to the lake to get water..."

Good point, free water, oh wait bird poop. "

That's why we bring our water filters....

I have had the same thing happen with the center pole blowing out from the wind. Wouldn't the ridgeline option require 6 perfectly located trees? Unless you anchor two corners to ground stakes, wouldn't you need two trees in the middle for a ridgeline, and four other trees for each corner? I can never seem to find the perfect tree configuration for a ridgline set up. I even attended Dan Cooke's seminar on tarp set up and I'm still a train wreck. Any good tips or how to videos out there?

quote DuluthPak: "I can never seem to find the perfect tree configuration for a ridgline set up."

sometimes you just need a lot of rope.

I betcha there are a few people who have had similar disasters worthy of a photo.

quote butthead: "That is why I suspend tarps from overhead or a good ridgeline.
Not rely on a center pole. And set it up to drain well.


butthead"

Great setup!
What size tarp is that?
Also, your tent confuses me, it looks very similar to a scarp 1, but is branded as a mountain hard wear.

Tarp is 10x12 CCS 1.1, tent is Mountain Hardwear Wing no longer made. Also have a lighter Mountain Hardwear Stiletto both used from ebay.

BnD, never been in Scouting, self taught personal style of camping.

butthead

quote George5000: "

quote butthead: "That is why I suspend tarps from overhead or a good ridgeline.
Not rely on a center pole. And set it up to drain well.



butthead"

Great setup!
What size tarp is that?
Also, your tent confuses me, it looks very similar to a scarp 1, but is branded as a mountain hard wear."

+1
Looks like it should be in better homes and gardens!

quote butthead: "That is why I suspend tarps from overhead or a good ridgeline.
Not rely on a center pole. And set it up to drain well.


butthead"

Yep, that's the plan next time, ridge line in the middle. Learned my lesson for sure

butthead,
What is the clear thingy in the upper right?

quote Doughboy12: "butthead,
What is the clear thingy in the upper right?"

It looks to me like one of these, or very similar....

Luci Light

Butthead, my OCD hit nirvana with that pic. Nice stack of wood sir!

quote kanoes: "

quote DuluthPak: "I can never seem to find the perfect tree configuration for a ridgline set up."

sometimes you just need a lot of rope."

ain't that the truth.....................

quote Exo: "Butthead, my OCD hit nirvana with that pic. Nice stack of wood sir!"

camping jenga....

I notice the nice pile of fire wood first.

quote DuluthPak: "I have had the same thing happen with the center pole blowing out from the wind. Wouldn't the ridgeline option require 6 perfectly located trees? Unless you anchor two corners to ground stakes, wouldn't you need two trees in the middle for a ridgeline, and four other trees for each corner? I can never seem to find the perfect tree configuration for a ridgline set up. I even attended Dan Cooke's seminar on tarp set up and I'm still a train wreck. Any good tips or how to videos out there?"

Be creative and use what is at hand, like rocks, roots, stumps, and small bushes or trees. I also recommend getting some small thin stakes that will fit in between the cracks of the large rocks. I got some when up in Ely this Spring. They are a thin metal square wire type stack that has a twist or corkscrew to the shaft of the stake. We used a couple up in Quetico in some places normal tent stakes just would not go into as they were too large.

That is why I use a ridge line. I made my own by braiding paracord.

Thanks Butthead for your photo. I have wondering what CCS size to get, you helped me make up my mind. Just ordered one and looking forward to using it in late Sept / Oct in the BWCA with my Son, two solo canoes. Going to be a great time,