Y
our summer cruise is
approaching. The boat’s ready
(you’ve almost forgotten
how many hours it took) and
you’re looking forward to easy sailing,
pleasant anchorages and warm
evenings. But, inevitably, there are
new issues to occupy your thoughts.
It would be nice to have a sun awning
over the cockpit during lunch stops, and
maybe something to keep the dew off in
the evening. The children want to set up
camp ashore and beach-goers want a
sunshade, but there’s nowhere to store it.
Or you just want to swing in a hammock
and relax...
To keep everyone happy, can I suggest
you acquire a tarpaulin? Not the kind you
cover a skip with, but a lightweight version
manufactured from ripstop nylon. One 3m
x 3m is a useful size, and it can be
configured in many different and
surprising ways.
Your children will love using the tarp –
it’s a great example of ‘more knowledge
equals less gear’. It will get them thinking
PRACTICAL
Top tricks with tarp
From cockpit shade to cosy camping,
a tarpaulin is every cruiser’s best friend,
explains Huw Williams
Diamond set-up using three buried sandbags and a
handy piece of driftwoodJust like a sail, quality tarps have well
executed stitching and reinforcement in
key areasThe stitching on cheap tarps inevitably
fails, resulting in your having to make
necessary repairsReplace original pegs (top) with Y-section
(bottom). Bright yellow loops stop you
loosing them and make removal easycreatively and will help to
encourage problem-solving.
Once they’ve rigged an
A-frame with paddles, running
a spinnaker pole will be a
doddle!Tarps, pegs and
anchors
Not all tarps are created
equal. Cheap tarps litter the
Internet, but often have poor quality
stitching, loops that easily pull off and
seams that leak, so it’s worth paying a
little extra for something that won’t let
you down.
Most tarps are supplied with basic
pegs, but they aren’t exactly robust, so
replace them with Y-section alloy versions
that won’t bend when you have hard
summer ground to contend with.
Of course, we’re also likely to want to
pitch our tarp on a surface where
standard pegs won’t hold – such as a
sandy beach. Time to improvise. I put my
mountaineering hat on and use thedeadman approach. A deadman is an
object buried in snow and used as an
anchor. On sand you can use pieces of
driftwood or, better still, small sandbags.
You can make tough and serviceable
sandbags from the legs of an old pair of
trousers. Just cut off the bottom 40cm and
cinch the cut end with a cable tie.
Fill the bags with damp sand and tie off
with a short loop of cord. Bury the bags in
foot-deep holes and stamp down firmly.
Attach your guy lines to the protruding
loops and tension in the usual way. The
combination of weight and surface area
provides an incredibly secure anchor.C
avanImages/Ala
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