Practical Boat Owner – September 2019

PRACTICAL

4 Hammock

The moment you’ve been waiting for! Fold
the tarp so you have a three-layer rectangle
of 3m x 1m. Place a small smooth pebble
at one end, scrunch the three layers of
fabric around it and secure with a lark’s
head, which will allow easy removal.
Repeat at the other end, and sling under
the boom, forestay to mast or between two
convenient trees ashore.

3 Tarp tent

The fi rst time I saw this set-up was in the

Alps and I was impressed. It’s a third of

the weight of the two-person tent I was

packing and gives more than twice the

space. It’s now my go-to shelter when I’m

kayaking or in the mountains.

Lay out the tarp and peg out the centre

of the back edge and the fi rst two loops

on the adjacent edges. Move the front

corners in about 50cm and peg out. Push

an oar up inside to create a teepee- style

shape. Fold back the front fl aps and guy

down to the rear pegs. Clever stuff.

Tie a slippery half-hitch in

middle of rope to make a loop

Make a turn

around a cleat

and bring end

up to loop

Secure with one or two half-hitches

around one or both lines

Tied off

at end

3

2

1

Pull

tight

Truckers hitch

Lark’s head

knot

Swing and await a G&T

Fold, scrunch around a small round

pebble and tie on using a lark’s head

More on knots

As sailors, we’re naturally obsessed

with knots. As well as the clove hitch

and lark’s head, it’s useful to know

the friction hitch and the Prusik. Use

the friction hitch to tension guy lines.

It works on the same principle as the

plastic line-locks that are fi tted to

most guy lines, but it’s easier to slide

and won’t break.

The Prusik (page 69) is grippier if

the Prusik is a slightly smaller

diameter than the cord. A 3mm Prusik

wrapped onto a 4mm cord is ideal.

Finally, the trucker’s hitch is useful

for the A-frame (see above).

Peg

Push up with an

oar or pole

Pole under

reinforced ridge

line loop

Guy out to rear peg

Guy forward

Peg

Move corners in 50cm and peg

Fold into three layers