How to Pitch a Basha, Hootchie or Tarp

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How to Pitch a Basha, Hootchie or Tarp

Submitted by An Outdoor Idiots Team Member.

Page 5 of 6 Previous Next [Index]

Pegging out a Tarp

Now that we have the ridge line tied tightly between two trees, we just need to peg the four corner lines down. If space is tight, or the ground is unsuitable, then it may be possible to tie the four corner lines to trees and branches instead, or even to use rocks if necessary. However, we will concentrate on pegging things down for this article. We will also assume that you do not have sliders on the tarp's four corner lines, which means you will have to tie the cord directly to the pegs.

The Clove Hitch

One of the best knots to learn for this purpose is the Clove Hitch. A Clove Hitch can be tied around a peg or stake, and it will lock solidly. To tie a Clove Hitch, first make a loop in the cord, as in Fig. 1 below. The detail is important - note which part of the cord is on top of which other part.

Pegging Out A Tarp (1)

Fig. 1: Make a loop
Then do the same again, i.e. create another loop close to the first loop, in exactly the same way as you created the first loop. Note again in Fig. 2 below, which parts of the cord are on top of which others. The loop to the right in this photograph is the second one - the first one is being held together by placing the cross-over point between finger and thumb.

Pegging Out A Tarp (2)

Fig. 2: Make another loop next to the first one
Next, the second loop is placed behind the first loop, as in Fig. 3:

Pegging Out A Tarp (3)

Fig. 3: Put the second loop behind the first
The two loops together are now treated as one loop, through which things can be placed. It is usually a good idea to place your fingers in the loop as soon as you have created it (Fig. 4), in order to hold things together before you place the peg or stake through it:

Pegging Out A Tarp (4)

Fig. 4: You can place your fingers through the loops to keep them in place
If the soil is particularly loose, it may be necessary to make some thick wooden stakes for the pegs. The Clove Hitch will work well around such a stake (Fig. 5):

Pegging Out A Tarp (5)

Fig. 5: A Clove Hitch around a wooden stake
It will also work well around a thin tent peg (Fig. 6):

Pegging Out A Tarp (6)

Fig. 6: A Clove Hitch around a tent peg

Strong Peg Placement

To minimise the chance of a peg pulling out of the ground, it is usually a good idea to drive it into the ground at about 45 degrees. Even more important is to ensure that the cord is attached to the peg at the lowest point, i.e. right at ground level, as in Fig. 7 below. If the cord is some way up the peg or stake, then a lot of leverage is generated and it can pull the peg out very easily.

Pegging Out A Tarp (7)

Fig. 7: Peg or stake at 45 degrees to ground. Clove Hitch at ground level.
If you only have thin tent pegs, and the soil is so loose that it is hard to get the pegs to stay in, then you could try the following arrangement (Fig. 8). It requires two pegs for each corner line:

Pegging Out A Tarp (8)

Fig. 8: Using counter-leverage to help pegs stay put in loose soil
For this, three Clove Hitches have been tied. The order of tying is given by the numbers next to the hitches in the photograph. The first Clove Hitch is in the same place that you would normally tie it. Then, a second Clove Hitch is tied further up the first peg - the higher the better (for maximum benefit it could, and should, be higher than shown in this photograph). Finally, a third Clove Hitch is used to tie to the second peg. It is important to leave the first peg extending out of the ground a fair way, so that the second peg can apply counter-leverage as the tarp pulls on the bottom of the first peg. In particularly loose soil, you may well have to use this arrangement, but with thick wooden stakes rather than pegs. Clove Hitches are very fast to tie, and the above arrangement is much easier to set up than it might look, so it is definitely worth bearing in mind.

Guy Line Angles

It is nice to peg the tarp out in such a way that the material is flat and fairly rigid, i.e. in such a way that there are no "ripples" in the fabric. The angles of the corner lines play the biggest role here, and are directly responsible for the forces going on in the fabric of the tarp. For best results, treat the corners of the tarp as arrows, and extent the corner lines in the direction of those arrows, as in Fig. 9:

Pegging Out A Tarp (9)

Fig. 9: Corner lines at 45 degrees to the tarp sides
The tarp may also have attachment points at the mid-points along the sides. If you also wish to attach lines to these, for extra strength in wind, then the best angle for these cords is usually at 90 degrees to the tarp. Anyway, when done, you should end up with something like this (Fig. 10):

Pegging Out A Tarp (10)

Fig. 10: Home sweet home

Tarp Height

This tarp has been pitched at about the same height as many small tents, i.e. it is plenty high enough to sit up under, and also low enough to keep you dry if it is raining. If there is strong wind to accompany the rain, then the tarp might have to be pitched lower still, possibly even with the sides pegged directly to the ground. In this case, the four corner lines will not be required, and the inverted-V shape will need to be more acute, resulting in a narrower shelter.

We have now shown one way that a simple tarp can be pitched. But tarps are very versatile, and we will mention some further ideas for pitching tarps next.

Page 5 of 6 Previous Next [Top of Page]

Page 1: Introduction

Page 2: Attaching Cordage to a Tarp

Page 3: Packing a Tarp

Page 4: Tying the Ridge Line Between Two Trees

Page 5: Pegging out a Tarp

Page 6: Advanced Tarp Pitching for the Connoisseur

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