Prusik Knot

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ScottC

Banned
May 2, 2004
1,176
13
uk
Im trying to set up my basha in the garden but am having problems with the prussik knot, do you tie the prusik knot either side of the loop with one piece of cordage or do you tie two seperate prusik knots either side then tie them together in the middle? If you tie them in the middle then hat knot do you use.

I have been trying to do it either side with one piece of cord but when i do the second one it all goes in a big mess>


:?:
 

Hoodoo

Full Member
Nov 17, 2003
5,302
13
Michigan, USA
I have used the prusik knot for years as a safety knot while hunting from a tree stand. It slides up and down so I am always covered while climbing into or out of a tree stand. But the knot I use above all else for tarps is the tautline hitch. Much more practical in that application than the prusik.
 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,436
1,274
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
Young Bushman said:
Im trying to set up my basha in the garden but am having problems with the prussik knot, do you tie the prusik knot either side of the loop with one piece of cordage or do you tie two seperate prusik knots either side then tie them together in the middle? If you tie them in the middle then hat knot do you use.

I have been trying to do it either side with one piece of cord but when i do the second one it all goes in a big mess>


:?:

I'm a little confused as I'm not sure how you're trying to do this.

Do you have your ridgeline then another line that you're tying the prussics in that attaches to the basha as well?
 

ScottC

Banned
May 2, 2004
1,176
13
uk
Don't worry i've sorted it now i was trying to tie a prussik knot either side of the end loops but then i thought that i should just have one prussik knot and tie the free ends to the end loop and now it's ok.
 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,436
1,274
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
Young Bushman said:
Don't worry i've sorted it now i was trying to tie a prussik knot either side of the end loops but then i thought that i should just have one prussik knot and tie the free ends to the end loop and now it's ok.

Oh I get you now.
Glad you got it sorted! :)
 

ScottC

Banned
May 2, 2004
1,176
13
uk
Although the knot i used to tie the free ends to the loop isn't very secure so i would be grateful for any knot suggestions.
 

alick

Settler
Aug 29, 2003
632
0
Northwich, Cheshire
Hey Scott - there's dozens of ways you might do this but why not try this method and see if it works for you. Sorry that it's very step-by-step, but it's easier for me to explain this way :

First, I assume you have a nylon tape loop sewn at each end of the "ridge" of your basha. Maybe one in the middle of the tarp too - to stop the middle of the ridge sagging. If you don't, then read on anyway and see my comments at the end.

1. Thread your ridge cord through each tape loop in turn so that the basha hangs underneath the ridge cord from the 2 or 3 tape loops.
2. Hanging the tarp underneath will help to stop the ridge cord rubbing any proofing or coating off the tarp fabric.
3. Tie the ridge cord between 2 trees or whatever to rig the tarp - it'll be fine, just not taught along the ridge.
4. Get yourself 2 bits of cord to make the prussik loops - I'd guess 12 to 18 inches long will be ample. Use 2mm or 3mm cord for this depending on your ridge cord, the prussic loop has to be much thinner than the ridge.
5. Use some simple overhand knot to make each thin cord into a loop. Don't do this too tight because you're going to undo them again in a minute.
6. Fasten the thin loops around the ridge with a prussik knot. One at each end of the tarp, between the tarp and the tree.
7. Get the prussiks just right.
8. Then doing one end at a time, undo the simple knot that closes your prussik loop, pass one end through the tape loop at that end of the tarp's ridge and knot the loop closed properly this time.
9. As soon as you've done this, you can pull the prussik knots outward to tension the basha along the ridge.

The trick is, once you've set all this up, you don't undo it. You leave the ridge cord threaded through the loops on the tarp and the prussik loops tied around the ridge cord. Just unfasten from the trees and roll it all up. This makes pitching really quick.

If you want to get fancy, put a short loop of strong shockcord between one prussik loop and the end of the tarp, then once tightened, the elastic will take up any slack if the tarp gets wet and stretches.

If your tarp doesn't have tape loops stitched on and uses eyelets instead, you should tie very short loops into the eyes so the tarp can be slung under the ridge cord as described. The pussiks loops are set up the same way but tied directly into the eyelets instead.

If you don't already know it, learn the double fishermans knot. This is the best knot of all to join two rope ends together into a permanent loop. This is what I'd use to close the prussik loops permenantly once they''re threaded onto the tarp.

Lastly, this approach tackles hanging the tarp from the ridge and tightening it as two separate jobs. This is essentially the way hennessy approach it with their hammocks. You could use the prussik loops to suspend as well as tension the tarp but I like my way best. Have fun experimenting and you decide for yourself. :wink:

All the best,
 

dchinell

Tenderfoot
Oct 11, 2004
62
0
Sarasota, Florida, USA
Here's how I rig my tarp (basha) when hammock camping. I use three knots: bowline, tautline, and lark's head. I use standard 7-strand paracord for everything.

I start with the ridge line. At each end, I loop the line around the tree, then tie it with a tautline. (The free end of the rope gets tied onto the standing part.) The tautlines make it possible to tighten the ridgeline to almost any tension desired. Looping the line around the trunk makes it simple to slide the ridgeline up and down the trunk, so I can pitch everything high in fair weather, but lower it quickly if it starts to rain.

I drape the tarp over the ridgeline. I use a square tarp, 8 x 8 ft, and pitch it on the diagonal. That is to say, two corners of the tarp are attached to the ridge line, and two are tied to tent pegs.

I tie the tree corners to 12-ft lengths of paracord using a bowline. I do this to create a loop that I'll need later. I wrap the line once around the tree, just above the ridgeline, pass the running end through the loop made by the bowline, and tie the running end to the ridgeline, again with a tautline hitch.

I can still slide the whole deal up and down the tree trunks, and I can tighten the tarp without going out from under it -- very convenient in light rains or winds at two in the morning.

Finally, I attach 12-ft lengths of paracord to the side corners of the tarp, using a tautline hitch, leaving about a foot of loop for adjustment purposes. I throw a lark's head around the tent peg, walk out to tension the line, and sink the peg into the ground.

Again, having the tautline hitches at the tarp end of these lines lets me tension the tarp by reaching out from underneath the tarp.

That's it.

I don't leave my lines tied to the tarp to ensure that I wear it evenly by alternating which corners do what, and to keep in practice with the knots.

Bear
 

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