Chapter 28

Camping - How to Erect a Tent

Erecting a tent is a matter of practice. The Cruiser’s or Hiker’s model is the easiest to erect. Stake down the corners of the floor, adjust the pole and guy lines.

If you use either a Wall tent or an Umbrella tent, I suggest that you erect it in your own back yard previous to a camping trip, so that you will get the “feel” of putting it up correctly.

To erect a Wall tent 9 1/2 feet wide and 12 feet long:

First: Drive five stakes down three feet apart.

Second: Opposite and parallel to the stakes, drive another row of stakes, having two rows about 21 feet apart.

Third: Unroll the tent and stretch it out on ground between the two rows of stakes.

Fourth: Attach guy lines loosely to the proper stakes.

Fifth: If the poles are jointed, put the ridge pole in and then one section of the back pole and front pole and repeat the process until tent is up.

Sixth: Peg down all four corners.

Seventh: Adjust guy lines to remove slackness.

It may be necessary to move stacks holding guy lines either toward the tent or away from it, and, if so, remove only one or two stakes at a time while making adjustments.

To erect poleless type Umbrella tent.

First: Open up your tent and secure all corners of the floor with tent pegs.

Second: Put the top spreading frame together and lay it inside on the floor.

Third: Using one of the corner poles, shove top spreading frame in place, letting the bottom of the pole rest in center of tent.

Fourth: Adjust one corner pole and then the opposite one.

Fifth: Put the third pole in place, remove the pole from the center and put in its proper place at corner.

Sixth: Adjust poles to remove slackness.

Seventh: Outside guy ropes should then be attached to stakes and the canopy poles placed in position.

Eighth: Put canopy up and attach side curtains.

Ninth: Drive all stakes holding guy ropes straight down, not on an angle.

Loosen the guy ropes a little and adjust corner poles if it starts to rain.