PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-705
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 705
AUGUST 2011
PS 705
53
PS 705
AUG 11
Honk If You Love Canvas
Striking
DEFINITIONS
Guy line—
Also known as line, guy or guy rope. This is a single line or rope
extending from the tent. When all guy lines are pinned to the ground and tightened,
they anchor the tent and make it stable.
Tensioner—
Also known as runner. This is a wooden or plastic bracket attached to
the guy line. It’s used to tighten or slacken the line.
Peg out—
To anchor a tent by driving pins into the ground.
Ridge—
The top of an A-type tent where the two sides slope away.
Loops—
Some tents have reinforced, fabric fasteners at the base of the walls.
Others have metal grommets. These are loops. Along with the pins, they
anchor the walls to the ground, so wind and rain can’t blow through.
As wet canvas dries, it
shrinks.
And when it shrinks,
guy lines tug hard on pins. A pin with its head angled
away from the tent acts like a lever under the tug of
the tight line. The pin enlarges its hole in the ground
and works loose until it pulls out.
Worse yet, the pin doesn’t pull free but continues
to
strain
the tent until the canvas
tears.
This calls for
a minor change in
your pin-pounding
method. Along the
tent walls, pound
in pins straight up
and down through
the loops, as you
normally would.
But pound in guy line
pins with the heads
slightly angled
toward the tent—
about 15 degrees
from vertical. That
allows some give
when the canvas
shrinks.
To get the whole story on pitching and striking a
tent, see the operator instructions in your tent’s TM.
You also might want to go online to TENTNET:
Once you’re on the home page, click on
Base Camp,
where you’ll find parts NSNs for the Army’s tents.
you can also go to DoD EMalL’s tent superstore:
https://dod-emall.dla.mil
Once you’re logged in, expand the shop tab, then
click
specialTy stores.
on the next screEn, scrolL
down and cliCk
Tent Superstore.
To help you
find your way
around a tent,
here are a few
definitions
…
Got a canvas
tent? Angle
guy line pin
toward tent
To remove tent
pins, slacken
the guy lines,
then tap the pins
backwards and
forwards. Not
too hard; wood
pins can split and
metal ones can
bend.
Re-pack pins in the
canvas bag. Store them
with the rest of the
tent’s components.
inspect guy lines
for cuts, fraying,
and wear and tear.
Replace if needed.
Scrape and wipe
dirt from pins and
let them dry.
For those
few Soldiers
still camping
out in
canvas
duck tents,
here’s some
good advice…
Ridge
Guy Line
Tensioner
Peg Out
Loops
705 52-53.indd
1-2
7/5/11
5:10 PM
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