Guying down a canvas yurt?

[BurningRondo]

This year, I'm using a canvas and wood yurt, thinking of layering shade cloth under the canvas for extra protection from the sun. It's going to look great and is plenty spacious (~14 ft diameter) for us, but any suggestions on how to guy this baby down?
Thanks in advance!

[Bob]

Ask the yurt manufacturer or otherwise figure it out well before you go. Lace cord up through the frame, I guess. Should use at least six tiedown points or it will turn turtle on you.

Shade cloth? Quilted blankets might do better under the top.

[BurningRondo]

Thanks, blankets are easier to find! Great advice Bob, much appreciated!

[Bob]

This teacher/artist material recycling shop in Oakland often has old banquet tablecloths for repurposing, maybe there's a similar place where you live. Some are round and about 15ft diameter. I bought a few to use as dropcloths, then used them as side curtains on our shade awning at the burn.

[BurningRondo]

Taking the above advice, I asked the guys who make the yurt and this is what they said:

1. If possible, set up the yurt so that the door is not facing into the wind. Keep in mind that even a fully set up yurt can be lifted and rotated with enough people.

2. Make sure to keep the door flap and dome flap are closed, with all ties securely tied. In high winds, I recommend staking the dome flap ties down with individual stakes, as opposed to tying to the structure itself.

3. Make sure the drawstring in the roof is pulled tight. Pull down on the roof edge to make sure it snugly against the wall.

For most windy situations, the tips above will serve you well. If you feel more support is needed you can also:

1. Hook bungee cords around the perimeter of the roof every few feet, and stake them to the ground. The elastic nature of the cords "anchors" your yurt even more firmly to the ground in addition to its own weight.

2. Use zip ties or any other strong tie to tie the roof rafters to the nearest intersection in the lattice wall.

Sounds an awful lot like what you suggested, Bob! Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it!!

[The Bee]

Use ratcheting tie-downs. The kind that people use to attach motorcycles to trailers.

[BurningRondo]

Ratcheting tie downs around the walls like a tension band, or to tie the roof down to some rebar at six points around the yurt?

Or both?

Thanks for the tip!

[Bob]

Well, a yurt is not a motorcycle. You can quote me on that.

[theCryptofishist]

If it were, those Mongolians would be zipping all over central Asia...