[Northkeep] Suggestion on a Pavilion

[Miles Grey]

I have a 15x15 Center Pole Marquis from Panther.  I selected it because it
can be set up by one person.  It's not easy to set up alone, but I've done
it.  Anything with a ridge pole becomes difficult, if not impossible, for
one person to set up.  (It can be done, but I'd rather not.)

I chose the straight vertical sides mostly because you can choose to put
the doors anywhere.  From the start, I've added interior walls to
subdivide the tent.  I manage that by having a couple extra poles without
the pin in the top and some extra ropes.  I put the eyesplice at the end
of the rope over the top of one of the poles at the center of a side
before sticking the poles pin through the grommet.  The other end of the
rope is tied to the center pole.  Because I know knots and splices, I
spliced a loop in the middle of that rope that fits snugly over the top of
the spare pole to provide a center support for the interior walls and then
used a rolling hitch to tie the rope's end to the center pole. 
Drape/pin/hang some canvas over/to the ropes and you have interior walls. 
Choose a tent with 7' walls and the interior walls will also be 7' tall. 
The design of the walls means that you can even have separate doors.  You
could even wall off one corner.  That space would be a bit cramped with my
tent or anything smaller.  A tent with a ridge pole has two center poles,
which might give more options for arranging interior walls.

Because money was an object, I chose the lighter weight (least expensive)
canvas, and I've been happy with it so far (not quite 2 years).  I made
the poles, ropes, and tensioners myself.  My tent is not trivial to set
up.  There are 16 poles which require 20 ropes and pegs.  If there's much
wind, you'll need to stake down the walls as well.  You can make your
floor waterproof by using a plastic tarp and pulling it up around between
the poles and the walls all the way around.  Canvas or carpets will
conceal this nicely.

Panther (and others) make various accessories that can hang from the tent
poles.  Of course, some are meant to go over a ridge pole, so they don't
work with the center-pole style tents.  At Gulf Wars last year, I bought
some canvas straps (not from Panther) that go over the poles and provide
support for 3 shelves.  The 16 poles do provide a lot of options.  I've
strung a clothes line between a wall pole and the center pole, I usually
lash my laundry bag to one of the poles, and I tie my tent broom to a pole
near the door.

I'm very happy with this particular tent.  It can take a solid hour or
more to set up even with help and almost as long to take it down, so I
only take it to the bigger events (or events where something important is
happening).  It just seems like a lot of work if you're only sleeping in
it for one night.  You also have the usual worries about mildew if you
have to take it down when it's wet.  Those sixteen 7-foot poles and a 12.5
foot two-piece center pole take up a fair amount of room in a vehicle or
trailer as well as in your garage between events, so there's a lot to be
said for the 5-pole Regent.  In my view, slanted walls (whether it's a
Regent, Marquis, or another style) provide you with storage space between
the poles and walls, but your "people space" is the space inside the
poles.  I am a bit tall though, so other people may be able to make more
effective use of that space between the poles and the slanted walls.

That's my opinion on Pavilions.  It's worth exactly what you paid for it.

  Miles Grey



Kenneth Smith wrote:
> Also remember both kids will be in this tent as well or at least until a
> second one is bought for the boy.  But the girl will be in it.  So I might
> want to put up some walls on the inside for privacy. 
>  
> Sir Ulf Arnfinnson CSS LXXIX
> Northern Regional Knight Marshal Ansteorra
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Jerry Herring <j.t.herring at sbcglobal.net>
> To: The Barony of Northkeep <northkeep at lists.ansteorra.org>
> Sent: Fri, April 30, 2010 12:16:27 PM
> Subject: Re: [Northkeep] Suggestion on a Pavilion
>
> I would recommend the standard Marquee with slanted sides and a peaked
> room you can set it up with 5 poles and 4 ropes. If need be one person can
> set it up. Tim and Therese have one and it is pretty cool.
>
> Midwest Tents has a lot of variety of shapes and sizes but I do not know
> if they offer the exact build I am talking about.
> http://www.midwesttent.com/catalog/
>
> Kindly
> Ian