Finally all parts are complete and I am wasting no time to give it a try setting up. How long since I last erected one of these yurts? Ten years at last, perhaps longer.
A friend is kind enough to allow us to use her garden. As I load the gear into my car I check one last time if I have everything:
• All canvas parts:
- Half roofs: 2
- Double-width side walls: 6
- Skylight cover: 1
(with shock cords on the eyelets and mini carabiners at the end
• Tripod:
- Three-part legs: 3
- Rope for the tripod lashing: 1
- 6-armed chain: 1
(with shackles on the end of each arm and a central carabiner)
- Pulley: 1
- Rope for lifting the roof: 1
• Walls:
- Extendable steel poles: 12
- Guy ropes: 15
- Pegs: 15
• Tools
- Tape measure
- Hammer
Now, do I still remember the sequence of steps?
Lash the half-roofs together on the ground - kids are helping, all good so far.
Turn the roof right side up; lay it out neatly at the correct location.
Extent the steel poles to the right length - 165 cm.
At each roof eyelet, put one steel pole on the ground. Attach a guy rope onto each D-ring.
Now the tricky bit: erect the 12 steel poles so that the circumference of the roof is held up. For now, the roof fabric is still hanging down in the centre like funnel, but that's ok. I have three children as helpers and it takes me several times of going round the circumference placing the pegs, tightening guy ropes and then repositioning pegs until I get it right. The kids are getting bored by now of holding onto poles but eventually we get it done.
After a quick break for a drink - it is getting quite hot - we tie the tripod. Now add the pulley to the rope ends remaining after the left tripod lashing and feed the rope for the chain through the pulley for later use. Tie the top edge of the skylight cover with its pull cord to the tripod just above the lashing. Trying to set up the tripod in the centre of the yurt teaches me two lessons:
- Need to add a pin to the joint of each tripod leg so that they don't come apart.
- At least two adults are needed for the job.
Next, attach the ends of the six chain arms to the six eyelets of the roof's skylight edge. Hook the chain's carabiner into the rope that goes through the pulley.
Now the most exciting part: pull the roof up. It works and the kids stand there with gaping mouths - I think they could not imagine how this thing would ever become a tent.
The next step is fiddly too: get the shock cords from the eyelets in the bottom edge of the skylight cover to the outer edge of the roof. Best technique: I stand on a tower of milk crates in the centre of the roof, poking my head through the skylight and throwing one shock cord at the time to the kids who are standing on the outside of the wall catching the cord and hooking it onto one of the D-rings. That worked pretty well - I am quite proud of the progress so far and we have another drink of water.
Now to the side walls: It is not difficult but it takes a while and our fingers get sore form buttoning.
But eventually we get is done and have thereby erected - as far as I know - the first canvas yurt in Australia.
It stands quite well despite the ground not being completely level. All worked, I had all the gear - a great success.
One thing I missed: we attached the skylight cover inside out - the tag is showing.
