Date:         Mon, 23 Jan 1995 23:54:41 -0500 (EST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Joe Clark <joeclark@freenet.scri.fsu.edu>
Subject:      Collapsing Westy Tents

Someone (sorry -- digest, you know) posted about the water-collecting
ability of the '68-up Westy tent roof.  Dintya know that was its
_purpose_, dude?  It's for desert camping. :-)

I fully agree about spreading an extra tarp over the external frame -- but
make sure it's drum-tight!  My last trip to the Keys, I returned from an
evening of Duval Street bar hopping to a soggy post rain squall mess. 
(Dude! Lost my buzz!) The rain collected _in_the_over-tarp_ until it
reached that magic 3-gallon (U.S. ;-) limit, then SPLOOSH.  Fortunately,
only a couple of those irreplaceable plastic snap-hooks broke (waaah!). 

(That was also the night my air mattress sprang a slow leak.  I cannot 
adequately describe the feeling of one's behind almost imperceptibly, yet 
inexorably, coming to rest on coral gravel.)

IMHO, buy a plastic tarp that extends a foot or so down every side, then 
tie it to the frame as necessary.  You'll have to figure a way to keep 
the little pole pin-ends at the corners from poking holes in the tarp.  I 
slid rubber tubing over them.

It's also true that _untreated_ canvas will repel water unless you touch
it (don't DO dat!).  Thompson's makes a sealant I've used to waterproof
old VW canvas with no ill effects, too.  Whatever doesn't float yer air
mattress.... 

Joe

PS Yes, I know, I have a parts catalog to copy...:-)

joeclark@freenet.scri.fsu.edu                      Where there's no sense,
Tallahassee, Fla.                                      there's no feeling.
Florida info, original fiction, VW stuff, IVD & kids' links:
<a href="http://freenet3.scri.fsu.edu:81/users/joeclark/index.html">Me</a>