Adding Dining Flies to the inventory

[Armymutt]

We decided to add dining flies to our camping gear, partially as a team building exercise, partially as a Scout skill exercise, but mostly to help build patrol identities and provide shelter.  I used the instructions found here: https://troop279.us/patrol-dining-fly/

My wife and son helped hold the poles while I tied the knots for the adult fly so I could do a test set up.  Poles need straightened and we need to get hammers for the troop, but otherwise, it looks like it will work.

 

[skeptic]

If my memory serves, when we did our first trek at Philmont, a fly was part of our gear, and we were specifically encouraged to put it up FIRST and put other gear beneath.  It is an important piece of any site, especially in areas subject to rain or mists.  In cases of drive-ins, a heavier-duty type can be useful, but packing works best with the lightweight ones.  And you do not need poles if you have trees and so on, though they make it easier.  

[SSScout]

Hammers?   Totin' Chip traditionally asks the Scout to MAKE a really good tent peg.  Hatchet(s)  part of a Scout's kit, yes? 

Our Troop used to (I should check on this) make poles out of saplings and the tent pegs were kept for use and as examples for the next Scouts.... 

As for the tarp/ shelter, the Troop of my yoooth  made them out of 4 mill plastic and heavy duty duck tape and grommet sets.  Ten by ten,  made shelter tents and dining flies and such. Older Scouts took 'em to Philmont and Jamborees, said others ooo'ed and awww'ed at them...

[Armymutt]

14 hours ago, skeptic said:

If my memory serves, when we did our first trek at Philmont, a fly was part of our gear, and we were specifically encouraged to put it up FIRST and put other gear beneath.  It is an important piece of any site, especially in areas subject to rain or mists.  In cases of drive-ins, a heavier-duty type can be useful, but packing works best with the lightweight ones.  And you do not need poles if you have trees and so on, though they make it easier.  

That's what I'm encouraging.  We're rather limited on trees with appropriate spacing here in NC.  They are either 5 feet apart or 100.  I know at Philmont, we ditched half the poles and just used some that were about 6' tall.  The fly went to the ground.  Helped out in some massive rain storms.

 

14 hours ago, SSScout said:

Hammers?   Totin' Chip traditionally asks the Scout to MAKE a really good tent peg.  Hatchet(s)  part of a Scout's kit, yes? 

Our Troop used to (I should check on this) make poles out of saplings and the tent pegs were kept for use and as examples for the next Scouts.... 

As for the tarp/ shelter, the Troop of my yoooth  made them out of 4 mill plastic and heavy duty duck tape and grommet sets.  Ten by ten,  made shelter tents and dining flies and such. Older Scouts took 'em to Philmont and Jamborees, said others ooo'ed and awww'ed at them...

I've tried to get them to make stakes and get blank stares.  The handbook doesn't show how and Scout's Life is a paltry version of its prior form.  Most of our Scouts don't carry their own hatchet and the troop's hatchet isn't the best for hammering.  Also, it's less desirable for use as a lever to extract the nails when stuck and I'd rather Scout not use it as a digging implement.

[Tron]

18 hours ago, Armymutt said:

That's what I'm encouraging.  We're rather limited on trees with appropriate spacing here in NC.  They are either 5 feet apart or 100.  I know at Philmont, we ditched half the poles and just used some that were about 6' tall.  The fly went to the ground.  Helped out in some massive rain storms.

 

I've tried to get them to make stakes and get blank stares.  The handbook doesn't show how and Scout's Life is a paltry version of its prior form.  Most of our Scouts don't carry their own hatchet and the troop's hatchet isn't the best for hammering.  Also, it's less desirable for use as a lever to extract the nails when stuck and I'd rather Scout not use it as a digging implement.

I am a big fan of running the rainfly to the ground instead of outer poles. It's hard to describe and for some reason I have no pictures of it; however, there is a way to make a short rainfly with nothing but 2 hiking sticks, some paracord, and 6 tent stakes that can hold up in moderately rough weather. 

I've been involved in the logging/lumber trade off and on for over 40 years and I get what people say about axes and hatchets and how to properly use them; however, a tool is a tool and if you wear it out "early" from actual functional use then so be it. If you're backpacking and you need to use a hatchet to work the ground or pound something it I find that preferrable to carrying an extra 10 pounds of weight that could harm your (or a youths) back. After a trek you can always work a hatchet with a bastard file, stores readily sell files and hatches but not new backs or knees. 

[DuctTape]

Agree with staking to the ground. Making tent pegs is a great way to use the saw, axe, knife  skills on a regular basis. Often we complain about one&done, or advancement reqs as separate from program. This is how to incorporate it. If the books&magazines don't show it, the adult patrol can certainly model it.

Scout: wow mister, how did you set up your guys tarp without any tent stakes or line-locs.

ASM Smith: look here, we made a couple pegs with our hatchet & knife. Tied the tarp to them with a taut-line hitch. Each of us made one peg, so it only took a few minutes. Mister Peabody never made one, so I showed him how. 

Scout: Neat Mister Smith, can you show me?

ASM: I could, but better yet  how about Mr. Peabody shows you while I watch. Then you can show the rest of your patrol while Mr. Peabody watches.

Scout: Swell. Can I get my assistant patrol leader to come watch too?

ASM: certainly. We willbe right here.