Can anyone offer me virtual help with putting my tent up alone. NOW!

[suwoo]

It is this one.

The instructions are pap. I have never seen or even been in a tent never mind put one up!

I am only in the garden, but really wanted to do it before DH gets home.

I have pegged down the ground sheet and put the poles in and now I'm stumped. How do the poles go in the ground? And how do you fasten the tent to the floor?

TIA

[notwavingjustironing]

Crikey, you took our advice !

Right, I'll go and have a look, then come back to you with some helpful (hopefully) advice.

Where's Slubber when you need her?

[ShowOfHands]

I put up a v similar tent on my own the other day. Was very proud of myself. Even stayed up and remained watertight.

With ours, the poles don't go into the ground. You bend them and put them into a little slot attached to the tent. It is quite tricky to do alone as you need a lot of strength to bend the poles the requisite amount. And a third hand to guide the pole in. And you fasten the tent to the ground with pegs!

I'm of no use I know.

[notwavingjustironing]

Do the poles slide through a sleeve on the outside of the tent?

Do they have little pins at the bottom of the tent which you slide into the poles once they are through said sleeves?

Have looked on line, do they even make this make of tent any more?

[suwoo]

Notwaving.

Yes, not sure, no.

[ShowOfHands]

They do notwaving. I helped friends put theirs up the other day too. They had the little pins that you slot into the ends of the poles (which go through the outer sleeve). Newish tent too.

[notwavingjustironing]

Right then, over to you. I'll just stand and watch and make admiring noises while you talk her through it.

Then I'll make you both a cup of tea.

[suwoo]

Can I have cake too?

Its raining and I'm doing lunch but I'll be back to it shortly.

Do the bendy poles slot into another pole with a little ring on it and you peg that?

How do you know whre to peg it?

[ShowOfHands]

suwoo, usually with that sort of tent, you put the poles through first (you have done this yes?). If you look at the bottom of the tent near to where the pole pokes out on one side, there will probably be a little metal pin that you feed into the end of the pole (otherwise the end of the pole will taper and insert into a little loop attached to a tag at the bottom of the tent). You then do the same the other side. But to do this you have to bend the pole to create the dome shape of the finished tent. It's quite hard and needs a lot of tension (often a 2 person job really). You do this with all of the poles until they are tethered to the bottom of the tent at each end.

You then peg down the tent using the pegs provided. And then the ropes, making sure they are taut enough. The inner tents we peg down inside the main tent afterwards and then hook them up. Then the groundsheet is pegged down afterwards.

[notwavingjustironing]

[ShowOfHands]

[stripeyknickersspottysocks]

I find with this sort of tent once you've got all the poles in lay the tent down so all the poles are stacked on top of each other in their bent shape.

Peg one end of the tent down. (main guy ropes)

Then stand the poles upright and walk each pole out till they are at the correct gap between each other. The tension on the guy ropes should stop the tent falling over one way and once you've got all the poles walked out quickly peg out the main guys at the other end. Then do smaller guys and bottom of tent pegging.

[notwavingjustironing]

Cake, Stripey ?

[ShowOfHands]

"I find with this sort of tent once you've got all the poles in lay the tent down so all the poles are stacked on top of each other in their bent shape"

I find you have little other choice as the buggers just flop over in an apathetic and disinterested pile whatever you do.

[suwoo]

[ShowOfHands]

What are you doing now? What's the tent doing? Have you had words? Have you tried inserting the ends of the pole into the bottom of the tent?

[stripeyknickersspottysocks]

[suwoo]

I can't do it

It really is a two man job I think. Especially as its my first time. I need someone to hold the other side whilst I manoeuvre the poles into the ground.

Anyone live in Manchester?

[nappyzoneloveschinesefood]

have you got them all through the sleeves? right now poke the pin in situ on one side then start on tuther side and put other end of pin through so its bowed, if you dont want to do it the way they all lay now get one end pegged in and hold up that bowed hoop with the guys then walk through doing same to others. Come on you cand o it - you knwo you can .

[nappyzoneloveschinesefood]

or.... peg out the 4 corners and then thread em - watch this here

[notwavingjustironing]

See, now you've got a crowd of cheering admirers, you'll have the job done in no time

[nappyzoneloveschinesefood]

have you shouted at it??? are you sweating?

[notwavingjustironing]

Yes, they don't tell you that bit in the instructions, but trust me, it's essential.

[nappyzoneloveschinesefood]

i thnk shes been gone a while - do you think she has done it? can we have a photey? read the instructions again.......

[suwoo]

I'm here and v cross with my failure
might just have another quick try-going to work soon.

[notwavingjustironing]

I'll pop in on my way home from work