Spanish Windlass - Tightening Tent Ropes

A Spanish Windlass is a simple device for tightening ropes. Sometimes it is used as a winch to move heavy objects, such as to free a car stuck in mud.

In this instructable it will be used to tighten a tent fly's ropes.

To build your Spanish Windlass:

• Cut some dowel of about 10mm in diameter.
  • 1 piece 60mm long.
  • 1 piece 100mm long.
• Drill a hole into the end of the 100mm length of dowel.
  • Screw in a cup hook in the hole.

Your Spanish Windlass is now complete and can be used for tightening ropes.

You will need something to use your Spanish Windlass on. Here it is going to be used to tightened the ropes of a tent fly.

• Erect the tent fly as you normally would.

With the 100mm long dowel, twist it around the tent rope as shown. This is good practice for when you will be wrapping the rope around the dowel and rope.

Place the 60mm length of dowel at right angles to the tent rope.

Wrap the 100mm length of dowel around the rope and dowel.

Twist the rope around the 60mm length of dowel using the 100mm length as a leaver until the rope is tight enough.

Once the tent rope is tight enough, hook the cup hook (at the end of the 100mm length of dowel) around the tent rope to stop the dowel unwinding.

Top Tip:

• When tightening the Spanish Windlass, check both ends of the rope are in line of each other or else the smaller piece of dowel being wrapped around might spring out.

Grab a cool beverage and marvel at your ability to tighten tent ropes with your recently made Spanish Windlass.

The Spanish Windlass's ability to tighten tent ropes was tested by subjecting the tent fly to 24 hours of heavy rain and strong wind. It held up magnificently!, with the ground under the tent fly remaining dry.

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