Had a really good first erection session at Northwood last weekend with huge help from the extremely knowledgeable Martin- ta chuck!!
The apex is suspended from an overhead line, unfortunately a bit mackled onto the apex- too short and only every other seam, so its pulled into folds at the top. Longer, tighter and every seam in future! It deformed the top enough that it was impossible to finalise the porch shaping but it still proved the basic design works
I'm real pleased with the porch. It'll provide a drip-proof opening with the door held open, ideal for keeping the entrance a bit more mud free and great for setting up as a kinda hide for wildlife spotting in the woodlands!
It needs a lot more shaping and possibly more offcuts to widen it slightly as it needs to overlap over the opening and onto the main tent for best protection. The jury is out to which way to fold the doors- I'd thought out so it 'guttered' the rain but apparently thats a bad idea with the cotton canvas styles as the water can wick though and drip from the gutter base.... luckily it should secure either way.
The flyouts work really well and I'm very happy with the heights, it gives plenty of room at head and for sleeping/ sitting in it
We did half and half, one side shock cord through both sets to the floor, the other side shockcord pulled out with paracord to branches from between the flyouts. Its important that it can be either woodland or open field erected for my usage.
I'm going to loose a fair few inches getting the porch securing ridgeline to mate up with the tent- we used a snap buckle for paracord bracelets, one side through the dutch lacing closure 30-40cm from the apex, the other will be set back to get that overlap I was banging on about.
This is from the porch into the laavu, tis looking pretty good in theory!
We're thinking more flyout style loops either side of the door so the flyfront can still be effective to opening height. I need to get it up in the garden with a correct apex- I can do that now thanks to Martins extending shower pole, which will work a dream when it has a little retainer cap. Then the porch width enhancement, secure tie point in the centre and shaping to fit the laavu sides nicely, I can set up and mark the outer edge for connecting to my tarp and hem it all. If theres any leftover fabric, I'll try to add a snow/ wind skirt too
The other chimney apex adaption can wait until I've got the porch, laavu and raincap finished or my sanity will be compromised