Parachute

[Beansprout]

Hello all, I haven't been around for a while!

After seeing Ivan and Paul W and co's set up in Devon with the parachute I am very jealous.

Looking on the surplus sites, they only seem to be 30 or 40 squids.... BUT WHAT SIZE??!!

30ft looks ok, and 40 too big? What is the average camp-parachute size?

 

[Mesquite]

30ft is a good size to go for.

There's a couple PR7 chutes on ebay at the moment that are 28ft diameter

 

[Beansprout]

Thanks for reply! I have been banned from eBay by HWMBO... but maybe I'll have a quick peek...

Could you make a 40ft smaller by tying up the top before it goes up?

Also about colours... Quite fancy a blue one if I can get my grubby paws on one, are there any unwritten camp site rules about non-green stuff? Imagine a blue parachute in the trees... tehee

 

[TurboGirl]

I hear lots of folk raving about Endicotts for the chutes if Hubs has incapacitated your ebay account Theres a great recipe somewhere on forum for waterproofing a la fabsyl (sp?) too, MUCH cheapness

PS Steve, you baaaad man! I had to blooming look, didn't I.... I can tell Hubs that I've bought a severely ripped one so I can test all these lovely old sewing machines and its saved lots of money really

 

[dave53]

hi beansprout it was nice to meet you round the campfire at ivans place/five wynches hope to see you again in the future regards dave

 

[Beansprout]

Hi Dave!

Turbo I like your thinking! Checked Endicotts, nothing on there, and found the two pr7s on Ebay but I'll see if I can get the ones from Surplusplus or denbigh surplus first for about 25

 

[Mesquite]

Turbo I like your thinking! Checked Endicotts, nothing on there, and found the two pr7s on Ebay but I'll see if I can get the ones from Surplusplus or denbigh surplus first for about 25

Don't always trust their website to always be up to date as they're always getting new stock in. Give Kevin a buzz tomorrow and have a chat with him and he'll be able to help you no end

 

[SimonM]

I've had two from these guys on EBay. First class service on both occasions.

Just put the second one up at our local Scout camp as a semi permanent feature, with a smaller one already rigged in the woods.

Simon

 

[Pete K]

I can 2nd SimonM's recommendation. If you can go that far price-wise these are great, I got mine last week and it's in great condition with all 32 7m cords. You'll want a 30ltr rucksack to carry it though.

 

[Ivan...]

Hi Beansprout! I know i asked permission to name and shame you two, on an open forum, but decided against it! Don't know why, i normally get great delight in exposing new friends foibles! But you two were perfecly well behaved (that coupled with the fact, i retired at 8.00pm )

It was great to meet you both, hopefully meet again some time soon, and glad we dragged you off that hammock forum, and nice to see you on here, till the next time, take care both.

Ivan...

Oh! Yeah, Webster, host and chef!

What was the thread about again?

 

[spandit]

If I remember your other half he was about 9 feet tall so wouldn't argue with him regarding eBay bans...

Here's what the PR7 looks like:

 

[Beansprout]

HELLO IVAN AND SPANDIT haha Yes Spandit, Bloke is also a Police officer so.......

Rung Endicotts and they have "freddy Kruger" canopies for 12-15 quids, so could spend hours on the sewing machine fixing one or sticking two tgether. DAS opens tomorrow so I'll give them a ring as well.

 

[TurboGirl]

Who are DAS, Beaniebabe?! Sounds interesting, am I missing a link here... it commonly happens, I blame my age

 

[Beansprout]

Tehe! Denbigh Army Supplies http://www.denbigharmysurplus.co.uk/army-stores/Genuine-MOD-British-Army-Parachute.html

I really want a blue one.... muahahaha

Also found these guys

http://www.surplusplus.co.uk/acatalog/parachutes.html

 

[TurboGirl]

I got mine through today, the ripping is all on 2 panels, some in the lower and some in the upper chute.... pretty impressed at the amount of paracord left on tbh and it still has its release chute bag thingy, that looks useful for something obscure I haven't thought of yet

I was wondering if changing the shape (for a communal/ fire pit coverage) so its not a big inverted water puddling mushroom might be a way around the ripped areas but it might bring the apex too high if the circumference is narrowed... has anyone done one? Did you find any good adaptions/ things you would do different in hindsight? Whats you plans Beanie?

 

[crosslandkelly]

Hey Sal, Google parachute shelters, then click on images. You'll get a lot of setup ideas there.
Atb
Colin.

 

[Beansprout]

Sally, where did you get yours from? How much did you pay? I'm debating whether to risk it and stick together two poo ones for 12 quid each, or save up for a 60 quid one with minor repairs.

I haven't really thought about structural changes- I thought I'd tackle any damage first (otherwise my head gets confused). I reckon if you sewed straight lines from edge to centre point around the chute you'd change the shape from mushroom to cone, which would then fit the "pole up the middle" and tensions from the ropes better than the mushroom shape.... getwhaddamean?

 

[TurboGirl]

Wilderness Leisure Ltd off the Bay.... heres the parachute, they have stocks £19.95 + £7.25 P&P which brought it up to about £27 all in. Depends if you have means to fix the rips, lovey They are huge! In hindsight, I can see the Endicotts ones represent great value if the rips are done for you, folk rave about him


I wonder if they're round as originally designed in which case, to get a more tipi/laavu shape, we'd need to cut shaped segments out of it to bring it more angular... could be a reet headache, that! But the ones I've seen used as a communal all have a problem with water puddling in the edges.... but the excess fabric looks well cute floating up with the hot air of the fire, you can't win


Just seen your hint n tip, Alan, I will go peruse Good call!

Our Waylands Ravenlore site page on his chute shelter is my first and best find, I've helped smoke that chute on many a happy occasion I'll definately proof mine with homemade fabsil, I did my homemade tarp with it and its never leaked since- but that 'fine mist or drizzle' Gary says about? I remember being under an unproofed one with a most respected freind and it was like a force 10 on the North Sea He mentions using the scalloping paracord for tieouts, if they were combined with hanging loops, they'd be great for hanging candle/ other lamps

Of course the next best goggle is from BCUK... infact theres at least 3 threads, some with 'family sized' smaller shelters, twodogs and his freinds had one at NorthWood last year Another here with interesting alternative set ups, leaving the right structural loops for hanging and convenience without excess drip zones sounds key

Good DIY fabsil recipes here and here ... our fellow NW meeter Teepee sounds like a man of experience, might pester him by pm when I gets stuck He mentions a hammock forums link on post 4 which IIRC is where I got the recipe from but the sites down atm.

Sally, where did you get yours from? How much did you pay? I'm debating whether to risk it and stick together two poo ones for 12 quid each, or save up for a 60 quid one with minor repairs.

I haven't really thought about structural changes- I thought I'd tackle any damage first (otherwise my head gets confused). I reckon if you sewed straight lines from edge to centre point around the chute you'd change the shape from mushroom to cone, which would then fit the "pole up the middle" and tensions from the ropes better than the mushroom shape.... getwhaddamean?