Setting up the Smoke Vent Cover
The Jurten tarpaulin protects the smoke hole of your Jurte (a type of tent) from rain and snow. The method of mounting depends on several factors, such as whether you use a single or double pole inside the Jurte, whether you want it completely sealed, or if you need the smoke from a fire to escape.
There are various ways to correctly secure your tarpaulin. For demonstration, a higher than usual distance over the smoke hole is chosen, which doesn’t completely prevent rain from entering but allows smoke to escape easily.
The tarpaulin comprises seven panels and eight eyelets for attaching thin cords. Sisal (a type of cheap binding twine) is commonly used, which you can cut to desired length. For a six-meter diameter Jurte, the cords should be about four to five meters long.
The tarpaulin is pulled up onto the roof, and typically, you would climb to the middle, squeeze through the smoke hole, and tie the top of the tarpaulin around the intersection point of the two central poles. A simpler method is suggested instead of this cumbersome approach
Decide how high the tarpaulin should hang over the smoke hole. This affects whether it tightly closes or leaves a gap for smoke release. This height is determined by the binding point of the middle poles, where ideally the tarpaulin is also tied
It's easier to prepare everything with the roof lowered so you can stand comfortably on the ground. This way, you can drape the smoke hole around your shoulders and get everything ready.
Ensure the cords are not tangled, as this will make it harder to adjust the tarpaulin from the outside later.
Attach each of the eight cords to the respective guy lines with a tension knot. It's a matter of trial and error to find the right ones; theoretically, every second guy line is used, but this depends on how the fabric falls and how the tarpaulin can be pulled.
Ensure at least one segment of the tarpaulin overlaps when secured.
You can also lay the fabric on the Jurte roof for optimal rain protection. The tarpaulin can be moved aside anytime to allow smoke to escape and be closed again later.
Like all aspects of building a Jurte, practice and experimentation will guide you to the right method for you.