Yes, that would be fine. A “heavy” tarp would be something along the lines of thick, super-duty tarps like those blue utility tarps you often see. If the tarp is measured in “mils” you probably don’t want to use mason line.

Derek, what do you consider to be a “heavier tarp” for which Mason line would not be appropriate? I have bought a Hennessy Hex Fly, 70d. Would it work for that?

Thank you!

The taut-line hitch incorporates a rolling hitch within itself — you make a loop around something and tie the rolling hitch back to the standing part of the rope and you have a tautline hitch. The special thing about a rolling hitch is that you can use it to tie a line to another rope and take up tension.

Where you might apply a rolling hitch in a fly situation is if you had needed more ridgeline tension than your tarp could handle. For example, if you a great big cheap tarp that you wanted to throw over a very tight, strong ridgeline. With your setup, your ridgeline tension is limited to what your tarp can handle. For a stronger ridgeline, you could rig the ridgeline like your first two steps, but instead of step three, hook the adjustable tautline back into the first fixed loop and tension the ridgeline , then use a short rope with two half hitches fixed to the #3 corner and a rolling hitch to adjustably tension the tarp on the ridgeline. That way, you get three adjustments–first, the same two as in your setup: tarp position plus ridgeline tension, and third, you get an additional independent tarp tension.

Thanks!