Method and apparatus for securing a tarp

A method for securing a tarp comprising the steps of:

• securing a clip to the tarp at a selected location on the surface of the tarp;
• anchoring one of an elastic cord;
• orienting the cord so that it is generally along an axis extending between the anchored end of the cord and the clip;
• gripping the cord near the free end thereof;
• pulling the free end of the cord at the gripped location while so orienting the cord;
• stretching the cord until the gripped location is beyond the clip;
• placing a desired level of tension in the cord;
• attaching the cord to the clip at a location along the cord between the gripped location and the anchored end which maintains the desired level of tension;
• and
• wherein said clip includes a pair of open--ended slots and wherein the step of attaching the cord to the clip at a location along the cord between the gripped location and the anchored end which maintains the desired level of tension comprises the steps of:
• inserting the cord into one of said slots through the open end thereof;
• and
• inserting the cord into the other slot through the open end thereof.

An apparatus for securing a tarp comprising:

• a substantially planar clip having an elongate opening therethrough, said opening having a wide end and a narrow end, all of said wide end being wider than said narrow end;
• a first portion of said opening having substantially straight edges which taper toward one another, said wide end being formed in said first portion;
• a second portion of said opening having substantially straight edges which are substantially parallel to one another and which join the edges of said first portion at substantially the narrowest part of said first portion;
• and
• a button having a base, a neck and a head, said head being of a size which prevents it from passing through said opening, said base being of a size which permits it to pass through said wide end and prevents it from passing through said narrow end and said neck being receivable in said opening when said tarp is disposed between said clip and said button, said tarp being wedgeable between said button and said clip at a location dependent upon tarp thickness as said button slides from the wide end toward the narrow end of said opening.