Stake system and method for soft material

A method of staking a stake-down object in loose material, the method comprising:

• coupling a first end of a flexible line to a distal portion of a stake member, the stake member including a longitudinal length with an elongated portion extending longitudinally from the distal portion to a proximal end of the stake member, the elongated portion being longitudinally longer than the distal portion, the distal portion having a first lateral width and the elongated portion having a second lateral width, the first lateral width being larger than the second lateral width;
• positioning the stake member above the loose material such that an inner surface of a longitudinally extending bend defined in the distal portion of the stake member faces away from the stake-down object;
• and
• forcing the distal portion of the stake member and the flexible line into the loose material a distance from the stake-down object;
• wherein the forcing the stake member comprises substantially maintaining a constant orientation of the stake member relative to the exposed surface of the loose material with the flexible line extending tautly away from the stake member through the loose material at an angle ranging between about 45 degrees and about 135 degrees.

A method of staking a stake-down object in loose material, the method comprising:

• providing a stake member and a flexible line, the stake member having a longitudinal length extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the stake member including a distal portion proximate the distal end and an elongated portion longitudinally extending between the distal portion and the proximal end, the elongated portion being longitudinally longer than the distal portion, the distal portion including an inwardly bent surface defined by a longitudinally extending bend in the distal portion, the flexible line including a first end and a second end with an intermediate portion therebetween;
• coupling the first end of the flexible line to the distal portion of the stake member;
• forcing the distal portion of the stake member and the flexible line into the loose material a distance from the stake-down object with the proximal end of the stake member and the second end of the flexible line remaining exposed above the loose material:
• and
• slicing across the loose material with the flexible line by pulling the second end of the flexible line toward the stake-down object until the flexible line extends tautly away from the distal portion of the stake member and through the loose material toward the stake-down object;
• wherein the slicing step comprises substantially maintaining a constant orientation of the stake member with the inwardly bent surface facing away from the stake-down object and the flexible line extending tautly toward the stake-down object at an angle ranging between 45 degrees and 135 degrees relative to the stake member.