Retractable sun shade for yard/basketball court

[Baboontyme 2,876]

I've been brainstorming on this. I am not an engineer nor particularly handy, I'm hoping someone might have some ideas here that I could maybe use. 

I built a 1/2 basketball court in my backyard for Baboon Jr. It's pretty sweet. The problem is that to fit it in at the size that I wanted to allow for a full 3 point arc, I had to wedge it in in a way that the backboard faces almost due East. So the sun sets behind it, and it makes it very difficult to play in the evenings. 

I have an idea for some kind of a retractable sun shade on a pulley - think how they raise the nets on football goal posts for FG/XP attempts. I'm looking at a product like this one.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/ShelterLogic-16-ft-x-16-ft-Sand-Square-Sun-Shade-Sail-Poles-Not-Included-25732/203477219

I don't have anything to mount the pulley on that high/tall. I'm looking at the 16x16, and I might even want it to go a bit taller. I also don't want it to be up all the time as it would be an eyesore for the neighbors. I'm not trying to go Monty Burns on the whole neighborhood or anything. The idea would be if he wants to play, use a pulley system to raise it up to desired height, lock it in, and then lower it when done. Bonus points if it could be moved horizontally to account for different sunset arcs at different times of year. 

Any thoughts on how this may be accomplished? Or alternate ideas? I've certainly seen the large shades you can get that essentially put a roof over your court, but I'm not interested in that for a variety of rea$on$. 

[Baboontyme 2,876]

2 of these - https://www.amazon.com/FDW-Sectional-Aluminum-flagpole-American/dp/B01D2T3WIW/ref=sr_1_12?crid=UXEZTKV6XKUA&keywords=20+foot+flag+pole&qid=1555349810&s=gateway&sprefix=20+foot+fla%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-12

2 of these - https://www.amazon.com/Bond-Manufacturing-60476A-Gaelen-Umbrella/dp/B00JG3WT4W/ref=sr_1_3?qid=1555349401&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin%3A3850334011&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-3

1 of these - https://www.homedepot.com/p/ShelterLogic-16-ft-x-16-ft-Sand-Square-Sun-Shade-Sail-Poles-Not-Included-25732/203477219

Might have to put some cinder blocks on the bases if it was windy, but otherwise why wouldn't this work?

[JSB 677]

No way the umbrella bases hold the flagpoles and sun sail up with any wind at all. Whatever you go with, I would plan on cementing into the ground. You could also use aluminum tubing in the electrical isle of home depot to save a little cash over the cost of the flagpole. The flagpole comes ready to install though, so it would be easier.

I would also install the poles twice as wide as the sail, and attach the sail to the flagpole with a cable. That way, if you wanted to adjust horizontally, you can by shortening/lengthening the cables on either side of the sail as needed.  

[Baboontyme 2,876]

You don't think those bases would hold, even with a couple of cinder blocks on each of them? I have no intentions of putting more cement shit in the ground. What about contractor buckets with cement?

Good idea on the width. 

[JSB 677]

Those umbrella bases are designed to hold an umbrella that is 7 or 8 feet tall. The flagpole will be more than twice that height literally holding a sail. Contractor buckets is probably your best bet if you don't want to put anything in the ground. 

[Lazarus Bocanegra 311]

this may be a dumb question but could the hoop be moved to the other side of the court? 

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

Ya need a min. of 16' of height.  That's tall and wind will not be your friend.  I'd look at trees in the yard you could string cables between, and then a horizontal type sliding canopy, like what's been speculated was above the Colosseum in Roma.

[Baboontyme 2,876]

30 minutes ago, Lazarus Bocanegra said:

this may be a dumb question but could the hoop be moved to the other side of the court? 

Not a dumb question, but no, it's in the ground.

 

20 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Ya need a min. of 16' of height.  That's tall and wind will not be your friend.  I'd look at trees in the yard you could string cables between, and then a horizontal type sliding canopy, like what's been speculated was above the Colosseum in Roma.

I have done some more research. Those shades apparently allow air through them and hold up well in wind. What I have decided on is mounting 2-2.5' of PVC in concrete in 5 gallon buckets. The flagpoles will go into the PVC pipe. The flagpoles have the ropes and pulleys on them so I can attach the shade at two corners to each flagpole. He will have to draw it back down when he's done playing but hopefully with the pulley system that will be easy enough. 

[deadshank 24,654]

You could just have him learn how to shoot line-drive 3 pointers like Norm Nixon used to do and save yourself a lot of money.

[Jor 0]

On 4/17/2019 at 9:23 AM, Baboontyme said:

Not a dumb question, but no, it's in the ground.

 

I have done some more research. Those shades apparently allow air through them and hold up well in wind. What I have decided on is mounting 2-2.5' of PVC in concrete in 5 gallon buckets. The flagpoles will go into the PVC pipe. The flagpoles have the ropes and pulleys on them so I can attach the shade at two corners to each flagpole. He will have to draw it back down when he's done playing but hopefully with the pulley system that will be easy enough. 

Do you have any pictures of the final setup? Looking to do something similar! Thank you!