Trampolines

[Sonosailor]

Does anybody have some good, economical ideas regarding how to replace a trampoline? I am guessing it is a problem for all of us multihullers sooner or later. I have been quoted $1000 Can for the replacement of a tramp for my Tobago 35, and hope there are other safe and reliable options.

[GordMay]

Maybe I'm "off the wall", but I just saw a gymnastic type (backyard) trampoline, frame & all, at Wallmart for <$400 CDN ($270USD).
Might be worth contacting the manufactuters for a custom quote?

[Sonosailor]

Jeeze Gord. Walmart! Economical, likely to be strong enough to do the job without increasing their liability, likely to advertise UV protection.

You may have something there. I HAVE to check it out. I'll report back after I investigate...

In the meantime, can the rest of you share what you have done to solve the problem?

[MelissaK]

A professional seamstress friend built me new tramps for Vinga, and the mesh she used is from Bainbridge, a very reputable marine materials company.

I'm very unhappy with the tramp because it's coated with some sort of plastic, and if it's wet, it's dangerously slippery.

Good luck with your replacement. Please do post what you do.

Cheers,

Melissa

[Harriet]

Economical is a relative term. We just purchased 600 ft. of 1" webbing to replace the trampolines on our PDQ 36. The cost was $150, which we thought was a very good deal. My guess is that it would have cost a good deal more if we hadn't found a dealer willing to give us a good price. We also bought a used marine sewing machine this past winter for $250, and we plan to make new tramps ourselves. They will most closely approximate what was on the boat when it was new. You might want to check with the manufacturer of your multihull to see who they use - you might be able to deal directly with the trampoline manufacturer for some savings. Hope this helps.

[auterygd]

sonosailor,

Check out multihullnets.com. They have a lot of info on tramps, material used, strengths weaknesses et al. they will manufacturer a replacement if you wish. They are in Florida but the info should help.

[Dalliance]

My FP 37 came with a cargo net used on large cargo aircraft (I think surplus military) I don't know the cost, but it is bullet-proof. The flimsy attachment points were re-enforced with steel and fiberglassed over 2.5 years ago.

[The South African]

Maybe I'm "off the wall", but I just saw a gymnastic type (backyard) trampoline, frame & all, at Wallmart for <$400 CDN ($270USD).
Might be worth contacting the manufactuters for a custom quote

Is that not a bad idea? You run to the foredeck to sort out a jammed furler and as you jump you get catapulted by the tramp 5 meters in front of the bow in the green?

[Gator81]

Originally Posted by The South African

Is that not a bad idea? You run to the foredeck to sort out a jammed furler and as you jump you get catapulted by the tramp 5 meters in front of the bow in the green?

ummm... I'm thinking we'd leave the springs and frame off the boat...

Seriously, the new tramp I put on my old Hobie 16 was about US$300. It's the UV-resistant material used in the weave that costs so much. But I really like it. Very tight weave, so small things like contacts and earrings don't go through, but fine sand and water do. And it has not yet had to be re-tensioned, going on 4 seasons since installation. I got it from Salty Dog Marine, if I remember right. I can look it up for sure if you want.

[Steve Rust]

Check out Custom Straps, Nylon & Polypro Webbings, Metal & Plastic Buckles at Strapworks.com for webbing in bulk for the do it yourselfer.

[44'cruisingcat]

I think webbing is more advisable for a seagoing boat - it will drain faster if a wave goes over it. The wal-mart trampoline might make it much easier to replace masthead light globes though.....

[bryanweaver]

Tramps...I had a company that manufactured tramps for cats and tris. We did a lot of Corsairs. Company name was Mentor Marine Products. When we started we set our sights on Sunrise Yacht Products in Pinellas Park Fla. I know we gave them a run for their money because we got quite a bit of business from customers that checked them out first.

We started doing Hobie cats and grew from there. I have made tramps for most popular boats up to $5million cats. I no longer am in the business but have a very good understanding of tramp building, tramp materials etc. If some of you know Philip Berman, I made tramps for one of his boats.

Just from a quick read of this thread, mesh tramps are NOT GOOD for Water boats">blue water boats. I made some for a 65' tourist boat being built for Hawaii, it was one of those fake sailboats (big engines, not much sail). I told them to take off the tramps prior to leaving. Coast Guard made them keep them on for delivery. They hit some rough seas and the tramps literally tore the mounting rails off the boat. The tramps survived, but hardware ripped off, the boat had to get repaired. One of our prouder moments in tramp building though.

Flat webbing is really heavy, and expensive to make due to high labor costs. NEVER use nylon, always use polyester (not polypro).

I have made nets out of spectra net. I even had a boat net being fabricated by my old spectra supplier that got bumped out of line by Playstation, because it was "more important" .

We've done a number of open knotless netted tramps. That is a good compromise, except it is often difficult to find netting that has a smaller hole with large gauge twine.


If any of you have questions on tramp designs, hardware or materials, feel free to ask questions.

[Tnflakbait]

This is a little bit of a hijack... But does anyone else get "You should put springs on this thing!" when lubbers are aboard? I have difficulty explaining that I don't want to be catapulted into the sky when the boat drops off a wave!

[bryanweaver]

I used to get people that would want to lace their tramps with heavy duty bungee cord, especially on a beach cat. Little did they know that the tramp on most beach cats acts as a structural stabalizer, keeping things from shifting around.

On bigger cats, I don't know why anyone would want to do this either, mainly because it will only last for a season at most, and sure footing on a tramp makes it safer. All tramps tend to sag when walked on, so amplifying the condition only makes things worse.

My suggestion would be to give them a cushion to sit/lie on while on the tramps.

[44'cruisingcat]

Bryan, I'm building a 44 foot cat. (pics in the gallery) I intend to do some bluewater sailing with it. ATM I'm thinking webbing tramps, as I think they will drain quickly, and still be more comfortable to walk or lie on than netting. I would appreciate your input.