Hammocks

[exranger]

Since you guys have been such a great help so far with all of my questions, I am going to push my luck and ask another. Has anyone found a way to rig a hammock on a sloop? I have seen one pic on here, and it intrgues me. Are the stays strong enough on something like a catalina 27 to handle my big 245lb. butt? lol

mike

[sluissa]

I wouldn't know about specific boats, but i've seen them attached to stays with two people in them.

if your boat is configured to be able to handle it, to me, it would make sense to tie one end to the mast and the other end to the end of the boom(not while the sail is up mind you)

another option might be to install a couple of eyebolts in the celing and hang one inside

[exranger]

I thought of the eyebolts inside, I guess there would need to be backing plates on the outside then. Hmmmm.

The mast and boom might work...

Anyone out there try that?

[Pura Vida]

The trick for me is the prussic knot.

[Starbuck]

I'm sure the 27 can handle it. My fav place is on the foredeck, between mast & headstay (that's where the prussic knot comes in handy).

[exranger]

OK, so you use a prussic knot, maybe three turns on it, on the headstay. Never used on like that, that holds on the head stay?

Neat.

[KevinE]

What about if you have a furling head sail?

[colemj]

I've used a hammock between the mast and furling headsail using a clove hitch on the furler. Alternately, you can just wrap the hammock line a couple of times around the furled sail and finish with a half hitch. It doesn't take much to hold the hammock line onto a furled sail.

Mark

[Starbuck]

You'll figure it out. After all, Laziness is the true mother of Invention.

[wallm]

I have been wondering about mounting a hammock down below. I usually get seasick for the first couple of days out and spend a fair amount of time horizontal on the salon setee. Often hot and bumpy. It has always seemed to me that mounting a hammock below might be a good idea. After all, the old time sailors lived in hammocks. On the typical sloop it might be difficult to mount but not impossible. I doubt it would call for backing plates thru the cabin top. Anyone done this?

[JohnWms]

The kids, 12 and 3, had a wonderful time this weekend with a hammock chair I picked up on eBay for around $20. I even got in it and it was nice.

I used a genoa halyard to hold it up on the foredeck. fastened a short length of line from the shackle on the halyard to the furled genoa. I used a couple hitches on the furled sail.

We sailed around Commencement Bay almost all day Sunday on main alone so the kids could swing.

[Skylark]

I have a canvas hammock below. It is wonderful. I spend a lot of time in it.

It is set up across the cabin in my Tanzer 28. One end is an eye nut which is bolted to a stanchion bolt coming through the cabin top. I got the nut at West Marine, it looks like a small cast ring with a hole drilled and tapped into the side. The other end is a more standard eye-bolt through the plywood bulkhead with a big washer backing it up.

The hammock is a piece of painters canvas. Actually, any canvas will do, fold the ends like drapes or accordian folds, bend over the end of the folded fabric, and tie a light line around it in a sheet bend or other bend. For example, pass the line through the folded fabric, wrap it around the fabric three times, pass the line back through the three loops and then back through the fabric fold the way it came in. You can weave it thorugh the loops to help lock it in place.

I use carabiners on the line to clip to the eyes.

This is one of the best upgrades you can make to your boat if you are lazy like me.

[Pura Vida]

Originally Posted by CaptainJeff

You'll figure it out. After all, Laziness is the true mother of Invention.

On my old boat I just tied the prussic around the sail but I guess if chafe were an issue one might tie a loose loop of webbing around the headsail and hold it at the right height with the halyard. The hammock chairs are pretty cool too.

[Talbot]

two solutions:

buy a hammock that also has a stand alone rig:



or my preference - get a hanging chair:

[exranger]

I see how some people are using those hammock chairs. I have been on one on dry land and it was great. Where do you mount these on a sailboat? I saw one pic of a chair mounted on dinghy davits. Where else?