Tips for hammocks at sea?

[msponer]

What's better at sea: athwartships or fore and aft? Any tips?

[puffcard]

Has to be fore and aft on a small sailboat so it can swing when the boat rolls. Back in the old days that's all they used and put them everywhere.





The tradition was brought to Europe by Columbus, who discovered the hammock on his little voyage to the Americas. I think when a sailor passed away, they would sew them into the hammock before sending them to Davy Jones Locker.

[Zipwow]

Neither, go halfway and lay on the diagonal. I find it's much more comfortable, and easier on the back.

[StPeteRob]

I prefer fore to aft, as most seem to just to accommodate normal rocking motions.

I've actually been hanging it between a halyard cleat on the mast and the backstay.

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[RaymondR]

I hang mine under the boom but I don't sail with it there, have not used it for a long while now.

[MarkJ]

I used to have a hammock when working in the bush, lying diagonally as Zipwow mentions.
However for long term living on a boat i think you will find a proper bed more comfortable.

Why?

Because only sailors had hammocks, the officers had bunks. Hammocks were a space saving device not a comfort feature comparable with a nice soft bed with stuffed bunny rabbit pillows.


Mark

[msponer]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I used to have a hammock when working in the bush, lying diagonally as Zipwow mentions.
However for long term living on a boat i think you will find a proper bed more comfortable.

Why?

Because only sailors had hammocks, the officers had bunks. Hammocks were a space saving device not a comfort feature comparable with a nice soft bed with stuffed bunny rabbit pillows.


Mark

Our aft bedroom has a centerline berth, the kind with a walkway on either side. This is perfectly comfortable for two people in calm conditions, but with any heel we find we have to splay out to keep from rolling onto each other or off the bed. Splaying (or starfishing) works for one person on the bed, but isn't restful when two are trying to do it on the same bed and get entangled. Thus the hammock experiment.

Also the kids think they are great.

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Because only sailors had hammocks, the officers had bunks. Hammocks were a space saving device not a comfort feature comparable with a nice soft bed with stuffed bunny rabbit pillows.


Mark

Prior to hammocks sailors just slept on the decks wherever they could, the introduction of hammocks provided a softer, drier and consequently more comfortable bed away from the roaches, rats and other creatures and they could be stowed away leaving the decks clear for the working of the guns.

[Hudson Force]

We don't often use hammocks, but when we do string them up, we often place a bungee cord perpendicular to the lay of the hammock to dampen the swing.