Instruction: Gathered End Hammock

**Knotty** · 06-21-2010, 09:55

Congrats Dave. Everything looks good.

The ridgeline attachment is something you can play with until you find what suits you best.

I made a couple of hammocks for my nephews out of the Walmart fabric, but it was the digital camo and they're little kids so weight isn't a concern.

**Shore08** · 07-23-2010, 14:46

I am having a hard time understanding how you attached the structural ridge line. It is tough for me to see in the picture due to it being white on white (the line).

You have an end channel, which the whipping is run through. That get tied off. Then the suspension goes behind that (on the hammock side).

Does the ridgeline go between the whipping and the suspension? I guess what confuses me is that it looks like the two lines would be crossed, and pull against each other. Isn't that bad on rope? (Rope rescue class I took said the easiest way to cut a rope is to use another one against it).

Thanks for the clarification

**Knotty** · 07-24-2010, 21:47

The ridgeline is simply looped over the suspension line or to say it differently, the suspension lines are threaded through the loops in the ridgeline.

Because the lines are static, and don't run across each other, I'm not worried about one sawing through the other. Still it's wise to visually inspect the lines for wear.

**Shore08** · 07-25-2010, 14:44

Thanks Ron, that helped explain it.

**jons4real** · 07-25-2010, 15:18

Thanks for the video

**GnomePatrol** · 07-25-2010, 15:49

I know the ridgeline is personal as to length but on my 10' diy the ridgeline is much shorter than any I have read about. 101" is a popular number but that just ends up being slack and hangs almost down to the hammock body. Am I measuring wrong? I measure from the "whipping to whipping" since thats where my rl is attached.

**Knotty** · 07-26-2010, 15:42

Originally Posted by Shore08

Thanks Ron, that helped explain it.

Originally Posted by jons4real

Thanks for the video

You're both welcome.

Originally Posted by GnomePatrol

I know the ridgeline is personal as to length but on my 10' diy the ridgeline is much shorter than any I have read about. 101" is a popular number but that just ends up being slack and hangs almost down to the hammock body. Am I measuring wrong? I measure from the "whipping to whipping" since thats where my rl is attached.

Sounds like you're measuring right. A rule of thumb is the ridgeline should be 83% of the hammock length. A 10', or 120", hammock would have a 100" structural ridgeline. If you're ridgeline is slack, then that means you're hammock suspension angle is too steep. A ridgeline can prevent too little sag but can't prevent too much. Again, a good rule of thumb is for the suspension lines to be 30 degrees from horizontal.

**Kasuko** · 08-05-2010, 13:21

Any advice how to modify these steps to make one of these? http://www.eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com/underbelly.html

I always have a lot of gear that sits on the ground a lot when I car camp and think this is the answer.

I was thinking of following the advice without a ridge line ... or maybe I should shallow it up a bit?

**Knotty** · 08-05-2010, 17:14

I'd just make the gear hammock much shorter and narrower than the main hammock, and like you wrote, no ridgeline. Also, use 1.1oz nylon if you have it.

**Kasuko** · 08-06-2010, 08:04

Thanks, and due to fabric availability I will probably make it out of this stuff http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=15549 but this is for car camping only since when I car camp my bag usually sits in one place the whole time and makes a wonderful home for a lot of critters etc.

If I like it enough I may purchase material for a lightweight one. But that's not in the budget right now (there is a lot more important stuff I need to buy first)