Marlinspike over marlinspike? Possibility or death-trap?

[timabababaluka]

Been reading (a lot) about suspension, and I have a question. I really like the marlinspike—it’s quick and easy, and seems to spread the load over more of the webbing rather than pinching it. The setup I am planning is along these lines: tree hugger girth-hitched, and a marlinspike close to the hitch. From there, the easy thing to do would be to tie an overhand on a bight to create a loop that will go over the toggle and lead the webbing to the descender rings on the end of my gathered hammock.

Because, other than a water knot, I have little experience tying knots with webbing, I am concerned that the knot created by the overhand on a bight might significantly weaken the webbing under load. My question is this: can I slip another marlinspike hitch from the webbing over the toggle from the tree-hugger, or would that cause an instability or additional stress that I am overlooking? I've been scouring the threads, but can't seem to find what I'm looking for.

I’m trying to get some Scouts in the air with materials on-hand, and I prefer not to be remembered as the guy who single-handedly paralyzed the troop (I have way too many other things to live down before I tackle that kind of debacle) . Any insights or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

[pgibson]

I may be reading incorrectly but I think you have a set in there that is unnecessary. If you are using straps with rings for adjustment you should not need the toggle and knotted loop. Simply take one length of webbing from the rings around the tree and using A. carabiner B. Dutch Clip C. Nacrabiner..... atache the end of the webbing back onto the running length where it begins to go around the tree. Webbing all one piece, minimal extra hard wear, fast to adjust. But like I said I may have miss read or not understood.

[nacra533]

I'm having a tough time picturing what your planning.

A marlin spike hitch (outside of some camping uses) is used to get a better hand hold on a line to pull it tight using the marlin spike (metal rod) as a handle. Another use is to create a temporary and fast handle to pull yourself / climb up something.

All of this you probably already know
Many are using the marlin spike hitch as a quick method for creating a toggled suspension somewhere in the middle of the line. They use an arrow shaft or stout branch as the toggle. With a toggled suspension, they hang from the webbing above the toggle with everything below the toggle "unloaded."

I think if you were to introduce another load below the toggle, the toggle would have to be of sufficient strength to resist compression/collapse which would cause the marlin spike hitch to fail.

[timabababaluka]

Wow! Thanks for the quick response. I probably should have been a little more clear with what I've got:

a) 5' hugger
b) 2 rings larks-headed to the end of a gathered hammock
c) 10' webbing I'd like to attach from (a) to (b)

(x2 for the other side)

I frequently overlook embarrassingly obvious solutions once my mind starts to travel down a particular path, so if you're seeing a solution that is so simple it seems impossible for a person to miss it--well, I'm kind of a miracle worker that way

Your explanations are appreciated (just use short words)

[Knotty]

When you have rings at the hammock, you'll want to use a single piece of webbing with a sewn loop on one end. Wrap the webbing around the tree and feed the free end through the loop (or put a carabiner thru the loop and clip the free end into it). Take the free end down to the rings and use a garda hitch to give you an adjustable attachment to the hammock. Repeat on other side. No need for separate tree huggers.

Watch Grizz's video.

[timabababaluka]

You guys are awsome! Thanks for clearing it all up. Now all I have to do is figure out a way to kick my own hind-side for making what should have been simple way more difficult than it had to be

[Bubba]

Are there loops sewn into the 10 foot webbing? As the others have said either girth hitch the loop end around the tree or use a carabiner and then feed the webbing through the descender rings. It's a good idea to back up the webbing that is fed through the rings with a slippery half hitch. If you need longer than 10 feet I'd suggest picking up some 15 foot lengths of webbing.

[coolkayaker1]

I have trouble following your idea (me, not you), but just wanted to offer this recent thread and photos as another pot'l solution without descending rings, nacrabiners, etc. Simplicity.

The CoolGrizz suspensio-just scroll down to the post with the pictures. Shiould work for the troops, timb.

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=21407

[timabababaluka]

@ odds--I am disappointed at the members of this forum's continued inability to read my mind . I should have mentioned that I am running 3/4" mule tape with no loops at the end. I was hoping to avoid sewing loops (hems are no biggie, but my faith in my thread injecting abilities falls just short of tampering with my suspension).

@ ck1--don't know how I missed this! It's like it was written for me, and putting the marlinspike hitch on a bight simplifies my rather convoluted solution to the problem (and I get to ditch the huggers . Thank you very much for pointing me in that direction.

Just a general question now: is 3/4" okay to strap around a tree? How thin can webbing be before it just becomes rope?