Switched to whoopies -- Now how do I secure the tarp?

[lebugman]

Well, I recently upgraded my HH to amsteel whoopie slings, which I'm really digging since they are so light and easy to use. -But now it seems that the tarp connectors need to be upgraded as well.

The Hennessy came with these little plastic clips for the tarp that are attached to the suspension rope. The clips are secured to the rope by means of a thin elastic cord cinched down around the rope. Now that I'm using whoopies, I think these clips would slide along the slippery amsteel too easily. Is there an easy tarp attachment alternative that anyone would recommend? My preference would be to minimize any extra cordage. My whoopies are already cut pretty long, as I tend to hike where trees are not reliably close together.

[Boothill]

even when i was still using the stock hennessy tarp i didn't like hanging it attached to the hammock and hung it with it's own lines

get yourself a couple dutch flys and some zing it and attached from each end of the tarp.......you could do a tarp ridgeline if you want, i've just never done it that way or have any need too

boot

[Two Tents]

I did not have any issues with the stock cordage slipping on the amsteel. I changed to whoopies and moved the cord with the clips to where they were. It worked the same. Maybe a tiny amount of slipping till I tightened the prussic knot. For the most part-no trouble when I used that method. I did go to a CRL after I switched tarps. The stock tarp needs to be close to the hammock for any kind of weather protection with a Hennessy.

[SilvrSurfr]

I think most people go with an independent tarp suspension once they do the HH conversion. However, the thread below describes how you could make the whoopies in a certain way and still attach the tarp to the whoopies.

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...t=13116&page=3

Post number #104 from Smokebait explains that "the additional length between the fixed eye bury and the constrictor of the whoopie sling is so you can attach your prusik loop for the tarp hook in that area. There should be enough space to allow one to properly center and tension the tarp."

The prusik loops that came with your Hennessy should work fine on the Amsteel Whoopie. However, I think prusiks are typically made from a rope with a smaller diameter than the one to which you are attaching. Therefore, you might think about making the prusiks from 1.75 or 2.2 mm Zing-It.

Personally, I would get (or make) some snake skins and go with the independent tarp suspension. You may lose time in speed of deployment, but you can set the tarp up first and immediately have a dry place to hang hammock, store gear, etc. You can also store wet tarp separately from hammock and everything else.

On my tarp suspension I'm using a Nite-Ize knot bone on one end, and a Nite-Ize Figure 9 with soft shackle prusik for adjustability on the other end. You could also use Dutch Tarp Flyz and Dutch Hooks. More than one way to skin a cat!