Notes on reaching great span lengths

**TheHangingTechy** · 11-28-2011, 13:04

I took up Redden Marine on their Black Friday sale and bought 50 feet of 1/8th Amsteel and fashioned myself some eye to eye extension to see what kind of span i could reach.

Combined with my ridgeline and whoopies already attached I have 48foot of sling, 20 feet whoopies and ridgeline. A total of 68 feet

The results were disappointing but i gained valuable insight.

1. I encounted the opposite of the common hammock problem...i could not find trees far enough apart to use the eye slings in single line mode, i had to double them up.

2. Splices must be pre-loaded to take out any slack and compress the braid of the rope. (means butt hit the ground the first...few times)

In the end i could not even use them both double up....there were still no trees at the right length. They were either too far or too close and could not adjust my whoopies enough to reach them.

Some images of where I went to test this out... http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/22917...tRope?h=d71a48

Any thoughts on reaching great lengths?

**bindibadgi** · 11-28-2011, 16:42

That looks pretty epic. Might I ask why?

**TheHangingTechy** · 11-28-2011, 21:12

just to test the feasibility of it i guess....a more realistic would be with a full sleep system like a WBBB or Hennesey with tarp.

I tend to end up hanging from more urban structures, connection points can vary from within my sling adjustment, to less than it...to WAY beyond it.

Atlanta Airport comes to mind....columns 4 feet across, 20 feet apart....22 hours between flights overnight and no money. I wish i had this amount of rope in tow i could have used it as a hugger around the columns

**PuckerFactor** · 11-28-2011, 22:30

How long are your slings/extensions? I made a few, but they're only 4' -5' long, which I've found is often plenty for in the woods. Actually, the only time I've had to use them was in a backyard. If you have really long slings to begin with (I would classify really long to be anything over 12' or so), then you may not need to use any extensions! And I'm sure you know, but the farther you go, the higher the straps need to be, so the limiting factor is often how high you can get the straps, unless terrain allows otherwise.

Cool pictures!
PF

**TheHangingTechy** · 11-29-2011, 21:08

Originally Posted by PuckerFactor

How long are your slings/extensions? I made a few, but they're only 4' -5' long, which I've found is often plenty for in the woods. Actually, the only time I've had to use them was in a backyard. If you have really long slings to begin with (I would classify really long to be anything over 12' or so), then you may not need to use any extensions! And I'm sure you know, but the farther you go, the higher the straps need to be, so the limiting factor is often how high you can get the straps, unless terrain allows otherwise.

Cool pictures!
PF

the slings are 6 foot. The extensions i just made were 24 feet long each in 1/8th and i have a smaller (and more practical 7 foot ones in 7/64th)
I really thought i could get the tension up high enough i could get away with setting the straps lower but the high tension along with the straps being nylon, and the ridgeline being paracord...that couldn't handle the almost 15 degree hang angle...it i could get them higher i would...maybe i could climb a tree.

**redhawktx** · 11-29-2011, 23:59

When it comes to betting your hammock to hang just right on such a long stretch, you might consider using a setup like shown in the pictures below. Use a pole at both ends of your hammock that the long spans connect to. Use a CRL between the poles. Hang hammock from poles. See pics for an example setup. The span is short compared to what you wish to do, but it should work fine no matter what the span.

**TheHangingTechy** · 11-30-2011, 00:05

Originally Posted by redhawktx

When it comes to betting your hammock to hang just right on such a long stretch, you might consider using a setup like shown in the pictures below. Use a pole at both ends of your hammock that the long spans connect to. Use a CRL between the poles. Hang hammock from poles. See pics for an example setup. The span is short compared to what you wish to do, but it should work fine no matter what the span.

looks good, how stable is it once you are in? Do you need to stake out the pole to keep it from moving too much or does the tension keep it pretty secure?

**spaceweaseal** · 11-30-2011, 22:52

You have found out already.

The wider the anchor points are connected, then the further you have to raise the anchor.
There is a link to a hang calculator on here somewhere.

**TheHangingTechy** · 12-01-2011, 15:40

Originally Posted by spaceweaseal

You have found out already.

The wider the anchor points are connected, then the further you have to raise the anchor.
There is a link to a hang calculator on here somewhere.

Yes i found that, 18.8 feet high is the proposed strap height for a 30 degree angle but i was attempting to go lower and overcome sag with shear strength of tension...it did not work.

http://dejoha.com/projects/hammocks/...alculator.html

**rwalter** · 12-08-2011, 22:37

Interesting topic. I was in the process of trying something similar back in May, and couldn't find didley squat on the subject.

The place we go camping has a nice river along the trail, and I had the thought that a hammock stretched across would be quite BAMF. So I started some figuring.

I estimated a tree-tree span of approx 100', so I'd need around 200' of 1/8" amsteel. Got some pulleys so I could get out to the hammock, or so I thought. And got some extra carabiners for hookin up. I already had an Eno and slap straps.

Got out there and couldn't find too many good trees to span, and the ones we did find turned out to be about 20' too far apart; so I ordered 100' more 1/8" amsteel when I got home.

Our next trip is over the week between Christmas and New Year's, and I intend on spanning this river. I've done the numbers to make sure everything's safe(ish): I'm 200#, so I said 400# load... puts 400# tension in the rope (@ 30deg). Amsteel 1/8" strength is 2400#... x 0.5 for knot reduction x 0.5 for more factor of safety = 600#>400#. So even if I bounce about, I'll be fine(ish).

The fun part will be climbing the 48' up the tree to set my slings, then crossing the river to repeat, and finally somehow hopping in the thing. There will be at least 4 cameras recording if I actually do go through with it, and pictures galore no matter the outcome. I'll fill you in on what I find.

Happy Hangin!