So I have hung my hammock several times and I have to adjust the ridgelne each time. It's either too tight or loose. What am I doing wrong or is this expected. Sometimes i can set up a tight ridgeline, then lay in the hammock and the ridgeline is drooping. Help?
It should be noted, I am setting it up in a different place everytime.
You set the ridgeline when you have a comfortable hang, then leave it alone. The next time you set up, lengthen/shorten the suspension to get the correct tension in the ridgeline and then adjust the tree strap height for the correct distance to the ground.
If the ridgeline is loose, shorten the suspension. If the ridgeline is too tight, lengthen the suspension.
Each time you set your hammock up, the distance between the hammock ends will be affected be the distance between the trees and the height that you fix your tree straps. This is inevitable but will affect the lay of the hammock. The ridgeline fixes that distance, making the lay of the hammock feel the same each time despite changes to tree spacing and hang height. The tension in the RL will change though to compensate for the RL having to do more work. If for example you set the length of your RL to have a fairly neutral tension when the angle of your suspension is at 30*, then that tension will increase as your hang angle lowers. So by the time your suspension angle is at 20*, your RL is holding your hammock hang angle at 30*, there will be considerable tension on the RL. But, that is the function of the RL, to give a consistent lay each to
time.
Many people try to keep the RL tension fairly low and that probably a good practice to learn how to hang your hammock consistently, but it isn't essential. I hang my hammock and lay down, sometime later I reach up and check the RL tension. If its really tight, I'll try to think about why that is, but I'm usually really comfortable so I don't bother changing it :-)
Sorry for the long-winded answer. I would fit your RL and not worry about tension too much although it's good to know why it's there.
Atb
Mark
Look up the Hammock Hang Calculator by dejoha. It will explain a lot. Derek is da man. Buy his book!
The closer the trees are together, the lower you put your suspension on the tree relative to your hammock height and vice versa. Try for the 30 degree angle on your suspension to minimize stresses on the materials.
Per dejoha, for a simple test for the 30*angle, form an 'L' with your thumb and index finger with the index finger parallel to the ground.(Palm facing towards you) If your suspension line is parallel to an imaginary line running between the two finger tips, you have a good hang angle. Make sense? He does a much better job illustrating this than me.
Not sure if this helps. But I find on my ENO DN. that if I keep a SRL of 89". And my 2 anchor points 10' apart I hang my tree straps 60" above the ground. For every foot further apart the anchor points are I raise the tree straps 3" higher. This seems to keep me around 2' off the ground with about 30degress of hang. I am 230lbs 5'10"
Normally you start with your ridgeline at 83% of your hammock length laying out straight. Then adjust in and out from that point.
I don't want to hijack this thread, but maybe expand on ridge line information, Hope this is ok, if not someone tell me.
What rope is acceptable to use as structural ridgeline. I have 7/64th amsteel, 2.2 orange fling-it (650# test) and 1.75 zing-it. I also have paracord but it may stretch too much.
I now have the ridge line on a Skeeter Beater Pro set at 107" measured from bunched end to bunched end. This seems about right because the line is firm but has a little give when the suspension is at 30 degrees.
All three of the above will work well. The amsteel is overkill, but many use it. I usually use either size of zing-it.Originally Posted by barnes3126
Thanks, I'll use the 2.2 Zingit, the piece of amsteel is 25' and I really wanted to make a pair of whoopie slings.
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