Bridge Hammock Spreader Bar Want To Poke a Hole in My Tarp!!!

[StringHimUp]

Just finished one ginormous Hex Tarp for my bridge hammock. Unlike most of my projects this one seems to have come out right on the first shot.

However, I almost poked a hole in it when getting into/out of the hammock. When the spreader bar goes on a big angle from sitting on the edge of the hammock it is trying to poke a hole in my brand new tarp.

I am securing the ridgeline of the tarp on the whoopies used for the hammock using a pursik knot like HH does. I want to avoid the weight of tree huggers and a ridgeline dedicated to the trap and I wanted the tarp close to the hammock ridgeline for better coverage.

Any thoughts on how to deal with this problem would be greatly appreciated.

[BrianWillan]

I am securing the ridgeline of the tarp on the whoopies used for the hammock using a pursik knot like HH does. I want to avoid the weight of tree huggers and a ridgeline dedicated to the trap and I wanted the tarp close to the hammock ridgeline for better coverage.

Any thoughts on how to deal with this problem would be greatly appreciated.

Panel pulls at the points where the spreader bars will hit the tarp. Guy those out to create more interior volume. How long are your spreader bars? I have a BMBH with 32" tip to tip length and they do rub my Ogee silnylon tarp when I get in or out, but it hasn't caused any holes.

Cheers

Brian

[BillyBob58]

Just finished one ginormous Hex Tarp for my bridge hammock. Unlike most of my projects this one seems to have come out right on the first shot.

However, I almost poked a hole in it when getting into/out of the hammock. When the spreader bar goes on a big angle from sitting on the edge of the hammock it is trying to poke a hole in my brand new tarp.

I am securing the ridgeline of the tarp on the whoopies used for the hammock using a pursik knot like HH does. I want to avoid the weight of tree huggers and a ridgeline dedicated to the trap and I wanted the tarp close to the hammock ridgeline for better coverage.

Any thoughts on how to deal with this problem would be greatly appreciated.

This is a well known ( at HF anyway ) disadvantage to a spreader bar design. More or less, wider bars = more shoulder room and more potential contact with the tarp.

Another problem is wind driving the tarp into the bars. And in stormy weather requiring a more narrow "A" frame pitch, even more trouble. A wider pitch on your tarp = less trouble, narrow "storm" pitch = more trouble. Also, more tarp height = less contact with a given pitch. The closer the tarp RL is to your hammock, the wider the pitch will need to be.

My best way of dealing with it is with tarp pull outs ( either using "Grip Clips" or sewn/glued on panel pull outs). These are placed to line up exactly with the bars. A line from them to a tree/bush/hiking pole pulls the tarp out right where you need it, allowing a more narrow storm pitch with little to no contact.

Another approach is to rig up some sort of a cushioning device on the end of the bars, which will prevent any tarp damage. Think slit tennis balls for one extreme example.

One other: have you ever tried a "Baker Hut" tarp pitch? No contact problems with that pitch!

I must say that, before I decided to try the Grip Clips on my JRB tarp, I had a lot of JRB spreader bar contact with my JRB Sil-nylon tarp, and never had any damage or leaks. It did worry me though. But one person here, with a tarp made from some other UL material, did poke a hole in his tarp with his spreader bars, don't remember what kind of hammock.

Baker Hut with JRB tarp:


Grip Clips as pull outs on JRB tarp:

[FLRider]

Not dealt with this myself, but something that comes to mind is sewing a piece of abrasion-resistant fabric on the inside of the pull-outs where the contact can be made. Something like a small circle of 200d Cordura or Oxford cloth. That way, you'd be able to avoid abrasion even if the tie-outs aren't quite enough. It'd be a weight penalty (a tiny one; we're talking maybe two or three square feet of fabric here), though...

[StringHimUp]

I had thought of using a re-enforcement patch (and probably will) but it kind of defeats the idea of not sewing my ridgeline. When making this tarp, I followed the idea I saw elsewhere on this forum of not sewing the panels together at the ridgeline. Instead I made two flat felled seams on either side of a full width of fabric, using only half a width of another piece on either side. (Actually, this point should be far enought out to the side that a leak would not matter...)

BillyBob, those JRB clips are a very cool looking solution.

After posting this I also went out back and tried to do some trouble shooting and found that if I sit down further into the hammock instead of near the near edge, the angle is not as bad and doesn't stress the tarp nearly as much if at all.

Thank you all once again. This place and these people are great!


PS spreader bar length at the head end is 32 inches, per Grizz's spec's.

[Brute1100]

What about some sort of protection on the end of your bar? Rounding the corners... Electrical tape... Blue rag duct taped on?

[StringHimUp]

The bar end barely protrudes from the webbing and it isn't pointy. So can't see how to put anything on it to distribute the force over a greater area.

[Shug]

Poked a hole in my cuben tarp with my Grizz-Bridge hammock.
Hold the bar when getting in or out helps. Pull-outs or grip clips at that point help the most and maybe a higher tarp pitch as well.
Good luck.
Shug

[JohnSawyer]

How about a large, plastic disc on the end of the spreader bars to spread the load?

[Jazilla]

Don't swing in the hammock. The only time I have heard of it ripping a tarp was Shug's cuben. Also good tarp tensioners should give the tarp some give when the bars press against it. Also not sitting right on the edge as stated above will keep the spreaders from shooting up as you sit.

I am reading more and more about members fears of the spreader bar. Anyone ever have it rip a silnylon tarp?