My Take On DIY Hennessy Hammock. A Tutorial.

**MrClean417** · 12-30-2010, 02:14

Eh, 2 years ago I was at 265 until the personal trainer at the Y got a hold of me with one of those diet changes. Then I was 285 when my rotator cuff decided to fail the rest of the way (RC Slope Soaring tear very similar to throwing a baseball IF the baseball weight 5-10 pounds!). Then, as I was recuperating from that, life got in the way.

My days of being 235 and V'd are gone, probably 215 of muscle and the rest flab now. Maybe not, I still do a lot of lifting and toting in the job. When we moved shops last year we had three fork lifts unloading semis. My boss and the dock manager on two of them and me with a pallet jack. They could put things up in shelves, I unloaded faster. It ain't all flab as it takes a bit to get a ton of pallet motivated and controlled for the 150-200 yards of our warehouse. Tonight's Sonic meal was the first crap meal in a week, but I got little to no exercise last week with a cold/flu that left me in bed most of it.

The weights going to come off, I have more 5 K's lined up and have one to run with my buddies at Oshkosh this year, but unless I stop doing the physical work I doubt it will get under 250 so I'm going to need a tougher hammock.

I'm also not doing the lightweight camping/hiking, at least not right now. Maybe when the Gdaughter is old enough to go camping with Grandpa. So a heavier rig is alright, my motorcycle won't mind at all. Just need to make sure the ropes and materials are strong enough.

**jred** · 12-30-2010, 02:24

Originally Posted by MrClean417

I'm glad the last post on this 3.5 year old post is only a month ago. I don't feel like such a thread zombie. It is the first thread that brought me to this forum last night. I ran into the Hennessey website a year or two ago when I started planning motorcycle camping. Now, I've made several trips, usually once a year but sometimes more but I hadn't thought of Hammocks till again a couple days ago. On a motorcycle forum a member was asking about camping off the cycle and I mentioned the Hennesey as an option. Another member liked the look but we debated making our own. They of course remembered this thing called the internet and did a search and found you guys.

Have you come up with a good way to use your bike as a 2nd support when there's no trees, or no trees close together? I was thinking of putting my bike up on it's center stand & using the top of my sissy bar/"luggage rack" (1/4" x 1 1/2" steel), but I'm hesitant, worried about pulling the bike over (1980 Goldwing stripped down).

**funbun** · 12-30-2010, 06:21

jred, forget the connecting it to the bike. That's a good way to crack your cranium. Just throw down a ground tarp, and use it as a bivy.

**MrClean417** · 12-30-2010, 08:24

Originally Posted by jred

Have you come up with a good way to use your bike as a 2nd support when there's no trees, or no trees close together? I was thinking of putting my bike up on it's center stand & using the top of my sissy bar/"luggage rack" (1/4" x 1 1/2" steel), but I'm hesitant, worried about pulling the bike over (1980 Goldwing stripped down).

No center stand on the 900 but I'd not want to pull on the sissybar. The next thing I was going to look at here was supports. It would be nice to have something that folds down to pocket knife side but then folds out to a nice hammock cage. Nearest I've seen, that I could actually take along on the trailer, was a couple of T posts and my rammer. But I think by the time I got it wammed to where I liked it the posts would be permanent. I have seen suspension on walking canes and had figured Maybe two dog chain screws, up to a post of not yet determined length, stabilized with chords to the sides, with the Hammock the center member of my mono-line suspension bridge. Just need to think on a lightweight, adjustable member.

Think, maybe if I can find some old chain link fence top rail. Find a couple of the swagged joints so it can be collapsed from 6 feet to two 3.25 foot sections. Or, if I get some upright, I could use the top fixtures as a stay to run the line through and run the stabilizing cords from. I've seen pictures on this net of folks who have used their cross country sticks but somehow I get the feeling they're dealing with normal size people there.

Anyways, more diggin through the archives. Saw a 3 pole, multi wire 6 person mobile rig last night, that looks great if you're taking a buss of people with plenty of hauling capacity.

**MrClean417** · 12-30-2010, 08:24

If any of this gets a little mixed up, realize that the aformentioned junk meal of lastnight proved I need to not eat it ever again. I've been up 27 hours now. Probably make the bike trip home exciting what with lack of sleep, another 8 hours of semi physical labor and 28 mph winds gusting to 40 like on the way in. Gonna stop at the hardware store and pick up a couple Eyebolts for my room. Turns out I still have a couple of Nylon web hammocks that I bought when my kids were little and we would use in camp there. Don't remember what the weight limit on them was but I used one about 5 years ago at about my current weight. Back when I was a IBM Mainframe tech and lived 60 miles away, if I got stuck without sleep for a day or two I'd rig one up between our parts racks and take a nap before driving home.

I'll at least get to start working on tying knots again.

**Rat** · 12-30-2010, 13:28

Well, since this is the Hennessey Clone thread, why don't you build a Safari Clone? It is rated for your weight and is actually a really nice hammock.

210 oxford/packcloth for the body, uncoated
1.5-2" Poly webbing
1/8" Amsteel whoopies
A couple of Camp wiregate 'biners

Hem, gather, whip, go!

BTW, the Safari can be had on Ebay for under $200
Safari on Ebay

**MrClean417** · 12-31-2010, 19:55

What is the difference between the safari, explorer or scout, just physical dimensions and a double bottom?

Most of the problems with the rather new like myself is they all look alike and frankly, other then different colors, they could be using the same picture and I can't tell. I was going to go with the dimensions of the 6'4" guy posted, though I thought of maybe a slightly wider.

**ChrisH** · 12-31-2010, 20:36

None of the models you mentioned have the double bottom, only the Deep Jungle does. I don't think the Scout is asymmetrical, as far as the others I believe it's just physical dimensions as you said. You could go to the HH website and click on "photo/specs" for each one and compare. I open each one in a different tab to make it easier. The Safari is the largest one and probably the right one for you.

**MrClean417** · 01-02-2011, 01:41

I think I was thinking of the WBBB 1.7 double layer which took it's weight capacities from 240 to 375. They are 65 by 120. No wonder I look silly in this 7 foot bed sheet. But that's ok, I don't mind lookin silly.

Looks like the Hennessy is 112 by 52. There's 12 yards of ripstop per bolt at 60 inches. 5 bucks a yard though. I'll need 20 bucks worth.

**grok** · 01-25-2011, 14:55

At the begining of this thread there was a diy hennessy. Hope i'm in the right spot. Success! Allmost! I made an asym with a zip up on one side. half noseeum, other half silny for a wind break unfortunatly I made it too short. I did want to comment on the 'thingies' used for the bridge line... 'Use one line!' I've been running one cord straight through my entire hammock with a minibiner tied with a simple knot, at each end. Very simple to change the angle of the dangle. Just move your biner.