Illustration - Rigging A No-Sag Hennessy Style Tarp

[dejoha]

I don't want to repeat myself too much on this post, but I wanted my friends here on HF to be aware of a new post and illustration I made on how to solve the oft-occurring "limp tarp syndrome" on the Hennessy Hammock.

I'm going to try to summarize a few key points below, and you can see the full post on my blog.

The Hennessy models are often shown with the tarp connected directly to the hammock suspension. This has a very striking visual appearance, but it also has some practical benefits, including quicker set-up and take-down, a pre-centered tarp, among other advantages.

However, one negative side-effect that some have noticed is that once you get into the Hennessy, the tarp goes limp, often sagging in the middle and touching the sides. The solution has been to try to tighten the suspension _more_, but it isn't 100% effective.

A tight pitch on the hammock puts extreme force on the suspension, webbing, and even the trees, which results in stretch on the suspension lines. Although the stretch is suppose to be minimal (I believe spectra line is bout 3%), it adds up. It is nearly impossible to hang a hammock with the suspension perfectly horizontal.

When the tarp is pitched across the nearly horizontal hang of the hammock it appears taut and straight. Once the hammock is loaded, the hammock settles down. Changes in the suspension line allow for the suspension angle to change and the distance to lengthen. The result is that the hypotenuse of the triangle where the tarp is connected is slightly longer, meaning the distance between the tarp ends has shortened resulting in a limp pitch.

The solution is to pull those prusik knots where the tarp is connected further up the hammock suspension, away from the hammock and closer to the anchor point. If you have a tight pitch on the hammock, this is nearly impossible to do. You could have a partner pull the prusiks while you lay in the hammock, but that isn't always possible. In addition, once you get out of the hammock and the hammock "recoils" back, the tarp will be on extreme tension that could damage the tarp or the connectors.

To reduce the strain and get a perfect pitch, one easy solution is to hang the hammock on the magic 30-degree angle instead of horizontal. In this way, the tarp can be pulled up further on the suspension without damage to the tarp. Once weight is applied, the tarp remains taut.

This technique can be used on any hammock where you want to save some weight, time, or hassle by attaching the tarp directly to the hammock suspension. By using a 30-degree angle you reduce the forces that stretch the suspension and you minimize the change in hang angle.

[oldpappy]

Makes good sense - thank-you. I'll be trying this in the spring when I get my HH out for bug season. (Prior I used Option 4 and small shock cord loop on the head end prussic)

[SLCpod]

Thanks for the post. I liked the blog write up too.

[Canoefor2]

Looks gret I will try it with the HH Explorer Deluxe and hex tarp. I was always wondering why HH wanted their tarps pulled tight.

[BillyBob58]

Great work, Dejoha! I guess you have put the theory to the test and have determined that it is actually a big help?

The only problem I see is coverage. As you move the connection points higher up the suspension lines, won't the tarp be higher above the hammock? Seems to me that little tarp needs to be pretty close to the hammock for adequate coverage. Have you noticed anything relative to that?

I'll have to try this soon!

[Picaro]

Great work, Dejoha! I guess you have put the theory to the test and have determined that it is actually a big help?

The only problem I see is coverage. As you move the connection points higher up the suspension lines, won't the tarp be higher above the hammock? Seems to me that little tarp needs to be pretty close to the hammock for adequate coverage. Have you noticed anything relative to that?

I'll have to try this soon!

I hang my Explorer at 30 degrees, and the prussicks are up a bit higher. But I have the mitten hooks clipped to the main spectra line, which keeps the tarp down close to the hammock. Another thing I want to try with this, is to make the prussic loops from shock cord to see if that minimises any slackening in the tarp ridge line.

[oldpappy]

I just watched your video in the Gossamer Gear newsletter (same link you provided above but somehow I missed it) and wanted to thank-you. This video taught me more than I figured out during my 5 years of usage - I now know why I had mixed results with my stock set-ups and what to do. I think this method will work on my DIY rig as well and will try it out soon.
Great teaching video - thank-you. (and nice derby/hat too :>)

[DRobertson]

you sir, are a genius.

[captaincoupal]

Great work, Dejoha! I guess you have put the theory to the test and have determined that it is actually a big help?

The only problem I see is coverage. As you move the connection points higher up the suspension lines, won't the tarp be higher above the hammock? Seems to me that little tarp needs to be pretty close to the hammock for adequate coverage. Have you noticed anything relative to that?

I'll have to try this soon!

I agree with BillyBob58 - pulling the tarp higher up will make me more uncomfortable with the existing adequate coverage, has this been field-tested?

I do, however, think that the side pullouts using shock cord work well, and I've been considering the Hennessy rainfly tensioners for quite a while as an alternative. Has anyone else used them?

[Madman4049]

Awesome writeup and video, the pullouts on my Hex fly were some sort of thin black cordage. I had always considered shock cord but never actually did it due to weight concerns, and frankly never could get a taught pitch with the HH Hex. The situation you described above was my main problem with the Hex fly it just flapped way too much and always seemed loose, though unlike you I never thought outside the box.

As for tensioners I haven't used Hennessy's, didn't even know he made them. I made four of my own about a two years ago and they seem to work well. In all honesty though having been a tent camper my whole life prior to the Hennessy I never even contemplated Hennessy's attachment system since tents basically do the same thing by securing the fly to the body. Apparently it does make a difference in the hammock world which is why my new Superfly is on it's own ridgeline.

Thank you very much for the writeup.