Results 1 to 10 of 10
  1. #1
    Senior Member billvann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Northern Illinois
    Hammock
    HH Expedition
    Tarp
    Winter Dream v.2
    Insulation
    KAQ Potomac
    Suspension
    Whoopie hook
    Posts
    135
    Images
    1

    First Hang tonight @ Devils Lake State Park, WI

    My son's Scout troop is camping at Devils Lake State Park near Baraboo, WI. It's one of my favorite places we camp at and I never get tired of the 500 ft' quartzite bluffs.

    The forecast for tonight is Thunderstorms! So I'll likely be setting up in the rain. My hammock is all set wrapped up in its snakeskin for easy assembly. The suspension ropes are still new with only a few hours of backyard hang time, so I think I'll tie them up a tad higher than I did in the yard to accomdate for further "newness" stretching and sag from the rain.

    I'll have my snakeskins cover the tarp prussik knot to protect it from the rain. Do you think I should add a little strip of cloth at each end for a drip line or is that not needed.

    Any other tips for setting up in the rain?

  2. #2
    Senior Member Ramblinrev's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Milton, PA
    Hammock
    Hennessey Explorer Ultralight
    Tarp
    Hennessey Hex
    Insulation
    HH Super Shelter
    Suspension
    ring buckle
    Posts
    7,945
    Images
    101
    It's hard to set up an HH in the rain when the tarp is attached to the hammock as the stock system dictates. You can't hang the tarp first and work under it to hang the hammock. You kind of have to trust the hammock is securely encased by the tarp when you pull off the snake skins. It can be done. I did it for awhile, but when I swapped out my suspension for the webbing/ring buckles I switched to hanging the tarp by itself to the trees.
    I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.

    "Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
    Mrs. Loftus to Huck Finn

    We Don't Sew... We Make Gear! video series

    Important thread injector guidelines especially for Newbies

    Bobbin Tension - A Personal Viewpoint

  3. #3
    Senior Member billvann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Northern Illinois
    Hammock
    HH Expedition
    Tarp
    Winter Dream v.2
    Insulation
    KAQ Potomac
    Suspension
    Whoopie hook
    Posts
    135
    Images
    1
    Mmm... I'll just have to work fast to unfurrel so the tarp protects the hammock. Then stake out the tarp first. Also, if its raining hard I'll just wait until it lets up. That should reduce the chance of a drenching. Thanks again, Rev.

  4. #4
    Senior Member MrGreen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Minneapolis
    Hammock
    TrekLight
    Tarp
    HG Cuben
    Insulation
    7D HG 3s Phoenix
    Suspension
    Whoopie
    Posts
    173
    Images
    80
    Baraboo is a beautiful part of Wisconsin. Hopefully the weather won't be to obnoxious for you. I would suggest attaching a drip line just to be safe. You never want to wake up in a pool of water. Good luck.
    Meka Leka Hi Meka Hiney Ho ~ Jambi

  5. #5
    Senior Member billvann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Northern Illinois
    Hammock
    HH Expedition
    Tarp
    Winter Dream v.2
    Insulation
    KAQ Potomac
    Suspension
    Whoopie hook
    Posts
    135
    Images
    1
    Makes sense. I hope there's a breeze tomorrow to blow away the humidity. We're teaching backpacking techniques to the youinger boys and they'll be lugging their packs up the steep trails. Although the packs will be light, 10-20 pounds, they're not use to having them on their backs.

  6. #6
    Senior Member cavediver2's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Southern IL
    Hammock
    CLARK NX-200 / Clark NA /Warbonnet
    Tarp
    CLARK NX-200 TARP
    Insulation
    PAD and BAG
    Posts
    825
    Images
    33
    Man as a kid I use to love to go up there and water ski,camp,hike,and all the shows up there. I sure miss that place.

    Have fun take many pictures so you can post them here.

  7. #7
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Minnesota
    Hammock
    I have many so....
    Tarp
    Blackcrow DIY Tarp
    Insulation
    FrankenquiltUQ/Pod
    Suspension
    Whoopie Slings
    Posts
    23,394
    Images
    62
    Great area .... have a blast. Adversity is our ugly buddy! Get to know him.....
    An absorbent pack towel ...shammy type .... is really good to have for wiping down after set up in the rain.
    If you don't have drip strings take your extra free-hanging suspension and bring it up under the tarp and tie it off at the hammock end on the line as a redundancy factor.
    Drip-Free Shug
    Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven

  8. #8
    Senior Member billvann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Northern Illinois
    Hammock
    HH Expedition
    Tarp
    Winter Dream v.2
    Insulation
    KAQ Potomac
    Suspension
    Whoopie hook
    Posts
    135
    Images
    1
    Sorry for the delay in posting my results. I have less than a week to wrap stuff at work before I head off to summer camp for a week (Camp Tesomas north of Rhinelander, WI).

    My first night went without a hitch. We drove through the rain storms, and they were nasty storms at that, so I was able to set up dry. It did rain later that evening after we went to bed, but that didn't mater. The first problem I had was finding a place to hang. I had to keep it within the general campsite at the park to be near the troop. And most of the tree in and around the site were older, mature trees with larger trunks. I managed to find one with about a 6" diameter with one of the larger trees (maybe 20" diameter). So I threaded the support rope through the web loops and tied it off onto itself with a taught line hitch. The other end I was able to use the prescribed Hennessy lashing.

    The evening started warm and muggy so I rigged a small O2 Cool Model 1041 fan with some cord on the ridge line. It cooled me off and lessened the effect of the humidity. It spun a little bit on the ridgeline so I had to play with the paracord to make a multipoint harness. For summer camp I’m going rig a leather strap about three inches wide with some snaps on it. The width should ride on the ridgeline and prevent spinning. It will hang by the battery compartment upside down. This will direct the flow right down the length of my body.

    The next morning I awoke with my butt nearly on the ground. The knot and lashings held up so I assume it was the support lines stretching out with their first use. The resulting sag made my sleep a little uncomfortable. Nothing drastic but I was worried that I may not be made of the proper stock to be a hanger.

    So I went about tightening the support ropes to raise the hammock. But it wasn’t going up any noticeable difference. I could spend much time as we were preparing to head out for our hike up the bluffs.

    Later at diner, I’m sitting at the picnic table trying to figure out what I’m doing wrong. Then it hits me! The tarp is attached to the support ropes and is taught. When I try to tighten the rope the Prussik knots transferred the energy to the tarp which was pulled as tight as it could get while the hammock slung beneath it lose. So all I had to do was loosen the tarp by sliding the Prussik knots towards the center, tighten the hammock to the desired tension, then retighten the tarp by sliding the Prussik knots back out towards the tree. A rookie mistake!

    That night I slept beautifully! My feet were a little low so I slide down a bit to where my body was in line with the centerline instead of being turned. But it was not bad and next time I’ll be sure to make my head a little lower.

    I can also see another advantage of hanging your tarp separate from the hammock. I really like the compactness of rolling the tarp and the hammock in a single set of snakeskins and the quick set up and take down. But I think I’ll start looking for a replacement tarp, like the OES MacCat Deluxe or similar tarp. I like the idea of 4-5 tie outs per side so you can close off the ends in foul or cold weather. More research!

    Next week I’ll be sleeping in it all week at camp. I’m going to set up a tent for my gear and for changing (it’s a Boy Scout camp so I need to be discreet.) But I’ll get lots of practice tweeking the hang and set up.

  9. #9
    canoebie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Edwardsburg, MI
    Hammock
    Blackbird XL
    Tarp
    UGQ Winter Dream
    Insulation
    HG UQ and TQ
    Suspension
    straps and buckles
    Posts
    2,823
    What a great opportunity to learn. Funny how we figure things out and become good problem solvers when out in the "Piney Woods." I camped in that park on the way back from paddling the Boise Brule River in NW Wisconsin about 15 years ago. It was pretty. Good luck with the tarp. Part of the fun of hanging is it is a dynamic event. Always changing, always evolving.
    “Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?”
    ― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

  10. #10
    Senior Member Perkolady's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    NE GA
    Hammock
    diy
    Tarp
    diy 9x11
    Insulation
    JRB No Sniveller
    Suspension
    CBs + DCs
    Posts
    1,093
    Images
    29
    Experience really is a great teacher, especially with everyone's gear, physical attributes, and enviornments being so unique.

    It's great you got a chance to give your hammock a try, and shared your experience!

    Please let us know how camp went when you get back. Have a great time!

    Thanks for the trip report!
    Perkolady

  • + New Posts
  • Similar Threads

    1. Replies: 3
      Last Post: 07-05-2017, 08:19
    2. Replies: 415
      Last Post: 07-16-2013, 11:09
    3. Afton State Park Tonight (12/29/11)
      By Bic in forum Hangouts, Campouts, and Trip Planning
      Replies: 2
      Last Post: 12-29-2011, 13:24
    4. 2011 Texas Fall Group Hang ver 3.1 - November 11-13, Fairfield Lake State Park
      By UncleMJM in forum Hangouts, Campouts, and Trip Planning
      Replies: 314
      Last Post: 12-20-2011, 07:10
    5. Video: Texas Fall Hang 2011 at Lake Fairfield State Park
      By babelfish5 in forum Trip Reports
      Replies: 37
      Last Post: 11-23-2011, 22:32

    Tags for this Thread

    Bookmarks

    Posting Permissions

    • You may not post new threads
    • You may not post replies
    • You may not post attachments
    • You may not edit your posts
    •