Bamboo stand - WBBB compatibility problems

[hutzelbein]

A couple of days ago, I built a bamboo hammock stand to finally be able to hang indoors. I copied Turtlelady's stand as much as I could from the photos. The only thing I did differently is that I used bamboo for the ridge pole as well. My ridge pole is 3m long, which means that the prussiks which connect to the hammock are about 2,90m apart. Longer would be better, but 3m was the best I could do. I measured my WBBB roughly when set up outdoors, and the lenght should have been just about right.

However, when I attached the hammock to the stand, things don't seem to work like they usually do. When I set up the hammock between 2 posts or trees, the ridge line usually hangs quite loose, until I get in the hammock. Set up on the ridge pole, the hammock behaves differently. If the ridge line is loose, it stays loose. I had to push the prussiks apart until the ridge line was quite tight. But when getting in, it doesn't get tighter - I rather think it gets more loose! Maybe the reason for this is, that the bamboo pole bends a bit? I wouldn't mind, but I just can't get comfortable in the hammock. There always is a ridge under my knees or calves. It's OK to sleep in the hammock for 1 or 2 hours, but then I have to get out.

What am I doing wrong? Does the WBBB maybe not work with this type of stand? Would I avoid problems by getting a simpler hammock like e.g. a Ticket to the Moon?

[Bubba]

Sounds like there is some flex in the bamboo. I have a metal stand I use indoors and the same thing happens. Because the posts flex a little I have to set up whatever hammock I use tighter than I would with trees so that when I get in, the sag gets to where it should be.

[turtlelady]

Can you post a picture? I have no WBBB experience, but have hung in my switchback on a 10' pole.

[shumway]

I had the same issue last time I used my stand. I was hanging off prussiks, which I think had the effect of shortening the hang distance. When I hung from hooks at each end, with my whoopies joined in the middle, the problem was reduced quite a bit.

[hutzelbein]

Thanks for the help.

Unfortunately I did not take pictures - I had to take down the stand for the moment, and I'm still trying to figure out what to do before I'll set it up again.

I agree that the problem probably is flex in the ridge pole. There are a couple of problems now:

1) My prussiks slip slightly on the slick bamboo pole. Which increases the problem.

2) The ridge pole has limitations - it's only 3m long, and I can't pull the prussiks over the last section of the bamboo, since it already starts splitting behind the knot. Which means I have to work with less length.

3) I also can't pull the whoopies further apart because the hammock ridge line doesn't allow this. It was already difficult to pull it this far apart.

I guess problem 3 can be solved by taking out the ridge line. Problems 1 and 2 probably can't be solved with the bamboo pole. It seems that I have to switch to something else, if I can get it that long. It's also annoying that I have to modify my Blackbird, since I'm using it elsewhere occasionally. I even have to take out the webbing, because I can't shorten it enough to fit the pole.

As much as I like the simple construction of the bamboo stand (and I love the ridge pole since you can throw a blanket over it to cover the hammock), I'm beginning to wish that I had built a traditional stand :(

[hppyfngy]

I'm afraid your ridge pole is too short. And if it's splitting you're going to have to find something else anyway. In the meantime, don't hang over the cat!

[warbonnetguy]

yeah, stands often have flex in them, so you have to account for that when setting up, and you'll want a little extra distance so you can tighten the suspension some to account for this.