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It wouldn't take much cut to greatly reduce head room, and like Tim, I really like a lot of space to move around. I really haven't seen any reason to try and improve the pitch on my tarp...it's gone through some insane winds and stayed nice and tight.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DawgU
1: Take some guyline cord and make a ridgeline from one of the connecting rings to another. Use a truckers hitch and you can tighten it a bit after everything else is adjusted, to give it a sharp crease at the top.
2: tie to the trees, at least one, a little bit below the level at which your hammock is attached to the trees. For best rain protection, have the hammock ridgeline very close to the tarp ridgeline prior to getting in the hammock and the resulting sag. Obviously, make sure the tarp covers each hammock end equally, and the ASYM is correctly oriented re: the ASYM hammock and covering the side pull outs adequately. IOW, the side pull out of the tarp PERFECTLY aligned with the ASYM side of the hammock.
3: After you have tensioned the sides with a truckers hitch ( or whatever ), hang some weight ( 5 or 10 lbs) from the hooks on the side tips of the tarp where the guyline attaches. This will greatly reduce the amount of wild, noisy tarp flapping in the wind, and hold steady pressure as the cold and rain loosens you line tension. Believe me, this one point connected non-cat cut HH fly will REALLY flap like crazy in the wind if you don't do this. I imagine bungees or self tensioning lines would work as well or better, but I haven't tried them. ( i just use small stuff sacks full of sand or dirt or rocks). That's what those hooks on the sides of the tarp are for.
4: In a big storm, have the sides staked close by the side of the hammock, straight down. No awning pitch. If you are staked rather than tied to a root or something, make sure your stakes won't pull out as the rain pours and the ground softens.
With the above, I have been able to get a really tight pitch. Believe it or not, with some( a lot) care you can stay bone dry in a big storm with wind. I have done it. Plus, you'll save yourself about a hundred bucks and a couple of ounces. But a MacCat is way nicer, roomier and easier!
Oh, BTW, get rid of those crappy stock black guylines and get something like the orange low tangle hi vis spectra that Ed Speer sells! It's so much easier to work with.
adding to what billybob said about the guy lines... laying a large rock or log (heavy branch) across the guy line where it's connected to the stake will make a huge difference.
when the wind gusts really hard, it may lift the log or rock a little, but that's more forgiving on the line & tarp than a non-moveable connect... as long as the rock isn't to abrasive on the line.
it also helps the stake do it's job & may keep it from pulling loose.
I like the extra headroom of not having a cat cut ridgeline...makes a big difference getting in and out of the hammock if there's any condensation on the underside! At least with a low pitch.
I've never had any trouble getting a tight pitch with the MacCat...if it ain't broke, it don't need fixin' (but we'll keep working on it anyway :D ).
Ditto. The MC is almost a tight pitch even with slightly loose guylines!Quote:
Originally Posted by Just Jeff
Thank you very much. It looks like I will be pleased whenever I can get the MacCat, and I appreciate the tips on using the stock tarp.