help with hennessy suspension

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02-03-2013, 14:13
russelj2

help with hennessy suspension

I have a Hennessy Deep Jungle and a Safari and I love both of them, but I have a lot of trouble setting them up. I use the stock setup and it takes me forever to get it hung and then I frequently wind up on the ground or scant inches off of it with my dog's nose in my face in the middle of the night. I know I must not be tying the knot right but I appear to be doing what the instructions on the stuff-sack and the video on the Hennessy website says to do.

I tried to modify the setup with the method shown in this youtube video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iJTjful66M
and it totally shredded the cord necessitating a repair from the manufacturer. Hennessy customer service is excellent, but it takes many weeks to get your hammock back. This Deep Jungle has been repaired twice and the last time it took 3 months to get it back. I do not want to try anything that will damage it again.

The only thing I'd like to change would be what happens AFTER the rope comes out of the tree straps. The figure 8 knot doesn't work for me (I'm 265 pounds by the way). Could I use one of the "Dutch" clips that you guys are always talking about? I'm bad at tying knots and my fingers hurt (probably early arthritis) even in warm weather, so I don't want a complicated knot system. I have a Warbonnet Traveler and its strap and buckle system works very well and I can string my ENO's in 45 seconds or so, but I need something that will work for my Hennessy's that won't necessitate another long,costly factory repair.

I should state that the 2nd time I damaged my Deep Jungle was when I attempted to get in the side-zip and the hammock flipped and threw all 6 feet 1 inches of me through the bug net, ripping a large hole. I believe this was once again cause by the instability due to the way I hung it. The HH people were very helpful and sold me a Safari at half-price while their repairer was on his honeymoon. On the Safari, I use the bottom-entry which I know a lot of people on this listserv don't like, but seems to me to be one of the great inventions of all time!!

Can you guys help??? Please don't be TOO technical.
02-03-2013, 14:31
Boilers23

I converted my HH to Whoopie slings w/continuous loops which makes it very easy to adjust. It wasn't that hard and you can buy a kit from Dutchware specifically for Hennessey. (Just check the weight limit.) See this thread for more info

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=62782
02-03-2013, 14:37
Roche

If you like the Warbonnet strap and buckle, why not put that on the Deep Jungle? I did this with my Explorer UL. Ordered the straps from WB, added a continouos loop, assembled it to the hammock like a whoopie sling.
02-03-2013, 15:31
Beanie

I have converted my UL with whoopies, hooks and continious loops from Dutch and it really simplifies the setup and adjustment.

It really is as simple as it seems on the u-tube videos
02-03-2013, 16:45
Whiskeyjack

Are you tying the figure 8 and just leaving it at that? I always add what I believe is called a slippery half hitch below it after tying. I've never had it move. We currently use the descender ring method on two of our hennessy's, and the standard figure 8 on the other 3. I've never had any issues with it, and I don't have to retie like so many people here seem to do.
All I do is use a simple knot when setting up the hammock that is very easy to adjust. Once it looks good I use the figure 8. That way it's only done once. I also love the bottom entry. I'm not sure why people don't like it. It's very simple to use and incredibly stable.
02-03-2013, 17:42
russelj2

I am tying a figure 8 and leaving it at that. I have my DJ set up in the back yard and have retied it several times today. It seems that no matter what I do, it will drop 2-3 feet after I get in.

I looked up a a couple of Hennessy setup videos on youtube and boys guys demonstrating there dropped a couple of feet as well. Maybe its supposed to drop that far????

My ENO's sure don't, nor does my WB Traveler or even my Skeeter Beeter.
02-03-2013, 17:53
steveflinn

all mine sink about 18" when my weight goes in. my straps always go on the tree about 6 feet from the ground, and hammock whippings are always about 4.5 feet off the ground. but then, i always manage to select strong, living trees about 18-20 feet apart. are your straps way up high in the tree? i pay attention to how floppy my ridgeline looks; it tells me by eyeing it how tight the suspension ought to be.
02-03-2013, 22:43
BillyBob58

Quote:

Originally Posted by russelj2

I should state that the 2nd time I damaged my Deep Jungle was when I attempted to get in the side-zip and the hammock flipped and threw all 6 feet 1 inches of me through the bug net, ripping a large hole. I believe this was once again cause by the instability due to the way I hung it. The HH people were very helpful and sold me a Safari at half-price while their repairer was on his honeymoon. On the Safari, I use the bottom-entry which I know a lot of people on this listserv don't like, but seems to me to be one of the great inventions of all time!!.....................
.

Tell it, brother! It does have it's advantages!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roche

If you like the Warbonnet strap and buckle, why not put that on the Deep Jungle? I did this with my Explorer UL. Ordered the straps from WB, added a continouos loop, assembled it to the hammock like a whoopie sling.

What Roche said. You can probably find a sticky om here somewhere describing how to convert an HH to cinch buckles.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NWOHanger

Are you tying the figure 8 and just leaving it at that? I always add what I believe is called a slippery half hitch below it after tying. I've never had it move. .

What he said, slippery 1/2 hitch after the figure 8. Has never move on me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by russelj2

I am tying a figure 8 and leaving it at that. I have my DJ set up in the back yard and have retied it several times today. It seems that no matter what I do, it will drop 2-3 feet after I get in.

I looked up a a couple of Hennessy setup videos on youtube and boys guys demonstrating there dropped a couple of feet as well. Maybe its supposed to drop that far????

My ENO's sure don't, nor does my WB Traveler or even my Skeeter Beeter.

So you are not using the slippery 1/2 hitch after the figure 8? I'd be real nervous about that. But every hammock I have used sag closer to the ground after I get in, to one degree or another. But if you are getting way more in your HHs, it sounds like the knot is incorrect. I'd sure add a couple of 1/2 hitches after the figure 8, only adds a few seconds. Have you checked the HH videos to make sure you are doing the HH knot correctly?

BTW, the Safari sits so far under it's RL- (which means it has huge built in sag, which I think accounts for it's great comfort) that you are going to have to put the tree huggers a good bit higher in the trees to start with compared to your other hammocks. IOW, if the RL/tree starps are hung at the same level as say your DJ, the hammock will be starting off much lower to the ground than your other hammocks. So you must start with a higher RL on the Safari if you hope to stay off the ground. But while you are at it, just get the RLs and tree huggers on both of them higher above the ground. Get the safari so you can just barely sit down into the bottom entry.

Hang 'em high!
02-09-2013, 18:08
PDA

Each fig 8 lash needs to be snugged up tight before the next is tied. If they (I typically use 5 or 6) are left slack, they will tighten up when you put weight into the hammock, lowering the hammock considerably.. Also imperitive to put in the slippery half hitch when you finish the fig 8 lashings.
I also use decsender rings with my Hennessy, but again, you must put the slippery half hitch in after you have set the height, ot the ropes will slip and eventually, shred the line.
As you like the warbonnet srap, buckle system, I suggest you have your hennessy modified to put buckles onto the end of your hammock in place of the standard sspension lines, then you can use your warbonnet straps. TBH, I think the cinch buckle, straps system is superior to the standard Hennessy "lash" system by a huge margin. Whoopie slings are lighter, and maybe even better. I'm sure that yo will find someone on this forum ready to change them for you if (like me) you don't feel confident about doing it yourself.
02-09-2013, 19:34
richtorfla

Check this thread out.
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=62782

And if you want to convert to straps, Paul at AHE can set you up. That's where I got mine from. Just be sure to tell them it's for a Hennessy. It was easy to replace the stock suspension which the link above shows. Good luck.