After much use and reflection and study, we decided that getting the hammock centered within less than 1" between the trees and with the suspension line angle off the tree within 1 degree wasn't really necessary.
TeeDee being the Physicist and Mathematician that he is, just naturally went that route when he developed the method. He likes to measure and get things JUST RIGHT.:scared:
Well, after much discussion, he finally realized that having the hammock centered within less than an inch wasn't really necessary and that if it was off by 6" to 12", so what? Well actually, it wasn't all that much discussion :lol:
Also, we sat down and examined the table and decided that if the hammock was off center by 6" and the suspension angle at the tree wasn't exactly known within 1 degree, then getting the slack in the suspension rope wasn't really all that critical either.
So given that we went back to the angle table, and decided that if we just used between 2" to 3" of slack, that was good enough.
So, we now just casually pace off the span and tie a bowline on one end for that distance.
Then go to the other tree and pull the suspension line tight so that it is horizontal. Now I don't mean really, ultra-tight using the most force possible. Just pull it tight with little sag. Then back off 2" to 3" and tie another bowline on that end with the end of the bowline loop at the selected spot in the rope.
On both bowlines, use a bight to go up out of the rabbit hole, around the tree and back into the rabbit hole. Makes tying the bowline easy and undoing it easy.
You mentioned that you were repositioning the toggles on the line.
You should never have to reposition the toggles. The only reason to reposition the toggles is to change the length of the ridge line not the position of the ridge line on the suspension line.
Using the above much abbreviated method, you will have the hammock centered as much as you want it and with the suspension line angle at the tree between about 25 degrees and 30 degrees. If you want more than 30 degrees, increase the slack let out to between 3" and 4".
If you want the hammock off center for any reason, just decide which end should be the shorter end and tie the bowlines such that that end has the shortest distance from a toggle to the tree.
So to summarize:
- pace off the distance, no need to be ultra-precise - we have always done this anyway to make sure that we have picked trees with a reasonable span.
- tie a bowline on one end so the end of the bowline loop is one-half the tree span from the middle of the rope,
- pull the suspension rope horizontal at the other tree, and
- let out 2" to 3" slack.
- tie bowline with selected spot at end of bowline loop,
- hang hammock from toggles.
We find this easy and quick and we don't have to struggle with the full weight of the hammock and any quilts, over covers or under covers while hanging the suspension line.