Whoopies and what I'm doing wrong.

So I just installed whoopies onto my HH explorer ultralite and purchased some longer (5 ft) tree straps from wilderness logics. My Whoopies are probably 6' at max on either side give or take a few inches. There are trees in my back yard that are probably 22 feet apart (so my Whoopies are almost all the way out). I cannot keep my *** off the ground. What are the possibilities for what I'm doing wrong? It seems like I can't get the hammock much straighter. Does amsteel stretch? Could it be my huggers? Could it be that simply the further apart everything is the higher I need to go on the tree?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BraveSaintStuart

Could it be my huggers? Could it be that simply the further apart everything is the higher I need to go on the tree?

---

This is most likely what is going on. I have hung from trees about 20' apart before when testing in my yard and had to have the suspension really high in the trees to get a good hang.

There is a chart around here somewhere that shows the distance vs. height angles for optimum hang.

You need a ladder! Or find two trees that are closer together.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BraveSaintStuart

What are the possibilities for what I'm doing wrong? It seems like I can't get the hammock much straighter. Does amsteel stretch? Could it be my huggers? Could it be that simply the further apart everything is the higher I need to go on the tree?

---

At 22' between your trees, you are going to need to have your tree huggers pretty high up in the trees to get the desired 30 degree suspension angle. See below:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tobit

This is most likely what is going on. I have hung from trees about 20' apart before when testing in my yard and had to have the suspension really high in the trees to get a good hang.

There is a chart around here somewhere that shows the distance vs. height angles for optimum hang.

---

The chart is known as the Ultimate Hang Calculator.

Plugging the 22' between trees and using a 100" hammock ridgeline you will need the following to get your 30 degree hang angle with the hammock 18" off the ground.

Strap height: 94.2"
Suspension Length: 94.2" (tree hugger + whoopie sling length)

Amsteel doesn't stretch, but pulling your suspension tight and very horizontal (at large distance), exerts a tremendous amount of force on the suspension and the trees and that is likely what is causing you to drop so low.

Cheers

Brian

Sweet, thanks for the help guys. That's mostly likely what's going on. I'm a short fat guy, and at 5' 4", it would be difficult for me to hang a hammock 90". Looks like I'll just work on finding some other options in the backyard. At least I know it's not the rope or the tree huggers.

The closest trees in my backyard are 25 ft. apart. Not only do I mount the tree straps high on the tree (9 or 10 ft.), I also use continuous loops to extend my six ft. whoopies. At 25 ft. distance, you need to add some length to have any whoopie adjustability.

I used to make 10 ft. whoopies just because I wanted to be prepared to hang between trees 25 ft. apart, but on the trail I have never hung at that distance. That's why I use the continuous loops to extend the whoopies. I carry a couple in my pack in case, but I've never had to use them on the trail, just in my backyard.

And another thing: using six foot whoopies over that distance not only means that you have no adjustability, but the adjustability you have will be hard to maximize because your whoopies are under tension. It's almost impossible to shorten or lengthen a whoopie under tension without getting your teeth involved, or growing a third hand. When the whoopie is under tension, you need to use your teeth on the adjustable loop bury to loosen it, one hand on the adjustable loop and the other on the tail of the adjustable loop.

Adding the continuous loops decreases the tension by adding length, which is essentially the same as using longer whoopies (10 foot).

And one more thing. If you're spanning 20 ft plus distances, that puts tremendous stress on your ridgeline. I've been using 1.75 mm Zing-It (480 lbs. breaking strength) and haven't snapped one yet (even spanning 25 ft. between trees). Then again, I only weigh 155 lbs. so I'm not putting a great deal of horizontal stress on my ridgeline. I have an adjustable ridgeline so if it looks too taut, I loosen it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SilvrSurfr

It's almost impossible to shorten or lengthen a whoopie under tension without getting your teeth involved, or growing a third hand. When the whoopie is under tension, you need to use your teeth on the adjustable loop bury to loosen it, one hand on the adjustable loop and the other on the tail of the adjustable loop.

---

Isn't that why we have teeth? Whenever I'm working with any line, it seems my teeth are as busy as my hands! :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BraveSaintStuart

...it would be difficult for me to hang a hammock 90". Looks like I'll just work on finding some other options in the backyard...

---

Get a couple of 10' tree straps, use a ladder to put them up if required and leave them there. Visually inspect them before each hang to be sure the squirrels didn't take a bite.:D

Get the hammock app! I used it for hanging setup in my carport. Having to hang from a high support beam, in order to get the height off the ground I wanted it calculated it out @ 18.5 ft wide for the 91" height I was using. The app does the math for you, you can tweak the variables.