A Mayan Hammock's real gift to hangers

[Chocolatier]

I saw quite a few Mayans relaxing in Mayan hammocks when I was in Guatemala earlier this year. It was a cool day at the plantation--around 80F and not too humid. Folks had them hanging on their porches and looked pretty darned comfortable. I plan to bring (at least) one back with me from my next trip.

[LostCause]

Here is the weave pattern on my favorite Mayan.

[sandykayak]

hmmm... it sounds/looks as if what you are calling Mayan hammocks are what I would call a string hammock. I have a few from Venezuela.

The Bliss in a Hammock ones are very closely woven and are thus quite thick (like heavy fabric) and the strings don't separate (which is probably cooler).

I went to Wekiva Falls Resort this past weekend and, being private, they don't have a bunch of rules like "no booze" and no tying anything to trees.

So, I strung my new Oversized Bliss (using straps, of course)...had a lovely siesta but this didn't feel very oversized compared to the standard one...still couldn't get a nice diagonal. Maybe it's the hanging angle, but I had so much stretch that my butt ended up on the ground.

[Cannibal]

I forgot all about this thread until I was reminded of it this morning. So, let's give an update.

I have made several trips south of the border and a couple south of the equator since I started this thread. I have not made it into any of the villages I had hoped to get into, but have broke bread with a few artisans down there that do this type of work. Unfortunately, nobody was willing to show me their technique. Understandable since it is how they make their money, but disappointing none the less. As a young man, I participated in a few research trips up and down the Amazon; primarily regarding river dolphins. The folks in the villages are amazing and always willing to share knowledge in exchange for whatever you have that they want. I'd really like to get back into those areas. Alas, time isn't free and with Genuine Draft's school schedule, well it's just tough.

I've been spending a good chunk of time in Rocky Point, Mexico the past couple of years and have made some good acquaintances. My hope is that they will be able to put me in contact with some of the hammock builders in the area. They aren't as traditional as I'd like, but I'm fairly certain the process is basically the same. Obviously, I'm hanging around a few of the vendors selling hammocks. The Mexican Hammock is not as tight as a weave as the Mayan Hammock. Many use the terms interchangeably, but a quick look will make the differences obvious. I have picked up a couple of skills with regards to weaving a basic hammock though. Maybe I should do a quick video on it. Tell you what, I'll get some string ordered and weave one while filming it. Fair warning, it will be a time-lapse video because I am not Speed Buggy when it comes to weaving.

By the way, I still believe kite string would work for a Mayan and it might work for a Mexican weave, but it would be way uncomfortable as a Mexican Hammock. The Mayan weave would have about 3x the density of string, so they wouldn't dig-in to your skin as much.

[LostCause]

Hey Cannibal...

Can you give some examples of the Mayan weave and the Mexican weave? I'm sure I've seen both, but I'd really like to know which is which. Can't wait for the video...


I purchased some pvc pipe and some braided mason line for the purpose of making one of these woven bridges but I do not have the free time I used to. I hope to get around to it some day.

[rah]

I've had a succession of mercerized cotton mayan hammocks on my veranda here in Seafeathers Bay Anguilla. I started with a Tommy Hamaca XX-Grande, and the one I'm using is something about the same size that I picked up on special at Amazon, which works fairly well.

Pretty much the previous landfall for the breeze around here is Africa, and you can actually freeze yer patoot off if it's over about 10kts except for the hottest days, which is good, 'cause it can get pretty sweaty around here. I'm, heh, big, so I've got a big hammock, and there's a whole bunch of research out there that body heat causes fatigue, so when I get tired, I lay down in that puppy for a little while until I'm shivering, and then I'm good to go for another hour or so. I've tried to sleep in at night, but that's hard to do except when there's no breeze, so the skeeters (which I'm immune to, been bit so much here, in St. Thomas when I was a kid, and Alaska when I wasn't so much) buzz in my ears and keep me up all night.

Of course, for a couple of weeks in September there's no breeze, and, while it is cooler hangin' in the breeze than it is standin' in it :-), I end up firing up a Vornado fan under my back, if not my backside, and that seems to both cool me off, and also blow the skeeters that show up when the trades aren't there to blow 'em downwind.

Problem is, being about a quarter mile from the ocean in three directions, salt-air which may or not cause crystals to form in the string, but which *does* cause mildew, which eventually stains, and then weakens, the hammock. After about a year hanging on the veranda 24/7/365 except for the odd hurricane (concrete houses are your friend, boys and girls), I have to go and score another one. Usually make myself a Christmas present of it.

Now... I've been thinkin'...

What I'd really like to do is scare up some uhmwpe UHMWPE (Dyneema/Dynex-DUX/Spectra) *string* spun instead of braided, if something like that exists, ship it off to Guatamela or Yucatan or someplace, crank out a prototype, and see if *that* would solve the mildew problem.

It might also be a good way to put a giant gash in my wallet, too. The real problem is, I've been poking around various places and can't seem to understand both textile-speak about string size, the spinning thereof, and, well, Chinese, where it looks like the stuff might be made...

I think I'll just go back to the veranda and have a, um, think, about it...

[dejoha]

When I finally figured out how to weave a Mayan hammock, I broke the news to Cannibal. I have a video tutorial, illustrations, and photos that show step-by-step how to make this style of hammock from loom to clew. It's actually been a lot of fun to make!

> https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...ad.php?t=76857