Engineers, start your engines!!

[Timberrr]

Timberr, I'm assuming you want to use the spreader bars with your Chrysallis bridge hammocks. The spreader bars will function best at the end of each hammock, rather than at the tree. The forces on the spreader bar will be less at the hammock ends. If you try to put them at the tree, as in your diagram, the forces will be much greater, hence the poplar dowels failing.

The downside to having the bars at the hammock ends is that one occupant transfers his/her motion to the other hammock. Once both occupants are settled in, it's no big deal in my experience.

To place the spreader bar at the tree, the bar will need to be able to withstand lateral stress more so than compression. Tubing tends to withstand these forces better than solid material The thicker the wall thickness of the tubing, the stiffer the tubing will be.

Carbon fiber withstands compression quite well, but I'm not sure it would hold up to the lateral forces involved if placed at the tree.

You got it. Yes, with the Chrysalises (Chrysalii?).
Okay, so carbon fiber is out. That's basically what I was asking.

If your goal is to hang two hammocks just using two trees I've had success using the following method:



Basically just took a 1" x 2" x 18" board and drilled a hole in each end to run the suspension to for one end.

We've used this but as Detail Man just pointed out, we are trying to avoid sleeping on two sides of a seesaw so when one person gets up in the night, the other person isn't disturbed.

Tim is this hiking based or for your boat trips? Would pipe work? Obviously heavy as sin but stout enough to accomplish the deed?

Yes. Boats or car camping. I've thought of using pipe but something about taking a couple lengths of steel pipe camping just seems inappropriate to me. (as opposed to carbon fiber pipe, I guess)

I'd probably go with titanium as it's much more forgiving to torque yet still very light.
When torque is applied to Aluminum poles they bend and carbon shatters but titanium will revert back into it's original shape afterward.

Ti poles will likely run you about the same as carbon would.

If you use trekking poles that's definitely the way to go though.

Another consideration would be to use 4 guy lines and stakes to pull the hammocks apart. Would be lighter and cheaper but some people like to swing so maybe that's not ideal for you.

Titanium?! That screaming you just heard came from my wallet. I found a site that had carbon poles pretty cheap so it got me thinking about this some more.
But back to the titanium... What size would you recommend? Is it possible to get it cheaply?

Thank you everyone for your insights! Gumbo & I really appreciate your input. Feel free to offer any other suggestions to aid us in our quest for the holy grail of hammocking together - not just in the same place at the same time.