Tarp Attached to Hammock, Easy Setup!

**Mule** · 09-01-2012, 21:53

I have attached my tarp to my hammock suspension sort of permanently. I am going to love not having to string up the tarp and center it over my hammock.
Here is the history,
I have been following MedicineMan's thread on Socks called Hangin out Durigible.

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=54206

There are some great ideas there. But the groundwork had already been laid by my having bought a Eureka Chrysalis. The Chrysalis is a one unit hammock, the rain cover is one with the hammock.
Well the Chrysalis didn't work for me because it was a little narrow and it hurt my arms when laying on my side, which was the idea on getting it. But while I used it I loved the simplicity of setup and teardown.
But instead of leaving the rain cover on, I attached my 10 x 11 Cuban tarp to the Chrysalis and it was as easy to set up and take down as was the Chrysalis.
So I am back in my BlackBird again and I decided after seeing the thread on Socks I would attach my tarp to it the same way I did with the Chrysalis.
It's really quite simple, I found out the height I would need to have a tarp ridge line which would allow the tarp to be attached to the suspension at the highest point possible. That meant moving the cinch buckles out so that all the parts of the hammock and the tarp were within the confined of the cinch buckles. Now no lengths will change in hanging with this setup no matter what the distance between trees.
For me a ridge line (adjustable) of 176 inches allowed me to have four inches of bungee on each side of my eleven foot tarp for keeping it tight. I installed a ridge line that would limit the stretch on the bungee to within it's range and attached everything to the cinch buckles.
Now, I just take the hammock out of the bag much like they were doing with the Sock/Tarp idea in the Sock thread. There is no adjustment needed to center the tarp and no need to attach anything to the trees except hang the hammock and possibly stake out the tarp if you want. If it's raining you are dry from the start.
In the photos notice how the tarp ridge line is hanging down looking looser than the hammock ridge line. This is normal, as you see when I get into the hammock BOTH ridge lines are tight. The Tarp Ridge line is an adjustable one made like a whoopee. I added loops to the hammock suspension until the desired length was right from the prusic loop around the end of the hammock to the cinch buckle (and the ridge line was slightly shorter than the sum of the length of the tarp and the two bungees).
If anyone is interested I could measure everything for the BB. I intend to make some short whoopies to replace all those extra loops on the hammock suspension.
Of all the tasks one has to do when setting up, the tarp is the most time consuming. Not any more.
BTW, those dims for the BB are approx 176 inches on the ridge line for the tarp and 25 inches from the attachment point of the hammock to the cinch buckles each side.
The last three photos show the refined setup, using small whoopees. I think I'm going to like this.
Now two more photos added to show the whoopie setup, 19 to 28 inch whoopee and soft shackle. The soft shackle should be about and inch longer to go thru the cinch buckles.
Replaced one photo with Sketchup drawing. Click on link below to see it.

List of parts would be for an 11 foot tarp and BB with a 100 inch ridge line would be:
1. two double end whoopies that ranged from 19 to 28 inches. With a prussic one end would go on the hammock and one on the soft shackle that
goes through the cinch buckles. This ridge line made of amsteel or similar limits the width between the cinch buckles so the stretch on the bungee loops would not be over traveled and tear the tarp when you get into the hammock.
2. two soft shackles about 2 to 3 inches long when closed which would replace the loop and prussic that came on the BB. This would go trough the cinch
buckles to function like the loop and prussic did on the original BB suspension.
3. two doubled 4 inch loops of bungee to go on the ends of the tarp via a small binder.
4. one soft biner about 2 to 3 inches long when closed for one end of the tarp ridge line. the other end will be directly prussic'd to the cinch buckle on one end. The other end uses this shackle.
Added another Sketchup view

**DiscoveryDiver** · 09-01-2012, 22:08

Thanks for the post...definitely an attractive idea!

What would be your approach if you had to pack up wet and redeploy later in the day at a new location?

**2ply** · 09-01-2012, 22:08

Looks good...you've got the whole system in one easy package.

**Mule** · 09-01-2012, 22:18

Originally Posted by DiscoveryDiver

Thanks for the post...definitely an attractive idea!

What would be your approach if you had to pack up wet and redeploy later in the day at a new location?

That is a concern, but since the tarp will b dry on the inside, I think I could just shake it off and stuff it with the hammock leaving the wet side of the tarp outward if that's possible. I could also roll it in the tarp and just put it in my pack that way.

**Shotgunred** · 09-01-2012, 22:42

Nice work mule! For wet tarp occasions you could use a small biner (dutch ridge line biner maybe?) to clip and un-clip tarp. There would still be an issue with setting up in the rain and being unable to set up tarp first.

**Fish<><** · 09-01-2012, 22:50

Nice idea Mule, I have some ideas in my head now. I love the Dirigible, and if given the chance I will get one some day...Till then I'll have to stick with ideas like this for setup.

Thanks,

Fish<><

**Mule** · 09-01-2012, 22:50

Originally Posted by Shotgunred

Nice work mule! For wet tarp occasions you could use a small biner (dutch ridge line biner maybe?) to clip and un-clip tarp. There would still be an issue with setting up in the rain and being unable to set up tarp first.

HiShotgun Red! Yes i do have small biners holding the tarp to the bungees. I could easily take it off and even when putting it on and off, I am going to find it much easier than using another line up to the trees.
Ain't hammockin fun?
We should be going down on the first cool weekend. Hope you can make it, too.

**Shotgunred** · 09-02-2012, 00:22

Originally Posted by Mule

Ain't hammockin fun?
We should be going down on the first cool weekend. Hope you can make it, too.

I'm Ready Mule, It will be good to see ya again!

**Mule** · 09-02-2012, 01:49

I just edited the first post in this thread by putting some photos there showing the refined setup using small whoops. Again, the whoopies and loops to the cinch buckles end up at 25 inches each side and the whoopee tarp ridge line is 176 inches for doing this to a BB

**FLRider** · 09-02-2012, 04:58

Originally Posted by Mule

That is a concern, but since the tarp will b dry on the inside, I think I could just shake it off and stuff it with the hammock leaving the wet side of the tarp outward if that's possible. I could also roll it in the tarp and just put it in my pack that way.

Another option is to make (or buy) some snakeskins and attach them along the suspension below where the hammock attaches to the buckles. That way, you can draw them closed over the hammock while it's still hanging and have it more-or-less waterproof before wrapping it up in the still-wet tarp.

It adds a small amount of weight, though, due to the difference in design from a snakeskin to a BB bag.