Hammock Igornant - Please Help

[LetterX]

I want to apologize for jumping in here as a new user and asking a question that I know has been discussed on this forum, but I'm short on time and this site has an overwhelming amount of information. I have to leave in 8 hours for an unplanned 3 week trip on a large ship where I will not have a bunk. Instead of sleeping on a hard steel floor, I figure I can throw together a hammock with supplies I have around my apartment. I have a large nylon car cover that I can cut up. I think this will work well because it's strong and can be packed small (I can only bring a backpack and gym bag). I also have about 35-40 feet of nylon rope.

So, now the obvious question. What's the best way to throw this together into a hammock? I have to put it together on the ship after it leaves the dock, so the easier the better. I think I read something about cutting it into an hour-glass shape so it doesn't sag too much in the middle? Anything else I should know before I'm cut off from the internet for weeks and have to sleep on something that hangs?

Again, I'm sorry for being so ignorant, and I'm hugely appreciative for any guidance or suggestions. THANKS!

[Ch@rlie]

http://www.tothewoods.net/HomemadeHammock1.html
the links are within the top of the page.
http://www.tothewoods.net/HomemadeHammock2.html

Here you go matey. Now enjoy your trip, make sure that rope is strong otherwise you will still be sleeping on that hard steel floor. aim for a 30 degree hanging position, this is the recomended angle for the ropes and then its only your body weight loading each rope, the tighter the ropes are the weight loading increases and the more likely the ropes are to snap.

[JohnSawyer]

What charlie said.

You'll need a piece of fabric, roughly 11' long (longer is OK, short=bad). 6' wide is good.

Tie each end in a knot, and tie them up. Like charlie said, you want a nice droop in the hammock.

If the edges are cut up, it might rip and fail, so hang low. Use rope that's rated for at least 500# or more.

If it's going to be less than 75 degrees, you'll need something to keep your backside warm. A wool blanket may work, but whatever you use will work better if it's tied under your hammock with bungee cords. Or you can put a pad in the hammock.

Oh, nylon rope stretches... so you might wake up with your butt on the floor... polyester rope is better...
Best of luck!

[timabababaluka]

Wow! That's a tall order, but I appreciate the challenge (I'm a make it do or do without kind of guy that slaps things together on the spur of the moment). That said, here are some things to expect from you proposed setup: (a) the nylon rope is going to stretch up on you. If you can double it or triple it up, I would definitely do this. (b) I don't know if your car cover will be long enough. You want about 11 feet. If there are any sewed seems, make sure they aren't where your posterior end will be--that's a heavy stress point. (c) to hook hammock to rope check out the easy hammock setup on ray's web page--it's a modified sheet bend with kind of a larks head thrown in. I've had success with some hastily rigged hammocks with this. Here's the link: http://raysbeambots.solarbotics.net/knots/index.htm Again, click on his Easy Hammock link.

While just about anything is better than steel grating, I wouldn't be overly optimismtic about how this turns out. My first advice would be to figure out how to turn back time so that you could have another day or two to prepare and gather some materials that would have a higher probability of success . Still, it's worth a shot, and who knows? It all might turn out Jake (but hang low just to be one the safe side). One way or another, it sounds like it will be an adventure, and the foundation for some really great stories to tell in the future.

I wish you the best of luck--let us know how you do (when you get the chance ).

[LetterX]

Thanks SO MUCH guys! I printed out the information from the links above. It's a car cover for an Escalade, so there should be more than enough material. I'm bringing the whole thing. I may be able to find better cordage on the ship. It's a container ship running from Miami to Portugal, then on to ports in the Mediterranean, so I don't expect to get cold at night, even if I have to sleep on deck.

I'll make another post to let you know how it turned out when I can.

Thanks!

[richtorfla]

Good luck with project and have a safe trip. And if you can, send us some pics of portugal. That would be cool.