What Tarp Ridgeline and tightening methods

[scottisha5]

Hi all

Just into tarping and was wondering if anyone had info on whats the best rope/cord to use as a ridge line and also noticed on a number of setups that the ridgeline is set quite high up in the trees. Im assuming no one takes a small step ladder lol.

Also what kind of set up are people using to attach the hammock to trees apart from the round once and a simple bow? Any tips on getting an easier set up that might incorporate some sort of water stop on the hammock lines?

Any help appreciated

John
Scottisha5
Motherwell

 

[Dangerous Dan]

Bushblade has a great tutorial to get you started

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43612&highlight=bushblade

As for the ridgeline, I just use a length of paracord. Some prefer something a bit heavier/stronger incase of branch fall. Personally I don't know how effective a stronger line would be, I prefer to assess the likelyhood and find another tree if in doubt.

 

[Graham_S]

Paracord works fine.
I'm out of town until feb some time, but remind me closer the time and I'll chuck some your way, I've got a 700yd drum of the stuff in a lock up in Dundee

On the stronger line for deflecting branches, if your expecting branches to fall on your setup, you're attached to the wrong trees.

I've never found that I've needed drip lines on my tarp attachment points.

 

[Asa Samuel]

Yep, I follow Bushblade's tutorial as well.

 

[Chainsaw]

For your hammock I'm a round once and simple bow guy A lot of people use Krabs on the tapes to act as drip rings. I'd point you to the one on here but it's deid so try this

Cheers,

Alan

 

[BushcraftBaird112]

I don't know if any one else has done this, but I replaced the bulky webbing on my DD hammock with paracord. I dont weigh over 550 lbs so weight isnt that much of an issue, and it doesn't slide down the trees either. Overall its saves more space and dries faster, so I dont see why not.

 

[Dangerous Dan]

Baird, I'd have to think twice before trusting my weight to paracord -certainly to one or two lines. I've managed to snap the stuff just tensioning the ridgeline.

Our climbing friends may be able offer a better description but wear, knots and twists can reduce the effective strength of a line. If memory serves the 550 refers to the static load a line can take. Shock loads - such as getting in and out of your hammock can be much more than your resting weight. Coupled with abrasion damage and the very variable nature of products sold as 'paracord' I'd be ensuring I had a soft landing site below my hammock

 

[bikething]

I don't know if any one else has done this, but I replaced the bulky webbing on my DD hammock with paracord. I dont weigh over 550 lbs so weight isnt that much of an issue, .

the trouble is, you're not hanging vertically from your paracord. Because you're pushing down at 90 degrees to the tension in the chord you're exerting a much bigger stress on the cord (it's how a scissor jack works so that you can lift a car easily )
As an experiment I once rigged my hammock up with a set of fishing scales in line with the hammock, and with the hammock tensioned slightly looser than I normally tie it. Empty, the reading on the scales was 8Kg. I then put 2 x 5 litre water bottles in the middle (10Kg)... the weight on the scales read 37Kg ... all down to triangulation of forces (I've long since forgotten the trigonometry involved...). Just think how much force a 16-Stone bloke like me exerts :Wow:

and it doesn't slide down the trees either. Overall its saves more space and dries faster, so I dont see why not.

The reason it doesn't slide down the trees is because it's cutting into the bark... That's why most of us use tapes, or 'tree-huggers' on our hammocks to minimise damage

 

[johnboy]

Just into tarping and was wondering if anyone had info on whats the best rope/cord to use as a ridge line

Hi,

I've got some white nylon cord about 6mm in diameter that I got in B+Q about 7 years ago that I've used heaps almost exclusively as a tarp ridgeline and it does the job rather nicely.

As other folk say I wouldn't trust any cord used in a ridgeline to fend off any deadfall or widowmakers.