Sailing Hammock

YVRguy

.
Jan 10, 2013
479
Hunter 34 Vancouver, BC
No, this is not about my onboard choice in swimsuits.

I've long thought about buying a hammock for the boat to mount on the deck when at anchor. The challenge is the lack of a good forward point of attachment. The forestay seems out because our furling genoa extends too far down and it seems wrong to wrap around the furled sail. I'm thinking about the pulpit but I'm not sure if that is too much stress for it. I'm a big dude - 6'4" and 300lbs. Does anyone have any experience with this?
 
Nov 22, 2011
1,192
Ericson 26-2 San Pedro, CA
As far as the video on rigging the hammock: I think I'd be a bit nervous about attaching that line around the forestay with a furling unit or other foil on the forestay. I'm wondering whether it might subject the foil to concentrated forces that could cause it to get bent. I'd be curious as to what others might think about this.
 
Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
Oct 26, 2008
6,045
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
Being concerned about the furling headsail, I would hang one end from a halyard and use a strap to confine the halyard to the forestay. That way, the vertical load is carried primarily by the halyard, and the horizontal load captured by the forestay would be significantly reduced. You can adjust the height more easily as well.
 
Oct 26, 2008
6,045
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
The tension on the headstay is multiplied from pulling a perpendicular load (hammock). Here is a calculator.
That may be true ... but tension on the head stay isn't really the issue. In fact, it's fine if there is increased tension on the head stay (it can handle it). Strapping a halyard to the head stay shares the load so there is less bending on the furling extrusion, I think. That would be the concern.

Also, increased force on the rope isn't really the issue either. The only thing that matters is whether or not the strap reduces the bending force on the headstay/furler extrusion. The angle of pull off the headstay definitely changes if you strap a halyard to it versus hanging a hammock directly off of it. It changes the angle from strictly vertical (hammock only) to more or less perpendicular (strapping the halyard). It's an interesting calculation that I'm not sure I know how to do (too far removed from my statics!). This Engineering Toolbox doesn't really apply. My intuition is telling me that the halyard AND the headstay are sharing a load, therefore, there would be less pull against the headstay/furler than if you hung the hammock directly.
 
Last edited:
May 17, 2004
5,032
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
There are systems for asymmetrical spinnakers that rely on strapping around the forestay. Look at the ATN Tacker and Neil Pryde Parrel Bead setups for example. If a forestay and furler foil can sustain those loads I think a hammock would be no worse. Those systems probably carry the load even lower on the forestay too, where there’s less wraps of sails to pad the forestay than where a hammock would strap.
 

YVRguy

.
Jan 10, 2013
479
Hunter 34 Vancouver, BC
Being concerned about the furling headsail, I would hang one end from a halyard and use a strap to confine the halyard to the forestay. That way, the vertical load is carried primarily by the halyard, and the horizontal load captured by the forestay would be significantly reduced. You can adjust the height more easily as well.
Hmm this seemed very promising until Larry's response.
 

YVRguy

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Jan 10, 2013
479
Hunter 34 Vancouver, BC
Thanks for your thoughts on attaching to the forestay but what about the pulpit? Ours has a cross bar near the tip that would be perfect.
 
May 17, 2004
5,032
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
I’d be much more concerned about the loads on the pulpit compromising its deck bedding than I would be about using the forestay.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
So if the forestay is a NO NO. What about running a halyard from the mast head to a bow cleat. Tie a simple Alpine Butterfly in the halyard and suspend the hammock on the halyard. The knot can be easily shaken out when you have finished napping, and you’ll be ready for that night time sail.

Here’s a link to tying the knot.
The knot is explained at the 4:33 point in the video.
 

YVRguy

.
Jan 10, 2013
479
Hunter 34 Vancouver, BC
So if the forestay is a NO NO. What about running a halyard from the mast head to a bow cleat. Tie a simple Alpine Butterfly in the halyard and suspend the hammock on the halyard. The knot can be easily shaken out when you have finished napping, and you’ll be ready for that night time sail.

Here’s a link to tying the knot.
The knot is explained at the 4:33 point in the video.
This could be a winner. Assuming I can master the "alpine butterfly."

Thanks for the input!
 
May 17, 2004
5,032
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
Can someone check my math?
1626876917494.jpeg


If my math is right a 200 pound hammock load only exerts about 50 pounds of force perpendicular to the forestay. Pretty sure that would be well within its design limits considering the spinnaker arrangements that are available.
 
Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
If you go with this set up......lounge chair attached to and supported by a spare halyard with a lateral line between the halyard forestay to center the chair on the foredeck..........almost zero stress on the forestay.

1626878049021.png
 
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YVRguy

.
Jan 10, 2013
479
Hunter 34 Vancouver, BC
If you go with this set up......lounge chair attached to and supported by a spare halyard with a lateral line between the halyard forestay to center the chair on the foredeck..........almost zero stress on the forestay.

View attachment 196436
Yeah, I scoffed at first but this may be the ticket. Thanks for the suggestion
 
Jun 11, 2004
1,621
Oday 31 Redondo Beach
Being concerned about the furling headsail, I would hang one end from a halyard and use a strap to confine the halyard to the forestay. That way, the vertical load is carried primarily by the halyard, and the horizontal load captured by the forestay would be significantly reduced. You can adjust the height more easily as well.
That's essentially the way I do it. The aft end is attached to the mast and the forward end attached around the furled jib but the forward end is also held up by a halyard so it reduces the strain on the forestay. In addition, to spread the force on the forestay foil I use a 6 inch length of PVC pipe that has a split opening cut lengthwise. The pipe fits around the furled sail and the hammock line goes around the pipe thus spreading the load. I think it is five or six inch diameter PVC pipe but you can get an appropriate size to fit around your jib. I've done this for years and not had a problem.