Hammocks

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Sandgrounder

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I have a classic racing daysailer keelboat. I don't use it for racing but I may wish to spend the odd night aboard. There is no accommodation; the oncly concession to comfort is a thwart for the helmsman, there is nothing else.
The cockpit sole is at a few different levels so one can't simply use a sleepmat. I don't want to spend a great deal to make changes which would take her outside class rules. The boat is a Piper, the boat from which moulds were taken for the Rustler 24.
Has anyone any experience of hanging a hammock from the boom? How comfortable are they?
 
I've used a hammock, but not on a boat. A couple of things to consider - the length between attachment points needs to be a fair bit longer than your body, & also the loads on the attachment points are quite high (ok on a tall ship deck beam, but your boat may not have sufficient strength in the right places).

They take a bit of getting used to in order to sleep all night in. Once you're in, you're in. Not much moving around is possible. Getting back out can be a hoot.
 
My feeling is that the boom won't be long enough or strong enough for your weight. I would look for ideas to get the floor flatter to take a mattress. Perhaps temporary storage boxes or similar to sleep on. olewill
 
I occasionally sleep in a hammock rigged between the forestay and the shrouds. First lesson with the parachute nylon hammock I've got is that you've got to rig it much more tightly than you'd think necessary. Next lesson is not to rig it too high off the deck or you can't climb in. Next lesson is not rig it too low or your bum hits the deck when you get in....
Once you're in it very comfortable and good for stiff backs. As Angus says, not much moving round once you're in, most comfortable position is on you back but for me that equals spectacular snoring. But you're on deck, so who cares....
The gap between forestay and shrouds is about three metres and I'd think that's about the minimum you could get away with in terms of length between anchor points, so irrespective of strength questions the major one will be getting that distance. You might do better with an inflatable mattress.
 
duncan99210 said:
I occasionally sleep in a hammock rigged between the forestay and the shrouds. First lesson with the parachute nylon hammock I've got is that you've got to rig it much more tightly than you'd think necessary. Next lesson is not to rig it too high off the deck or you can't climb in. Next lesson is not rig it too low or your bum hits the deck when you get in....
Once you're in it very comfortable and good for stiff backs. As Angus says, not much moving round once you're in, most comfortable position is on you back but for me that equals spectacular snoring. But you're on deck, so who cares....
The gap between forestay and shrouds is about three metres and I'd think that's about the minimum you could get away with in terms of length between anchor points, so irrespective of strength questions the major one will be getting that distance. You might do better with an inflatable mattress.
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Slight danger of (ahem...) bending the roller furling foil if fitted. I suspend the hammock from the spinny pole, which is designed to take a decent load. Same idea though. V comfy.
 
Rather than a hammock have you considered rigging up a pipe cot.

I could not rig up a hammock on my fordeck for the reasons above but did reg up a pipe cot being supported each side with pipes in a open seam along he sides
 
duncan99210 said:
First lesson with the parachute nylon hammock I've got is that you've got to rig it much more tightly than you'd think necessary.
Click to expand...
I have never slept in a hammock on a boat, but many times on land. The way to get a good night's sleep is not to rig it tight. Hang loose, but position yourself diagonally. This explains it (and I promise it really works):

https://www.treklightgear.com/blogs/trek-life/hammock-angle

The looser hammock will put less stress on your anchor points, though apart from a luff foil I would expect everything on a boat to be plenty strong enough.

If you are too high up on a fairly tender keelboat I expect the rocking could get quite dramatic. Perhaps rigging from the mast to the backstay would allow you to position yourself a little lower than deck level. Plus you could rig a tarp over the boom.

Edit: Just saw how small the well in a Piper 24 is, I guess hanging below deck level isn't going to happen.
 
The usual thing on a boat like that is to just sleep on the spinnakers.

And hope no one calls a hoist in the meantime - although we did once manage to hoist a spinnaker from under a sleeping crew member without waking him. :)
 
I've slept in a hammock a lot on land and once you're used to them they are very comfy. However every time I've rigged one on board a boat I've ended up with very extreme rocking. Small boat movements exaggerating the natural swing. It may work better with a spi pole so the hammock doesn't run parallel to the centre line.
Oh and if its cold you'll want some non compressible insulation like a roll mat between you and the hammock.
 
Get a sheet of canvas with eyelets along each side. lace them along lacing eyes to the cockpit combing each side so it forms a sort of bed across the whole area like a trampoline & lay on that. You could use netted catamaran trampoline set in caravan channel each side that they use for awnings. Just slide it in when needed

Alternatively:-
I had pipecots in my Stella & with a 2 inch mattress on them I found them the most comfortable place to sleep as they could be angled to the hull & I could wedge myself in the "V" thus formed
 
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