Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Tue Mar 10, 2026 10:44 pm

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:49 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:44 pm
Posts: 6
Location: NH
Hi All -

I'm getting ready to get my boat on the water within a month, and one thing I think I will replace is the lacing that ties in the trampoline. Replacement of the lacing looks pretty straightforward, but I just wanted to see if there's anything I need to do beyond just replacing the line. Anything I need to know before doing this?

Thanks!

Andrew


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 3:04 pm 
Offline
Hobie Approved Guru

Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2003 7:11 pm
Posts: 5198
Location: Detroit, MI
What model boat are you working on? (14, 16, etc.)


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 6:21 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:44 pm
Posts: 6
Location: NH
MBounds wrote:
What model boat are you working on? (14, 16, etc.)


Right, sorry for leaving that out! I have a 1978 (I believe) 16.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 12:05 pm 
Offline
Hobie Approved Guru

Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2003 7:11 pm
Posts: 5198
Location: Detroit, MI
The tramps on 16s need to be ultra-tight. If you've got an old trampoline, it may not be up for the job. If there's any sign of grommets pulling out, worn stitching or other problems, get those fixed first.

1) Use a thin (3 to 4 mm), non-stretch line.
2) Pre-bend the sidebars by rigging a the mainsheet to a loop of line that runs around them:
Image
You can easily get 1" - 2" of prebend in the sidebars this way.
3) Lace the line through loosely tighten only the first grommets on each corner to pull the wrinkles out along the sidebars and front crossbar.
4) Make a tightening pass along the rear lacings, pulling them as tight as you can (working from the corner to the center)
5) Make a tightening pass down the center.
6) Repeat in the rear, then again down the center.
7) Release the mainsheet.

This is guaranteed to get you a tramp that you can bounce a nickel off of.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2026 9:01 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2026 8:12 pm
Posts: 25
Location: San Antonio, TX
I'm going to take advantage of Matt's outstanding description and supplement it with my personal additions/comments/tips in red. I'm just adding more how-to explanation of the process beyond listing the steps.

MBounds wrote:
The tramps on 16s need to be ultra-tight. If you've got an old trampoline, it may not be up for the job. If there's any sign of grommets pulling out, worn stitching or other problems, get those fixed first.

1a) Before doing anything I would ensure the hulls are square. Measure the cross diagonal length from port bow tang to starboard rudder pin and vice versa. If one is longer than the other, attach your main sheet rig to the appropriate tramp pylons (under the tramp) to pull the boat square. Double check the measurements and proceed.
1b) Use a thin (3 to 4 mm), non-stretch line. That seems like really small line. I thought using 1/8 line (8mm) was pretty thin. Didn't Hobie supply 11mm Dacron line for tramps?? I used 1/8 braided polyester from Lowe's*, and it lasted for several seasons with no signs of wear. There were signs of fading, but not wear. DO NOT USE NYLON LINE LIKE PARACORD. Nylon stretches and stretches and stretches when wet. If you think the 8mm line is too small you can get the same polyester in 7/16" size (11mm) at Lowe's or Ace Hardware.**
2) Pre-bend the sidebars by rigging a the mainsheet to a loop of line that runs around them:
Image
You can easily get 1" - 2" of prebend in the sidebars this way. You won't need to prebend the sidebars with my suggestions.
3) Lace the line through loosely tighten only the first grommets on each corner to pull the wrinkles out along the sidebars and front crossbar. Drip some shampoo or cheap dishwashing liquid along the side rails for lubrication. Wash the soap out with a strong blast of water before you sail again.
4) Make a tightening pass along the rear lacings, pulling them as tight as you can (working from the corner to the center) See my notes on tightening after step 6 below.
5) Make a tightening pass down the center.
6) Repeat in the rear, then again down the center. This applies to all the tightening in the previous two steps. There used to be a special tool consisting of two short, tapered, aluminum belaying pins and a slotted disk with a handle for twisting. This tool set is so effective that it allows you to sit on top of the tramp and tighten the laces. It's like the difference between pounding a nail with a screwdriver and using a hammer. You never have to crawl under the boat for any of this. Your hands never cramp, and it goes very quickly. The tapered pins can be whittled out of wood. You could also start with 6" of 3/4" dowel rod and taper it with an electric drill and sandpaper (I think those are the sizes). They need to be sized such that they can be force-fit into the grommets jamming the line tight in the hole without using any external clamps or vice grips. All you'll need is the two pins and an ordinary pair of pliers. The pin is inserted such that if tension is pulled on the line, the pin jams tighter. If the pin falls out, you used the wrong side to jam it in. So you use one pin to jam the tight laces keeping them from loosening. Use the other pin on the loose lace to pull tension in between the pins. Then use the slotted tool and twist it to crank a lot of force into the line. You can use ordinary pliers to do the same thing as the expensive, special tool. Open the pliers and drop the jaws over the line where you want to pull it tight. Twist the pliers until the line is really tight. You'll see the tramp pulling together as you go. When you pull the new tension through a couple grommets, remove the pin from the tightened laces and move it forward to where you just pulled it tight. When you jam the pin in the tramp stays tight like magic. Once you get the hang of this the process takes just a minute or 5 to do the whole tramp. When you look at the side rails, they will be noticeably bent inward. Tie off the ends at the aft center with several half hitches. If there are any wrinkles, start over. The second time goes really fast.
7) Release the mainsheet.

This is guaranteed to get you a tramp that you can bounce a nickel off of. The place to bounce your nickel is 10 inches back from the front crossbar and 10 inches in from the side. That's usually where the tramp seem loose.

*
From Lowe's
RELIABILT 50.0-ft x 0.3125-in Braided Polyester Rope (By-the-Roll)
Item #1289880 | Model #AC1160R

**
Ace Hardware
Koch Industries 7/16 in. D X 100 ft. L Red/White Diamond Braided Polyester Rope
Item # 7023267 | Mfr # 5241426

Image
It just occurred to me that the special tool set might be a great project for 3D printing. I'd be happy to work with anyone who wants to take that on.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group