Tramp Made Out of Open Netting: Anybody Done It ?

Just tried out my first iteration of a tramp - using materials at hand (mainly the kid's backyard trampoline that I salvaged from the neighbor's trash pickup).

I like the concept but want something with less wind resistance for v2.0. Not looking for comfort - just something to lay a paddle on or plop my butt on when doing a deep-water remount.

Seems like the material to use is Polyester (Dyneema being just too costly.

I see this stuff, but it's pricey: http://www.sailrite.com/Trampoline-Mesh ... z-White-71

OTOH, it seems like this stuff, at $6.25/yard, just might do the job: http://www.sailrite.com/Polyester-Bag-Mesh-White-96.

Has anybody done this?

Seems like the challenge is going to be stabilizing the edges that run fore-aft parallel to the hull.

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2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

You might be able to use regular tramp material, If you worried about it catching the wind you may be able to iron in a couple patch areas near the center, then slit them to bleed air from gusts. As long as the area around the slit is strengthened I would think it work (maybe 2 or 3 four inch slits).
Just an idea
FE
Edit: I'm not saying I would do that myself, I strongly feel it's not neccessary, we are on our 3rd TI now and we are out on ours most weekends, (around ten to fifteen miles a week average year round, both near shore and offshore in most conditions. Actually we have never had our TI's out without tramps installed in almost 6 yrs now (not even once), so I don't think the Hobie tramps (or tramp material if you make your own) are an issue, actually I feel they complete the boat.

Pete, have you thought about not bothering with tramps? Many of us are perfectly happy without them.

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker

Actually in Florida all pools must have a pool child fence around them. The material they use is similar to tramp material but a much more open weave so wind can blow thru. Ours is about 4 ft tall and very strong, and black so it's sure to be UV proof because it's outside. Do a google search on pool safety fencing and I'm sure you will find it.
Hope this helps
FE

It's certainly not a religious issue with me - and I've been sailing without one since the AI first got wet in mid-September.

But I think I'm liking the "Beta" version that I just tried out last weekend..... If I go with it, I think just one side is going to do it for me.

Three functionalities:

• Deep-Water Remounts: Heave my butt up onto an ama, then plop it on the tramp and scoonch over to the hull..... I have done the same thing just sliding along an aka, but trying to butt-slide on an aka in chop seems like a good way to fall and wack something on the way back into the water..... A normal person would probably just plant one foot on the ama and then step into the hull.... but that does not work for me.
  .
• Paddle Stash: I have been slipping my single-blade paddle's blade under one of the bungees behind the seat. Works, but not particularly quick or convenient..... The holster pocket I just put on the tramp is much faster/more convenient.
  .
• Outrigger Canoe Mode: For me, part of the pleasure in sailing my 20' Hawaiian-style outrigger canoe was playing the sheet and my body weight to fly the ama without capsizing..... and the occasional capsize made things interesting..... Admittedly, this one is a stretch.... but the possibility remains to be explored.

Like I said, it's not a huge deal with me... but, now that I have the Beta version made up, I am going to try it for awhile and, if I like it that much or get bored, I'll sew up Release 2.0.

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

If one wishes to sew a tramp for the TI, I've found that any place that repairs backyard trampolines has lots of old tramps sitting around they'll give you for free.

They use the old torn one as a pattern to create a new replacemnet tramp and usually just use old tramps for patiching material.

I found they will give you enough to sew up a two tramps for the TI if you wish to invest the time and buy some nylon webbing and a few buckles, etc.

Tom

I did a variation on that by raiding a neighbor's trash.

How stretchy is yours? Mine sags about 8" when I plant my 210# of lard on it.

I am considering purchase of some 1.5" poly webbing - and sewing a few strips of it under the tramp in hopes of mitigating that stretch..... assuming that it really is material stretch and not something with the akas bending.... which, come to think of it, I could easily measure next time I take it out.

I tried a single loop of poly webbing just to see how much it stretched. Seems to have stretched, but not as much as the tramp material.... but my experiment was cut short when the buckle broke from too much weight....

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

Hey guys! I'm just curious, has anybody thought about repurposing a tailgate net from a pickup truck? It seems they would be about the right size and can be bought for 20 to 25 bucks.

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I have been thinking about going that route to reduce sag and windage.

Only reservation I have so far is concentration of stress on the snap connectors on the rear aka.

With the fabric tramp it seems like stress tends to be distributed over all 5 connectors. With the straps, I can see stress concentrating as one's weight is put on just one or two straps.

If/when I give it a try, I will terminate the net the same as the mesh - by sewing a fiberglass rod into it and then attaching the straps/connectorss for the rear aka to the rod the same as with the mesh.

Something else to consider is UV resistance and stretch. Dunno what those tailgate nets are made out of - although I would hope for UV resistance..... Nylon, though is the cheapest and stretchiest.... so I would think nylon is probably what is used. Polyester is supposedly significantly less stretchy than nylon.... and Dyneema reputedly has near-zero stretch.... problem is that Dyneema costs an arm-and-a-leg; so it's out of consideration for me.

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]