Tramp recommendations

The 87 I am sailing now has a huge trear in the tramp. It is blue vinyl. Although I have found the surface a little abrasive on bare feet, I like how it keeps you dry. But in the catalogue the vinyl only comes in white
The turqouse mesh would look awesome with my sails.

Does anyone have a strong preference, who has used both?

Also, what about bungee vs. rope rigging on the tramp? I have heard the bungee doesn't last as long. Do they make the tramp bouncy or hard to stand on?

And lastly, how are you fastening things to the tramp? I am hanging things from the tramp ropes, but I would love to add a pocket underneath for righting bucket or my water proof case. Is it easier to add a pocket to mesh or vinyl?
Thanks in advance for your advice.
Alfred

I bought my black tramp on Ebay for $200 and the company had excellent support for installing it. The mesh is nicer then vinyl because waves break through it instead of on it.

Make sure if you buy one you use a tarp or tramp cover to have it last longer.

I use a day pack intended to clip around my waist. The clips hook in the middle through the ropes really nicely and I have a good pack for holding stuff. My emergency paddle it stored through a couple of my foot straps, and I have a basket on the front that has a small cooler and my container with flares and emergency stuff. I never found a really comfortable place to store a camera or VHF other then the bag clipped in.

Drinks I use the cooler or occasionally the bag other right for storing the extra halyards in. Some people have drink holders sewn in but I see no value if you plan on doing a lot of tacking as your body will not appreciate it when you land on top of a water bottle sticking out of the tramp.

I've owned both solid and mesh, but don't have a real preference. Generally, mesh is better in summer...solid in winter.

I've only seen one boat in my life that was laced with shock cord...can't imagine that it works well. I use a good quality 3/16" low-stretch line.

The new Hobie tramps (both solid and mesh) come with a pocket.....that's where my righting line is stored. I bungie/clip righting bag, small dry bag, and soft sided cooler to center tramp lacing.

Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mi'sippi

I am hoping to keep stuff like that below deck- so its not in the way & its more available if you capsize. Where is your stoff?

I don't keep anything below the tramp for fear of it washing off....also causes lots of drag in big waves. So...in other words...yes, all my stuff is in the way! The righting line is routed through the tramp lacing so that it can be deployed from the bottom side of the tramp when capsized. The righting bag is bungied up near the mast base, so, when capsized, it's pretty easy to reach around, undo the velcro and hurl it over the upper hull. I do this while I'm up there uncleating the jib. The cooler and dry bag are smack dab in the middle of the tramp for easy access to smokes and Speed Cylinders! Yeah....the main and jib sheets get tangled up there every once in a while...just one more reason you'll never see me in the top 25 at nationals!

Jerome

So far the only thing I have been keeping on the tramp is a small water tight case, but it really gets snarled in the jib sheet. I tried hanging it over the front rail, but the other day I got in a hurry, threw it over instead of putting it over and the latch caught on the mast and my cell phone, tools, etc dumped into the lake. My lake doesn't have big waves so underneath is not a problem, but figuring out a secure way to keep stuff there is! I am thinking about trying a mesh bag and lacing/sewing it to the center lacings and bungeeing it somehow, but I am guessing it won't be accessable while moving.

Try the sea bags. NRS, REI, even Cabela's has them. They're soft, you just roll the top up and clip it. Not a perfect seal, but I've had one with while in some really nasty rough water and everything stayed dry enough.

If you have a Harbor Freight Tools near you, they sell fist-sized carbiners (often on sale for 99 cents) which are good for clipping just about anything to anything. I bought a bunch, and clip a soft-sided cooler to tramp lacing, clip a dry bag to the downhaul, etc... They're secure, but quick & easy to attach or release.

_________________
What - Me Worry?


2006 Hobie Wave 7358
"Ish Kabibble"

If you have port holes cut in your hulls they make waterproof bags that hang inside the porthole from the upper lid. You can put just about anything you want in there and it really does stay dry.