Taking a Relaxing Hammock Snooze With the Resourceful Sailor
What do a 1985 Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20 and a Guatemalan hammock have in common? Nothing. That is, until the Resourceful Sailor brings them together, just in time for spring and “boaty-time.” What better way to watch the sailboat races on the Bay, or read the new edition of Latitude 38 while sipping sundowners? In this installment, I demonstrate how Sampaguita’s spars and running rigging are put to work for relaxing. And never mind if that sounds like an oxymoron when you’re lounging in the sun.
It was a beautiful, sunny day in Seattle’s Ballard Mill Marina when I decided it was time to apply the physical laws of opposing forces for leisure. The Guatemalan hammock had been in my possession for years before I owned Sampaguita, so it was a matter of fitting the boat to the sling.
First, I clipped the whisker pole to its rightful eye on the mast. On the forward end, just to port of the centerline and the headstay, I attached the jib halyard from above and the downhaul from below. After hooking one end of the hammock to this junction, I carried the other end aft, on the starboard side of the mast. I then shackled the main halyard to it from above and a genoa sheet from below. I ran the sheet through the starboard adjustable genoa car and belayed it to a stern cleat.
From here, I adjusted each line to find the sweet spots. The halyards determined the height of the hammock. The downhaul provided an opposing force to the jib halyard, keeping the forward end of the pole from swinging around. The genoa sheet determined how far the hammock was pulled aft, and the car adjusted the direction and the angle of that pull. After all that effort, it was time to relax.
Your hammock may be a little different (you have one, right?), and so will your boat. (You have one of those, too?) You’ll need to exercise your mind to fit the equipment. That should be healthy, fun, and rewarding, both mentally and physically. And don’t forget to share. Remember, keep your solutions safe and prudent, and have a blast. (Or a snooze.)
