# Anyone use a hammock at sea?



## MedSailor (Mar 30, 2008)

In the days of iron men and wooden ships, much of the crew slept in hammocks. A good sea berth with lee cloths seems to be the norm on yachts today. 

What about the good ol' hammock? Anyone ever tried it at sea? Seems like a gimbaled bed might have merit....

MedSailor


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## freedomstang04 (Apr 4, 2012)

Less rocking


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## jrd22 (Nov 14, 2000)

We have a small one for bananas and such, they seem to like it)


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

I plan on getting a center aft berth in my ocean boat (I just like them). But I honestly will figure out how to rig a hammock back there for passages. It just makes all kinds of sense.


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## PaulinVictoria (Aug 23, 2009)

These sort of banana hammocks?


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## xymotic (Mar 4, 2005)

jrd22 said:


> We have a small one for bananas and such, they seem to like it)


I don't think you should be bragging about a small banana hammock. Just sayin


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## peterchech (Sep 2, 2011)

I often thought that adding some hammocks is a great way to get a few more berths into your cabin, if you have extra company. (that's not what she said is it...?) My cabin is too short for this but it would work in most 30 footers I imagine


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## captbillc (Jul 31, 2008)

when i was on the USS Paducah in 1940 we slept in hammocks. you didn't feel the roll, but you did feel the pitch.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

captbillc said:


> you didn't feel the roll, but you did feel the pitch.


 Then stop crowding the plate. You know Bob Feller likes to work to the inside to keep you on your toes.


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## SloopJonB (Jun 6, 2011)

I suggest you first try sleeping in a hammock on dry land - your back will probably never forgive you.


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## KIVALO (Nov 2, 2011)

I'm getting that 2:00 feeling already. I could use a hammock right about now.

Brad
s/v KIVALO


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## rugosa (Aug 30, 2011)

Will run that by my chiropractor first and get back to you:laugher


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## Zschofield (Mar 1, 2012)

I was thinking a hammock slung under the boom on a hot night might be nice.


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## daydream sailor (Mar 12, 2012)

you have to keep in mind a hammock needs quite a bit of space to swing, you have to watch out for the furnitures.


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## RonRelyea (Nov 18, 2009)

I use a hennessy hammock for camping ... I find that their unique design is better for the back than a regular hammock .... haven't tried it on the boat though

Catalogue: Hennessy Hammocks and more

I've got no affiliation with the company


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## xymotic (Mar 4, 2005)

SloopJonB said:


> I suggest you first try sleeping in a hammock on dry land - your back will probably never forgive you.


I have two 14" steel rods in my back. The hammock is the only bed that IS comfortable. I also use one camping, it's completely awesome.

If I had enough room below to hang a hammock I'd do it in a heartbeat.


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## RXBOT (Sep 7, 2007)

Do not rig it fore and aft and the pitch motion will not bother you so much. When rigged abreast depending on which tack you are on rig it so your head is higher than your feet.


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## SloopJonB (Jun 6, 2011)

xymotic said:


> I have two 14" steel rods in my back. The hammock is the only bed that IS comfortable. I also use one camping, it's completely awesome.
> 
> If I had enough room below to hang a hammock I'd do it in a heartbeat.


That's interesting and very counter-intuitive - I would have thought a flat, very firm bed would suit your situation best. Every time I've slept in a hammock I've woken up with VERY stiff muscles in my back.

What's happening to you re: the stiffened back from the rods and the curve a hammock makes in your back while you sleep?


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## xymotic (Mar 4, 2005)

SloopJonB said:


> That's interesting and very counter-intuitive - I would have thought a flat, very firm bed would suit your situation best. Every time I've slept in a hammock I've woken up with VERY stiff muscles in my back.
> 
> What's happening to you re: the stiffened back from the rods and the curve a hammock makes in your back while you sleep?


Yeah, I dunno I do in general like a firm bed. I also sleep on my side, which is counter-intuitive in a hammock.

I do tend to rig the hammock extremely taught, so that's part of the equation as well.


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## SirRealism (Mar 3, 2010)

I have sleep apnea and cannot sleep on my back. I've always wondered whether you can sleep on your side in a hammock.


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## BreakAwayFL (Sep 20, 2010)

I've been thinking of rigging a hammock on the foredeck between the mast and the bowsprit. It's the only place on my boat that's not safe just to fall asleep without fear of rolling overboard lol.


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## vega1860 (Dec 18, 2006)

We slept in hammocks aboard HM Bark Endeavour when we sailed from Vancouver BC to Kealakekua-Kona, Hawaii in '99. I thought it was great because, during the three days I suffered from seasickness, at least I could sleep. Unfortunately, our cabin is just too small to rig a hammock for sleeping.


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## FlyNavy (May 14, 2009)

In all my days flying in the Navy I've never seen a C-130 that didn't have a crewmen sound asleep in his hammock. Great for planes, used to be the standard on ships, why not on your sailboat?


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## daydream sailor (Mar 12, 2012)

Not all sailors hang big bananas in their hammocks:laugher


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## dacap06 (Feb 2, 2008)

Hammocks are a better sleeping arrangement for a single person and are not nearly so comfortable for sleeping with the bride or g/f.

Second, hammocks are not at all comfortable if you sleep on your side or stomach. People carrying a little extra weight tend to snore when on their back. Years ago my beautiful bride, through judicious application of an elbow (ahem), has trained me to sleep on my stomach so I sleep normally and quietly. Back sleeping also exacerbates sleep apnea.

Third, hammocks are not suitable for small boats because they are not space efficient when deployed singly. They require more room than the traditional single berth due to swing needs. However they work pretty well for berthing spaces with a 30 or 40 foot beam where you can put many side-by-side and the swing space overlaps. Also, in small boats they hang amidships or nearly so, so everyone needs to sleep at once or else those awake must take to crawling the deck like a WW II soldier in a field of fire simply to move about. 

DaCAP


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## ggray (Jun 18, 2011)

They require more room, but hammocks with spreader bars are more comfortable. You lie diagonally, and there will be little sag in the middle. 
I didn't figure this one out on my own.


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## JordanH (Dec 13, 2008)

Curious? Why not give it a try?




Easy Hammock 2: 



Easy Hammock 1: 




You can probably make one with the materials onboard, so zero cost and an easy afternoon in the sun.


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## jackdale (Dec 1, 2008)

smackdaddy said:


> I plan on getting a center aft berth in my ocean boat (I just like them).


Been on three boats with that plan. One of them worked. The mattress was split with a lee cloth down the the middle. A lee cloth on either side would also be desirable.


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## smurphny (Feb 20, 2009)

Saw someone with a hammock slung from forestay to mast last year. It looked like a tempting place to relax in the sun but would be problematic for bananas due to its exposed nature.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

Banana?


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## arf145 (Jul 25, 2007)

RonRelyea said:


> I use a hennessy hammock for camping ... I find that their unique design is better for the back than a regular hammock .... haven't tried it on the boat though
> 
> Catalogue: Hennessy Hammocks and more


I use a Hennessy for backpacking too. I have had some back problems in my life but none with the Hennessy. I've thought about trying to rig it on the boat but it might require more space lengthwise than I've got.


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## JoeDiver (Feb 2, 2011)

arf145 said:


> I use a Hennessy for backpacking too.


I always pack my Hennessy!


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