I've been making a discovery. Now I know this is going to run counter to the usual advice, but here we go.
I just sewed up an 11 foot long gathered end hammock (using Dutch's Hexon 2.4). I began with 4 yards of material, and by the time I sewed channels in the ends and gathered it up, the whole rig measured laying on the floor is 11 feet end to end. Can't say enough good things about the Hexon 2.4, but that is another topic.
But what I have discovered is that I like things a lot better with a "deeper lay". In other words I am rigging the hammock to hang lower and I just measured the setup inside my room here and the support lines measure 40 degrees instead of 30. With a long hammock like this, I can lay flatter with the hammock hanging low and loose. Not only that, but it is easier to snug up the underquilt given that the points I attach it to (the ends of the hammock) are up higher relative to where I am laying. So what I am saying is that I am abandoning the classic 30 degree guideline and going with 40 for this long hammock.
Now I suspect this may have a lot to do with the extra length of the hammock, but I know a lot of folks are using 11 foot hammocks these days and was wondering if others have been coming to the same conclusion. My old tried and true hammock that started me in all this measures 9 foot 8 inches laid out on the floor. It has always done me well with the classic 30 degree setup, but I'll have to say that I like the 11 foot hammock a whole lot more.
Just for completeness, I'll mention that in the room where I am getting to like this so much, the support points are 17.5 feet apart and about 7 feet off the floor.
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