Help me diagnose what I'm doing wrong!

[Midwest Firecraft]

Warbonnet Ridgerunner.
Winter Haven 13 foot with doors/poles/ set up for Ridgerunner.
Tried for two hours to set it up where the doors would close, but cannot get the suspension to fit inside.
Hung tarp as high as I could reach, and hammock as low as I could so saddle bags did not touch when I was laying in it.
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Set up the hammock as suggested. Then set up the tarp. I closed the doors and staked out both sides. I then unhooked one of the sides and inserted the poles over the hammock which sucked. I then attached the unhooked side back up to the original stakes. Success! Doesn't completely cover the suspension, but two shoe laces inside should take care of it. It was just about to rain so cloudy, but very nice mood under the tarp. I love the view you can get from a bridge hammock.
The bad part is it took me an hour and fifteen minutes! That's not going to work in the BWCA. I'm confident with practice I can do it in a half hour. Still a long time. Thinking of getting rid of the continuous ridgeline, seems like two dutch flys or something like it would be a lot quicker for centering the tarp.
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[Clisbyclark]

Since no one else has posted, I'll take a wild guess as I don't have a bridge and don't know much about them. That being said, it looks like the "Vee" from your hammock is preventing your doors from closing. The only solutions I can think of are to possibly lower the tarp to the point where the tarp is directly above your suspension OR to increase the angle of hang which would shorten the overall length of the hammock which would then allow you to close the doors. I know that the 13 foot tarps are what many use for Bridges so I'm sure it can be done. Good luck!

[Midwest Firecraft]

The Bridge hammock does have 25 degree as opposed to the traditional 45 degree angle, which I suppose lengthens the suspension. I played with raising the hammock, but then the bridge poles are dangerously close the the tarp. Going to play with it again later this afternoon, I will try increasing the angle and shortening the suspension. Thank you for your suggestion.

[cougarmeat]

In my setups, usually, but not always, the tarp suspension contacts the tree lower than the hammock suspension. Also, with the RidgeRunner, a recommended distance between the apex points - were the two lines from the side of the hammock come together - is about 13 ft. If you have a 13 ft tarp, that would put them just at the edge of the tarp but your photo shows one at the end clearly outside such that those suspension lines are holding the tarp door apart.

When I have to solve a problem, I start from a point of “goodness” - where I know things are right - and slowing step towards the situation with the point of “badness". Somewhere along the way, the problem becomes clear.

So - forget the tarp for a minute. Set your RidgeRunner up and measure the distance between the apex points. Also, what is the hang angle. Though gathered end hammocks are usually around 30 degrees, Bridge hammocks can be a little shallower - like maybe 30 to 25 degrees.

Then forget about the hammock for a minute. Set just the tarp up. What is the distance between the ends of the ridgeline. Don’t “know” it’s 13 feet - MEASURE IT.

Without the hammock, you’ll see how close you can get the doors. Some tarps have enough door material that doors can overlap. Some barely close. Some doors angle in from the ridgeline to the bottom of the doors. That is, though they start a distance apart the same as the ridgeline length, with the doors angling in, the bottom edge is clearly a shorter distance apart.

If that’s the case with the Winter Haven, then of course, the further down from the ridgeline the hammock suspension comes out - in other words, the higher the tarp - the more the RidgeRunner suspension will stick out and the two lines will create a gap at the top of the doors.

Note that a small gap is okay - you want some airflow or you’ll be dealing with condensation issues.

[Midwest Firecraft]

In my setups, usually, but not always, the tarp suspension contacts the tree lower than the hammock suspension. Also, with the RidgeRunner, a recommended distance between the apex points - were the two lines from the side of the hammock come together - is about 13 ft. If you have a 13 ft tarp, that would put them just at the edge of the tarp but your photo shows one at the end clearly outside such that those suspension lines are holding the tarp door apart.

When I have to solve a problem, I start from a point of “goodness” - where I know things are right - and slowing step towards the situation with the point of “badness". Somewhere along the way, the problem becomes clear.

So - forget the tarp for a minute. Set your RidgeRunner up and measure the distance between the apex points. Also, what is the hang angle. Though gathered end hammocks are usually around 30 degrees, Bridge hammocks can be a little shallower - like maybe 30 to 25 degrees.

Then forget about the hammock for a minute. Set just the tarp up. What is the distance between the ends of the ridgeline. Don’t “know” it’s 13 feet - MEASURE IT.

Without the hammock, you’ll see how close you can get the doors. Some tarps have enough door material that doors can overlap. Some barely close. Some doors angle in from the ridgeline to the bottom of the doors. That is, though they start a distance apart the same as the ridgeline length, with the doors angling in, the bottom edge is clearly a shorter distance apart.

If that’s the case with the Winter Haven, then of course, the further down from the ridgeline the hammock suspension comes out - in other words, the higher the tarp - the more the RidgeRunner suspension will stick out and the two lines will create a gap at the top of the doors.

Note that a small gap is okay - you want some airflow or you’ll be dealing with condensation issues.

Heading out at 4 to try your suggestions. I purchased the tarp used so I did hang that in my basement when I got home and it does indeed measure 13 feet from D ring to D ring. I will hang the hammock and measure it this afternoon. It sounds like the Ridgerunner is just to long, but others claim they have done it, so I am at a loss. If worse comes to worse I ordered the spindrift sock. If I can't close the doors the sock should handle any rain or wind that comes in. It is a beautiful tarp. I have always had dark tarps and the light blue is very "cheery"

[cougarmeat]

When I asked one vendor about tarp colors, suggesting darker colors would dry faster, he asked, “If you had to stay under it for most a day (or two) in a rain storm, what would be best for your mood? Unfortunately many tarps only offer the blacks, browns, olives, But gray and brighter colors, like your blue, show up from time to time.

You know your tarp ridgeline is 13 feet. Now measure the apex connecter distance on the hammock. Though 13 ft is suggested, as with any hammock ridgeline length, it is a suggestion. One friend prefers 12 ft distance for the RidgeRunner.

I used an 11 ft Superfly with the RidgeRunner for a few years So the doors never completely closed at the top. But it was good enough. It might be that you are just suspending the tarp too high above the RR and if the doors are the type that angle in when closed, then the distance between the doors where the hammock suspension comes out is just not 13 ft.

The sock is nice, especially as it turns colder. But it is breathable (or it would rain inside with condensation) so you’ll still want the tarp.

[BillyBob58]

Since you are concerned about spreader bar to tarp contact worsening when the tarp is too low/too close to the hammock, consider this: use side tie outs that came with the tarp, or adding some if needed(or pole mods if available). Use tie outs as close as possible to where the bars might contact the tarp. Put a cord thru these tie outs, and run them to a tree, or of needed to a trekking pole, and pull the sides of the tarp out far enough so that contact with the spreader bars is not an issue. Good luck.

[Midwest Firecraft]

Took to long to set up, but was a success!