Tensa 4 hack for Big Guy Bridge.

[wbJohn]

I got a Big Guy Bridge from Just Bill and have bee very comfortable in it. I also have a Tensa 4 stand thT is used when kayak camping. I tried the BGB on the stand and couldn't get the geometry to work. Either the hammock or the spreader bar would hit stand no matter what I did once I got in.

I thought through the geometry and realized that if I could somehow make the poles steeper but keep the ridgeline the same it would work. I imagined extending the poles into the ground and realized, after some trial and error that this could be accomplished by making the stand into two parallel trapazoids. So down the basement I went and grabbed some scrap PVC pipe, cut it in half (22 inches each half) and tied them to the bottom of the tensa poles. It seemed to work great and made the BGB work on the stand. I added a second baseline to keep everything from twisting.

Testing went well in the backyard so I took it with me on my latest trip. It worked well.

The crappy line was replaced with soft shackles and it's not a big deal to fit in the kayak.


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[Saltfly]

That’s awesome. How long is your baseline? I’m gonna try it out tomorrow. And thanks


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[wbJohn]

That’s awesome. How long is your baseline? I’m gonna try it out tomorrow. And thanks


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The baseline is a ucr that can be from about a foot to 10 feet long. It looks to be about 6 feet on the stand. Don't forget to add a second one and attach them to the ends of the pipe so the stand will be less likely to twist.

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[wbJohn]

That’s awesome. How long is your baseline? I’m gonna try it out tomorrow. And thanks


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The baseline determines the height of the hammock on the stand. I adjust one so the hammock height is right and then make the other one the same length.

Note, This is something I came up with and is not supported by Tensa or Towns-End. doing this may very well violate your warranties for both the stand and/or hammock.

[Latherdome]

You can avoid any extra hardware (that pipe) by setting up both halves in the manner you would when using one tree, with a stake placed under each apex and a guyline running in a V shape along the ground to prevent the feet sliding toward each other. Then anchor at least the foot end apex to the anchor beneath it. See pics toward the end here, and just imagine the same setup on both sides: https://www.tensaoutdoor.com/one-tree-two-hammocks/

[wbJohn]

You can avoid any extra hardware (that pipe) by setting up both halves in the manner you would when using one tree, with a stake placed under each apex and a guyline running in a V shape along the ground to prevent the feet sliding toward each other. Then anchor at least the foot end apex to the anchor beneath it. See pics toward the end here, and just imagine the same setup on both sides: https://www.tensaoutdoor.com/one-tree-two-hammocks/

That would work, too. I'll have to try it.

I went through all sorts of permutations of stakes and guy lines before I realized I needed to compensate for the compressive forces of the bottom of the poles trying to move toward each other. This accomplishes the same thing by tethering the bottom of the poles to the Orange Screw. Boy am I glad I bought that 600 foot roll of Amsteel

Leave it to me to overcomplicate things.

Thanks.

[BillyBob58]

That would work, too. I'll have to try it.

I went through all sorts of permutations of stakes and guy lines before I realized I needed to compensate for the compressive forces of the bottom of the poles trying to move toward each other. This accomplishes the same thing by tethering the bottom of the poles to the Orange Screw. Boy am I glad I bought that 600 foot roll of Amsteel

Leave it to me to overcomplicate things.

Thanks.

On a smooth surface, such as a patio or garage floor, the PVC feet connector might still come in handy, due to inabilities to put a stake on the ground. Unless of course I add some sort of anchors sunk into the floor, but just using the pipe added to the feet might be easier, maybe.

[wbJohn]

On a smooth surface, such as a patio or garage floor, the PVC feet connector might still come in handy, due to inabilities to put a stake on the ground. Unless of course I add some sort of anchors sunk into the floor, but just using the pipe added to the feet might be easier, maybe.

I didn't throw them out

Carrying them is more weight and bulk, though. for a home or car camping solution, you're right, they could come in handy. I could see using them if I were using counter weights rather than stakes or even in a hotel room.

[cougarmeat]

> even in a hotel room.
Would the hotel be concerned if you were carrying up those trapezoidal concrete blocks often used as a foundation base? Maybe they’d get the hint that hammock eyebolts in the wall should be standard construction/feature of their rooms.

I really like your solution - separated Tensa poles, not concrete blocks - to the “RR challenge”.

[Redfish]

That’s a brilliant solution
Now I can get rid of my last gathered end hammock!
I much prefer bridges