I want to tighten up the tramp on my boat and I'm asking for any tips or tricks of the trade in doing this. I have read about
pre-stressing the side rails with ratchet straps and then lacing up the middle, but, hmmm, don't know about that method. My tramp has some wrinkles on both sides at the rails but not too bad, just figured I'd tighten it up a bit before I hit the water soon. The lacing and trampoline are in great condition also. Thank you for any tips.

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Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
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Been a while for me on the 16, but I remember wetting the side rails / trampoline bolt ropes for lubrication, then tightening the rear lacing first, and the center lacing last. Tightening the center first creates too much friction at the side rails for the rear lacing. Go over the tightening sequence at least a couple times. For the last, you can use a pair of plier handles twisted to tighten each lace, then secure the line on the previously tightened side with something pushed into the trampoline grommet before releasing the plier handles. (A nylon rudder pin?). You will get enough tension to just slightly bend the rails.

Another idea that I used last night on the Prindle was a pair of vice grips to secure each lace against the grommet before releasing the pliers at each section. It probably would not hurt to put some duct tape on the jaws to protect the line. I didn't do so, but I think it would be better for the line.

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Bill Mattson
Prindle 19 "Gelli Bean"
Prindle 19 "Cat's Pajamas"
Nacra 5.2 (Will sail her a bit and let her name herself)
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Sounds pretty straight forward. Thanks.

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Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
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There used to be a tool available called the "Tramp Rench". It was just a piece of plastic with a hole in one end to act as a handle and a cam cleat on the other end. You could engage the cam cleat onto the tramp lacing and the handle allowed you to pull more easily than by just using your hands. I made one many years ago just using a piece of flat steel plate with a piece of angle screwed onto one end (basically a T shape with the angle acting as the handle) and a Harken cam cleat fastened to the opposite end. It works quite well.

I agree that you need to tension the aft lacings first in order to get the wrinkes out of the sides of the tramp. You also want to pull the tramp gradually. If you go 100% right away, you risk pulling out a grommet. My process is lace the aft lacings by hand and just pull snug (by hand). Then lace the center lacing by hand and pull snug. Then go back and pull the lacing tight using the tramp rench and a pair of vice grips.

sm

Good to know. Thank you.

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Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
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Pulling in the sides of the tramp frame is the recommended method. Compress them about 1-2" then lace per the above instructions. You won't hurt the frame!! You can also use a wooden fid to hold the lacing rope in place in each grommet as you work your way down the tramp.

Once you're done getting it tight, release the straps on the frame and it'll be REALLY tight. The tramp tension provides a ton of structural rigidity on the H16. The tighter it is, the more power you put down to propel you through the water instead of flexing the boat.

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Tim
81 Hobie 16
87 Nacra 5.7
Austin, TX
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Okay thanks. I have a teflon dowel thing, (looks almost like a rudder pin), that came with a bunch of extra parts in an orange Murrys zippered bag. I'm thinking the dowel could be used in the grommets as suggested.

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Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
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Scroll toward the end here:
https://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=12697&p=234893&hilit=tramp+tighten#p234893

A ratchet strap works well to get the prebend. A piece of 3/4" PVC pipe with a hole through the top portion (insert a large screwdriver as a handle) and a slot in the bottom (insert line in slot and twist until tight) is the bomb for getting good tension. Vice grips are easier to use than a dowel.....just be careful not to damage line. Will go much faster and easier with two people (one tightens, while the other works the vice grips) but very doable solo.



Edited by rattlenhum on Apr 15, 2017 - 11:03 AM.

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Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
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I used a tramp tightening kit sold by KISME back in the day. It has a T handled thing that grabbed the line. Twist the T handle and tighten the line. Today I would use pliers handles, but the key to making it tight is to use two belaying pins forced into the grommets as you tighten. The KISME belaying pins were tapered aluminum. Once you get the hang of it you can relace an entire tramp in 20 minutes with no skinned knuckles.

Two more tips. First, take the boat off the trailer and put it on a flat, level surface. Your trailer might be cocking the hulls so one is at a different angle than the other.

Second tip, measure the cross diagonal distance of your hulls before you start to tighten. You'll find one diagonal is longer than the other. When you find the long one, attach your mainsheet to the trampoline mounts along the long side diagonal and tighten the sheet until the hulls cross diagonal distances are the same. Mine were about 2 inches off but I got them down to 1/8". Lock that in and keep tension on the mainsheet while you tighten the trampoline.

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David Hall (retired from sailing)
Hobie 16, 1984 Olympic
Bandera, TX
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If using a ratchet strap to pull the crossbars inward when tightening the tramp, do you just use one strap wrapped around the crossbars and hooked to itself? What exactly is the procedure for this? One strap? Two straps? I'm clueless but I want to try this.

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Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
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martyr

What exactly is the procedure for this? One strap? Two straps?

One beefy strap should do it, placed in the middle.
One guy and two sets of vice grips is a time honored way to tighten, with no measureable damage to the lines. Adjust the vice grip squeeze to just hold the line, not crush it.
My $0.02.

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Sheet In!
Bob
_/)_____/)_/)____/)____/)_____/)/)__________/)__
Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
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Thanks for the info. I'm going to do this over the weekend, taking my boat to the coast next week!!!

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Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
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One more question. Is it okay to have the mast up or should it be off the boat, or does it make any difference either way?

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Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
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Here is a variant of the tool some folks (including me) use.



You can make tapered wooden dowels which work well, but these work just fine too. I don't remember which PN I use, but depending on the diameter of the lacing line you use select one that has the mid point of the taper matching the space between your line and the ID of the grommet so as to have sufficient taper left to compress and lock the line. You will need at least two pins, I use three.





Edited by leeboweffect on Jul 29, 2017 - 01:24 PM.

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Hobie 16 (3 formerly)
MacGregor 25 (formerly)
Chrysler Dagger 14 (formerly)
NACRA 5.0 (currently)
High Point, NC
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