I have a large trampoline on my boat 2.2m x 2.8m (7'3"x9'2") and consequenlty it is more difficult to get it really tight.

What do people think is the best trampoline design around today for ease of assembly and getting it tight. It is currently sleeved around the front beam, laced around the back and the sides are shaped to allow tensioning for and aft.



Gareth

I like the system Hobie uses, the Tiger assembly manual might give you an idea how it works.
http://www.hobiecat.com/support/pdfs/tigerassy.pdf

Thanks Tony, that is pretty much identical to what I already have except the method of lacing to the rear beam.

Gareth

i beleive that you need the tracks or grommets on each side to keep it from stretching downwards....

I've never been a big fan of the Hobie Tiger trampoline (the one that isn't connected on the side). It feels too mushy (perhaps the boats I've sailed weren't setup properly though).

In order to have it feel firm, it has to connect to the side rails somehow.

I like my Prindle-18.2 trampoline... once it's on. It's a bit of a pain in the butt and truly requires two people. It's a 2-piece with lacing down the port and aft sides. The tramp has a bolt rope which feeds through a track in the front crossbar. Then you feed the sides through tracks on the starboard and port hulls. The aft piece, like the bow has a bolt rope and feeds through a track on the rear crossbar. It can be tight and hard to get it on. But once it is, the lacing on the sides can be tightened really tight. There are no gaps between the hulls and crossbars and after the first sail, you tighten it up again. I keep mine almost board-tight.

Nice - if you have the patience to get it on properly. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Grob

the problem with your design above is that the rope will slide around the beam and so will allow the tramp to move. In order to get it tight so it feels tight, you need to anchor it at some point - as said above frommets at the back and eyes at the sides.

I have a Mystere 6.0 and think it's tramp design is the best I've seen.

The forward part of the tramp has a 3/8" (best guess) bolt rope that easily slides along a slot in the fore beam.

The sides of the tramp have a very small boltrope that slides through a narrow track along the topside of the hulls. This is best done with 2 people, but one person can do it by shimmying each side a couple of inches at a time.

The rear of the tramp has a sleeve to accomodate an alimunum pole (1/2" perhaps?) tht is laced to the ream beam at about 8 points. To tighten the tramp, all I have to do is pull the slack through the 8 points along the rear bean and re-secure it. It takes all of 15 seconds.

The tramp is also made of two pieces sewed together so that the stichthing is in a diagonal pattern (relative to the boat). This has the affect of tightening the tramp along the diagonal axis, spreading the tension evenly throughout.

There are a lot of design features on my Mystere that I am not fond of . . . but they got this one right.