Hello all,
I have carefully re-read the "Sunbed or Trampoline" article by George Stephen.
Is there a reason for joining two triangles of fabric if one can get a single piece with the warp/weft at 45º to the hulls?
I have got one of those trampolines built with the warp parallel to the hull. The construction quality of the trampoline is good and once properly tightened I get next to no play between the hulls when I lift one side of the cat.
Nevertheless the tension across the boat is nil and conversely there is no elasticity at all parallel to the hulls. Because of that I keep breaking the slides which are dangerously bent downwards.
Now my plan is to cut a square of material as wide as possible in the middle of the trampoline and replace it by the same area of fabric put the proper way. This way I would be able to keep all the peripheral details of the trampoline.
This is now my 4th season with the Dart. I use it mostly for cruising around though a month ago I took part in an officlal round-the-buoys race. The other boats where all Hobies 16. I raced it unarigged and came middle of the pack thanks to the Dart's rating.
Cheers, Thierry
