Is there any hope this hammock setup could work?

[AlexK90]

The plan for the build was to arrange everything so I would have space for my hammock to sleep in at night (also would give me the option to sleep two since I plan to build a folding couch/bed as well).  However when I put my hammock diagonally across the inside of my van, it's looking like it'll be too long.  

Is there a way I can modify this so it'll fit?  I don't want to buy a new hammock, I had the best sleeps of my life in this thing.  I thought of trying to reinforce the fiberglass top with metal or something and hanging it from higher up, but that might be asking for trouble.  
 I saw this vid but I'd like to avoid climbing around the outside of the van if possible...

I'm aware of the structural issues with hanging weight crossways from van frame supports.  I have a friend who's a welder though, is there any modification I could have done that would make it safe?

Thanks in advance for any help!

(by the way that thing it's draped across is a third seat which I need to have in there for the time being to qualify for passenger plates in New York...it'll be removed before long)

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I've seen some tie one end around a short piece of pvc pipe or a big knot and then shut the front passenger door on it, with the pipe on the outside, acting as a mount. That would add another few feet to your length of van.

Check out the link for some pictures and info on hammock sleeping from this forum
http://www.cheaprvliving.com/conversion-details/hammock-living-ultimate-simple-van-conversion/

 

[towhee]

How much do you need to shorten by? I tied a knot in my nylon hammock which shortened it a few inches. I also tied a knot in the loop that it hangs on. Just those few changes make a 10 foot hammock work in a minivan.

 

[bseek]

Put an eye bolt high, thread hammock through and attach to an eye bolt lower should buy you as much as a foot shorter.

 

[vagari]

I tried the hammock in a van for a little while, but a hammock is very, very cold unless you have some type of a down under quilt or run heat all night. Even sleeping on foam pad with blanket hanging underneath and around me did not keep me warm. I went back to traditional bed

 

[gargoyle]

I have a Honda Odyssey that is my hammock van. I have a few options for insulating the hammock, i.e., topquilts and underquilts. Without these, the hammock is only useful in warm temps, 75* and up.
I tried a lot of different tricks to hang a hammock. The strap over the roof, the pvc pipe outside..all of them leaked. I now have the hammock hanging off tie down brackets that are bolted into the body. Plenty sturdy for me (heavyweight). No signs of any damage after several months of use with this technique. I made my hammock in a custom length to fit with my vans layout.

How much do you, or your guest weigh? That'll be the deal breaker.
Your hammock is a long one. Great for comfort, but fiddly in a van. Those hammocks rely on ALL the cords to share the load. Do NOT tie a knot, as it will structurally hinder the hammock, possibly failure?. Purchase a different hammock. Keep your woven hammock for between the trees.

How sturdy does it seem now? Does the wall or roof flex when you are in it?
If you are experiencing flex...
I would build a frame, since you have a fiberglass top. If you had all steel roof, you'd be fine.
A pipe spreader bar(s) from side to side will keep the walls from bowing (thus causing fiberglass to unseal).

Probably not a lot you can figure until that 3rd seat gets moved?

 

[AlexK90]

How much do you need to shorten by?  I tied a knot in my nylon hammock which shortened it a few inches. I also tied a knot in the loop that it hangs on. Just those few changes make a 10 foot hammock work in a minivan.

Maybe a foot or so.  That sounds like a simple solution, I'll try tying a few knots at the end.  If that doesn't work maybe I'll try the eyehook solution someone else suggested.  Kinda surprised it's hanging so low since my van is pretty big.

 

[AlexK90]

I have a Honda Odyssey that is my hammock van. I have a few options for insulating the hammock, i.e., topquilts and underquilts. Without these, the hammock is only useful in warm temps, 75* and up.
I tried a lot of different tricks to hang a hammock. The strap over the roof, the pvc pipe outside..all of them leaked. I now have the hammock hanging off tie down brackets that are bolted into the body. Plenty sturdy for me (heavyweight). No signs of any damage after several months of use with this technique. I made my hammock in a custom length to fit with my vans layout.

How much do you, or your guest weigh? That'll be the deal breaker.
Your hammock is a long one. Great for comfort, but fiddly in a van. Those hammocks rely on ALL the cords to share the load. Do NOT tie a knot, as it will structurally hinder the hammock, possibly failure?. Purchase a different hammock. Keep your woven hammock for between the trees.

How sturdy does it seem now? Does the wall or roof flex when you are in it?
If you are experiencing flex...
I would build a frame, since you have a fiberglass top. If you had all steel roof, you'd be fine.
A pipe spreader bar(s) from side to side will keep the walls from bowing (thus causing fiberglass to unseal).

Probably not a lot you can figure until that 3rd seat gets moved?

Ah, this is great info.  Thanks a lot.  I weigh 150 lbs.  Not that much.  But I don't wanna take chances.

Are you talking about mounting the pipe spreader from the frame of the van , or the fiberglass top?  Do you think I'd be able to mount it towards the top of the fiberglass and then hang the hammock from there without causing it to bend too much?  Because that would allow it to hang higher off the ground.  I might mount a couple tie down brackets from my frame either way though so I have the option of hanging a hammock or other stuff if I need to.

Probably more realistic to just get a different hammock like you said.  It'll suck if I have to get rid of this one though...

 

[gargoyle]

Not the fiberglass.

 

[DrJean]

How high off the floor do you need to hang? Seems there's a lot of space there... how much farther does it drop with you in it?

 

[theinfamousj]

Head over to HammockForums (dot com? Dot net?) and take a look at their table cloth hammocks. Make one of your own and it can be in whatever length you need for ~$20. The taffeta is as comfortable as parachute nylon and as big as an Eno double.

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