Hobie Cat Forums

OK, I got the new tramp and wing covers. They are gorgeous.

The wings went on flawlessly. It appears I need to pull the wings to install the tramp. So I remove the nuts to pull the wings off. It appears that I can then loosen another nut and slide the slugs out of the way to install tramp and then reverse the process. Is that right? Please, somebody, tell me that I don't have to remove the crossbars to do this.

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The ox is slow but the earth is patient

You are correct. Do not remove the crossbars. Tramps go on a lot easier with two people. One to feed the tramp through the track and the other to pull. Attaching a line to the grommet you are pulling on makes it easier. Lace the back of the tramp first, then the center. There are several ways to tighten the lacing. I like to use the tramp tightening tool that Hobie sells. Another good method involves using two Hot Sticks. A couple of vice grips also works. Tight is good, but don't over do it to the point of tearing out a grommet. You will most likely have to re-tighten after your first day of sailing the new tramp.

Jim

The tramp didn't come with instructions but SLO has a video of lacing a 3 piece tramp on a 16. The video says to put all three pieces in, then start at the front and lace to the back with a nice !X! lace in the center of the back, then do the right and left laces.

Also do you put the rope keeper in as you lace or after?

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The ox is slow but the earth is patient

If I am understanding you correctly, I disagree with the order of that video (haven't seen it, though). You want to start lacing from the back corners toward the center first. This pulls the tramp back as far as it can go in the track along the hull first. If you lace the center of the tramp first, the tramp will be so loaded up that you won't be able to take up any of the slack when you lace up the back. Does that make sense?

Jim

I put the keeper in afterwards.

You can do your "initial" lacing in any order you want, but I agree with Jim in that when you actually start to tension the tramp, you should start with the aft lacings so the tramp will slide back along the side rails. If you do the center lacing before the aft, you are likely to end up with wrinkles along the sides of the tramp. You'll also end up with the tramp being wrinkled/bunched up at the forward outboard corners since the tension from the aft lacing is what keeps the front of the tramp from pulling inward by the center lacing.

I also recommend that you tighten the tramp in stages so you lessen the risk of pulling out a grommet. First lace up the tramp and just make the lines snug using your bare hands and make sure the tramp is smooth and the lines are routed correctly. Then go back and tension the tramp with whatever tool you use.

sm