Hobie Cat Forums

I'm going to be in the market soon for a new tramp. Should I go vinyl or mesh? Anyone out there who's had experience with both?

I've had vinyl for about 20 years and have had mesh for about the past 11 years. I prefer mesh. Vinyl holds water so you are sometimes sitting in a small puddle of water. The water gets in through the ropes going down the center of your tramp and occasionally over the front of your boat. Mesh breaks up the water coming in and drains all of it going out. I would buy a mesh tramp again if I had to.

What he said . . . . plus, I believe a mesh lowers the propensity to capsize. It doesn't act like a sail but allows the wind to blow through it as opposed to against it. I have capsized a lot less with the mesh !!! It also has a better grip !!! Just my take !!!

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Happy Sailing,

David

Not to highjack but...
What about the ability of mesh to be tightened, with the resulting stability of the entire boat? I only have experience with vinyl- and older tramps at that which seem to stretch pretty easily over time...
Which brings to mind the issue of ease of installation- I do know that vinyl tramps are pretty much fun to install...

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Raise your sail one foot, and you get ten feet of wind.
起你的一只帆，和你10英尺的。 -- Chinese Proverb
William D. Latinette @ Latrobe, PA, USA w. H14 Turbo X 2... wildlatin23@hotmail.com

Virtually all the racers use mesh tramps. That's gotta tell you something about their ability to be tightened.

sm

Great! That answers that part...
Any experiences in mesh tramp installation vs. vinyl?

For that matter, how about construction of mesh tramps vs. the Hobie vinyl heatsealed method (which seems to last virtually forever!)
Are mesh tramps just sewn together?

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Raise your sail one foot, and you get ten feet of wind.
起你的一只帆，和你10英尺的。 -- Chinese Proverb
William D. Latinette @ Latrobe, PA, USA w. H14 Turbo X 2... wildlatin23@hotmail.com

The only argument I have heard for vinyl is that they are 'drier'.

I have the same puddling problem on my 16... and don't have that issue with the mesh on the 18... and I don't really have any issues with water blowing through the 18 tramp... So.. uuuhh yeah...

Also.. on 16's I have sailed with the mesh it seems once really flying a hull they feel like they don't get blown over as easy when way up... but I dunno.. I would think the difference is marginal...


If buying one... I would buy mesh... looks better.. feels better...

Here's one- they last- how many mesh tramps can hold up to elements and use for 30+ years!
Kinda playing advocate...
Any comments about the durability of mesh tramps?

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Raise your sail one foot, and you get ten feet of wind.
起你的一只帆，和你10英尺的。 -- Chinese Proverb
William D. Latinette @ Latrobe, PA, USA w. H14 Turbo X 2... wildlatin23@hotmail.com

I have to admit that is true... The reason my 16 is not wearing mesh is because the almost 30 year old tramp is still serviceable...

I've had both. Mesh seems a little harder on the knees. I wear knee pads now. I don't remember ever getting tramp burn with vinyl. I think another consideration would be if you sail predominately in cold, rough water. Getting a continuous cold water douche through mesh is not a happy experience.

I prefer vinyl. I sail with a friend with a mesh tramp and I have a vinyl tramp. With the mesh tramp on a rough day, it's like getting an enema. It's probably worse on my friend's boat, he has a Getaway, so the tramp is a bit closer to the water.

I need to put a rope catcher on mine, that should cut more of the water on the tramp.

Oh and if the water pools on a vinyl tramp, just need to fly a hull and it will slide right off.

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Marc...
1978 Hobie 16 Keoke, sail# 36 84

If you are sailing in cooler to down right cold waters you probable want vinyl.I have a replacement mesh tramp on my 1981 16' and the original vinyl on my 1989 21SE.Keep your tramp covered which ever you choose.
Bill 404 21SE

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Bill 404 21SE

I purchased a new Mesh tramp from Atomic Tarp, great price!

I've raced with both. No (noticeable) difference in performance under 12 knots. You're not fast if your hull is far enough out of the water to let the tramp catch air. Mesh is harder on the knees.

If you're in to flying hulls, and usually sail in higher winds, the mesh may be a slight advantage. I like solid, on my recreational boat, to extend my sailing season earlier and later in the year. I like to fly hulls and have no problem dealing with the solid tramp. If water is pooling on your tramp, it may not be laced tight enough?

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Sheet In...Max Out
www.fleet297.org
sailflatlands at gmail dot com

I agree with J_Eaton

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ALLEY CAT 1984 RED LINE HOBIE 18 MAGNUM
Sail # 10505 or 277