Tramp Lacing

Have a question on proper lacing procedure on the Club model. I've followed the directions, first lacing the down the center from forward cross member to rear, then across the rear section. However, that causes a "kink" (for lack of a better word) where the tramp enters the forward part of the side channel (pictures below).

I see this as a place where the tramp will chafe and start to rip. Is there a way to do the lacing to eliminate this problem?

I was thinking about lacing across the back first, then doing the center. Another idea was starting the forward lacing back from the front cross member, equal to the front of the side channel.

Before trying anything, I figured I'd ask to see what other suggestions are out there.

Charlie

You're not doing anything wrong by doing it that way - and it will take a long time (if ever) for the trampoline to fray and tear there, as long as there are no spurs or snags on the aluminum track. It's mostly cosmetic.

You can try this method to minimize it:
1) Install the trampoline in the tracks, getting it as far into that corner as you can by hand.
2) Tighten the outer 2 or 3 grommets worth of each side's rear lacings to "set" the corner.
3) Tighten the center lacing, but go easy on the first couple of grommets - just enough to pull the wrinkles out. When you get to the part that's supported by the track, crank on it.
4) Tighten the rear lacings - crank on them.
5) Take another pass down the middle.

My guess is that even after all this - you'll still eventually end up with the same look after it's been sailed a while and things have settled in.

Or, you could do what's done on the 17:

There's a fairlead bolted into the crossbar track at the corner, and a grommet in the corner of the tramp. Some people shackle the tramp to the fairlead, but I use a couple lashings of low stretch, small diameter line (2 mm Amsteel). It's kind of the ultimate solution.

MBounds,

Thanks for the tips, if I take the tramp off for any reason I'll add a grommet. Until then I'll try re-lacing the way you suggested.

One change would be when lacing the center, do it snug the first few grommets, then throw in a half-hitch, then tight the rest of the way. This may keep the tensions different on the 2 sections.

Charlie