Tramp! No, that is not my nick name! That is a vital part of every catamaran. At the bow (front of the boat) between the two hulls lies a trampoline.
Our trampoline has been in use on Sugar Shack since 2007 (very unusual). In 2010 we bought a new dynema trampoline and stowed it in the bow locker. She has stayed tucked away for the past 16 years, until now.
The tramp has multiple uses:
Safety and Performance: The trampoline allows water from the waves to pass through preventing excessive weight on the deck. In addition, it improves vessel stability by reducing weight at the bow.
Catamarans need to ensure there is as little weight as possible at the bows to prevent nose diving and pitch polling which could be catastrophic!
Comfort and Relaxation: The tramp also provides a lovely lounging area for sunbathing, gatherings, and happy hour.
There are many types of trampolines offering a variety of comfort. Most catamarans use a type of polyester mesh or high-strength vinyl. These offer the most comfort. They typically offer smaller holes making more comfortable to sit and lay on.
However, they don’t allow for a lot of water flow and there can be large gaps between the hull of the boat and the tramp which can be dangerous.
Then there are the dyneema or polyester mesh versions. These tend to be a lot stronger and last longer. The holes are bigger and the material smaller allowing for better water flow.
However, they tend to be not as comfortable and require a towel, blanket, or chair to sit on.
There are a lot more varieties of trampolines but they usually fall in one of these two categories. They all come in a variety of colors, strength, and thickness.
What does Sugar Shack have?
The original trampoline that lasted forever was dyneema. So, we bought a dyneema one to replace it (in 2010).
Dyneema is an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (HMPE) fiber, renowned as the world’s strongest fiber, offering up to 15 times the strength of steel on a weight for weight basis.
Where we lack in comfort, we make up in strength, longevity, and safety. And frankly, we usually just plop the bean bags on the tramp.
The 2007 version just would not die. It would get a little loose and dip in the middle but then Matt would just tighten it up on one of the sides. It just lasted and lasted for a very long time.
Each diamond is capable of holding 200 pounds! There are hundreds of triangles! It is so strong that we had 12 Polynesians sitting on it for a New Year’s eve celebration!
This is the old version which was temporarily installed after we removed the cross beam. We decided to finally to replace it when we found our first break.
Replacing the Old for the New
We briefly contemplated replacing the trampoline while we were on the hard. Then we realized it would be much safer to do it while we were on the water just in case we fell in.
It is a tedious project. There are stainless rods on each side and the back that are thread through the diamonds.
A piece of dyneema line is woven on the moveable rail hooks and interlaced around the stainless rod. This is then used to tighten the trampoline. As the tramp ages and droops it can be adjusted using the rod.
Matt has a lot of back and forth….you start weaving on one side without tightening it. Then you move to the opposite side and weave and go back and forth until it is even. Then you start the process on the front and back. All the while not being able to step on the trampoline.
It is tricky.
Matt has the new tramp over the old one. He is just starting the weaving in the top photo and almost done in the bottom photo.
This project requires a lot of patience, strength, and ingenuity. Nothing I possess which is why this is a blue project.
Final Touches
Matt can begin the finishing touches once everything is fairly even and tight. The excess edges are trimmed and the steel rods are capped on the ends.
Our blog posts run 6-8 weeks behind actual live events.
Matt replaced the tramp in May 2026.
