I must say that the times I slept in a hammock and was VERY glad to be in it was on the U.S. Brig Niagara as crew. This is a reconstructed 1812 warship that foughtthe British in the battle of Lake Erie. It's home port is Erie, PA, my hometown.

When it was rough weather we swabbies (35 of us in one compartment below deck) would never feel the ship rock because it rocked beneath us while we stayed quite still. Meanwhile the poor captain and officers were sliding on their bunks.

In the morning we'd unhitch our hammocks, roll them up, stenciled number out, and take them topsides and store them on the hammock rail "fencing", covered by heavy, white canvas.

So, yeah, under certain circumstances I DO appreciate hammocks.

Eric

BTW, handling sail on a spar 85 ft. above a rolling deck makes for a higher "pucker factor" but is actually such fun that we always looked forward to it.