BYYB Forums

I am debating on no cabin, cabin, partial cabin, or removable cabin for the Weekender I am building. The cockpit area is just plain small compared to the rest of the boat.

I really like the look of no cabin with the cabin sides as splash combing, but it is nice to have cover when needed.

I was thinking that since I would have cabin sides installed anyway as splash combing....why couldn't I just have a stand-alone cabin top with sides (attached with three or four cabin rafters) and just "slide" the cabin (with cabin sides) onto or over the existing cabin sides/splash combing and just have some hardware to snap down? That way I could choose cabin or no cabin before heading out. I wouldn't be able to have windows though.

Any thoughts? Anyone attempt this before? Seems like it would work, although I wouldn't walk on the cabin top. I think there is enough clearance everywhere to slide it on and off from the back, but I would have to alter the originally planned splash combing at the cock pit as this would be to wide for the cabin to slide over.

The Stevensons built a Weekender with a removable cabin top. Here's a page on their website with pictures of that boat:
http://www.stevproj.com/KauaiWkndr.html

Bob Butler built a cabinless Weekender:
http://www.stevproj.com/MNorel.html

Bob's boat was the inspiration for my own open Weekender. Now I've got a boat with a ten foot long cockpit. Over the five years I've had the boat I've never missed the cabin. There's plenty of storage space under the seats.

I've also noticed that the boat sails better with the passenger weight moved forward.

Here's a link to an article about my boat:
http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/04/s/ar.../index.cfm

Thank you for the information Bill. Your boat is stuningly beautiful. I am conflicted to having no cabin, as I think this adds to the look and makes the boat look more substantial. However, the extra seating and the balanced weight is very appealing, not to mention your open boat looks beautiful.

Unfortunately, I was unable to open the first two Stevenson links you provided either because of possible firewall issues or I think the Stevensons are on vacation or something like that and their web site is currently being redesigned. Do you think that is the case?

I don't know why the links aren't working now. They worked earlier today. However I just tried them again and they failed.

Kinda a tough choice wether to have a cabin or not especially with the weekender. Being around weekenders I would characterize them as at most a three person boat for daysailing with one person sitting in the cabin opening. If you planned on having more than that on your boat then the cabinless design might be best. Certainly helps distribute weight evenly throughout the boat when sailing.

However, there are several advantages in my experience (with a Pocket Cruiser) of having a permanent cabin. It provides a place to store stuff when sailing and trailering. It also is nice on a long sunny day to be able to duck below for a nap or other out of the sun recreation. Also, when a sudden downpour hits you can kick the anchor of the side and go below for some cards, reading a book, or other recreation until the rain is over. The cabin is indispensible when sailing with kids for the day as it gives then a place to play, nap, read, and etc... while mommy and daddy are sailing. Finally, it allows for easy overnight adventures on your boat.

I am going to try the open boat with boomtent arrangement this coming summer since I sold my pocket cruiser and only have smaller open boats now. However, my feeling is the cabin provides a warm and dry place to store your bedding and clothes. The quickest way to missery when camping is damp gear and no dry space to go into. Also, there is no setup time involved with a cabin so you can pull into a cove and go to sleep. Finally, it is easier to seal a cabin against bugs.

Now, unless you are stuck on the sleek lines of the weekender, you could build a Pocket Cruiser and have both a large cockpit and usable cabin in a 14' package. My PC was modified with a bridgedeck but I have sailed with five adults in the cockpit (with a tiller) with no problems. The boat was slower (no big surprise) but she still performed.

Jeff, I built my weekender with a removeable pop top. I often just leave the pop top in the garage, but we use it when it is really hot and we need a little shade. It is rigid enough that walking on the top in not an issue.

http://groups.msn.com/SandbarsandDriftwo...hance.msnw

Thanks for the messages.

Are there Stevenson plans available for the removable cabin for the weekender?

If not, I was planning on installing a one inch high stringer as a splash combing (in place of the cabin sides) and then the cabin (cabin top, rafters and cabin sides) would attach to the stringers. and will rest on chocks. The cabin would be held into the stringer probably with a few bolts. Pretty simple design actually.

I would then make a couple removable benches in the cabin.

Any thoughts on that design. Again, if plans are already available, I'd like to see them. Thank you all for your input.

The Stevensons don't sell plans for a removeable cabin. However, if you look closely at the photo of their Weekender without its cabin, it looks like you and they had the same idea.