BYYB Forums

Has any one ever made a cockpit tent or canvas covering for their Stevenson design? Got any pictures? Comments?

Hi Brian, I made a boom tent for the cockpit of my Vacationer. I used regular white tarp, and attached in with snap fasteners.



It is great for storing excess stuff from the cabin (coolers and such) at night. Keeps things dry. You can sit in dry comfort while anchored too.

Greg

So you have snaps nailed to the boat? Hum, I didn’t think of that. Thanks for posting.

Ahoy Brian,

What this about the salty Brian not reading past issues of Gaff Rig?
Say it ain't so.

Brian, take a look at the fine article by Paul Butler in the Spring Quarter, 2005 issue.
Here you will also find a fine recipe by Miss Pat, boatman's stew for a cold winter day.

Good luck on your building.

i have been planning on puting something together for my vacationer that i am building. i too plan to make it out of poly tarp but i intend it to be a kind of practice project. ultimately i intend to make one out of canvas or dacron and i am not willing to throw away that kind of time and money if it does not work out right. once i am happy with the tarp tent, i will take it apart and use it as a pattern for the material i end up using. i have decided that i want to hoist my boom out of the way and have a tent that stands on its own so i can have more head room. there are always loose tent poles for sale at the local thrift store so i will purchase those for holding the tent up and i will use some kind of cleat around the cockpit to tie the tent down. the ties will probably be sewn into the tent. or i will use grommets...... those are my ideas and intentions.

We designed a boom tent for use on either a Vacationer or Weekender. The only difference is the size and adding another hoop over the top on the Vacationer.

The frame is made up of cut lengths of CPVC pipe and CPVC connectors commonly available at any of the big box stores.
The tent is a top with removable side and back panels that zip onto the top.
Ours is being fabricated from Ripstop nylon tent material that is UV treated and waterproofed. It is estimated that the total weight of the tent for a Weekender including the frame is less than 15#.

It could be done with Sunbrella fabric or even poly tarp and taped together with ties to attach the side and back panels.

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As usual, I've just spent a little over an hour trying to load the image downloads and no matter what combination of URL or Img framing I've tried, it doesn't work for me.

Here ya go Barry - you were using the address of the whole page - use the address of the picture (right click on the picture and choose properties then copy the URL listed).

That's no tent Richard, its an aft cabin! That would be nice on a cold day, or a wet messabout. I'll have to keep that one in mind

Keith

That is bloody brilliant! I've been wrestling with this thought my self and had a few ideas, nothing concrete, but this is the best idea I've seen for a cockpit tent yet.
Thanks for the great idea Barry.
Brian.

I've used and made a number of boom tents over the years and the trick to a successful design is not how much it covers or its maximum headroom, but how easily it stows, hoists and can be doused.

I've seen lots of overly complicated arrangements, which get used once or twice and then never leave the bag again, for the difficulty trying to set it up, or worse pack it back into the bag it came from.

A simple draped over the boom tent, with bungee or lanyard tie downs works best. The more flaps, darts, straps and gadgets attached, the more likely it will be cumbersome and not get used.

SunBrella is the best way to go. It lasts, can take a beating from sun, wind and rain, plus holds it's attachment points well. In fair weather, light Dacron or rip stop can serve.

Things to avoid are poles to hold up elements of the tent, use the boom and topping lift. Doors and windows are for cabins, not boom tents, leave them off. End flaps can keep out weather, but should be a separate element, easily removed or added as necessary, say with Velcro or snaps.

Most RV supply stores have a spray on UV inhibitor/water proofer, intended for the roll up awnings on the side of travel trailers. Squirt some on and it lasts around a year down here in sunny Florida. A great way to keep UV sensitive materials from dieing in the sun, including sails and boom tents. Water just sheets right off too.