Boat camping tent.

[Toxophilite]

I've been pondering ways to make a relatively dry boat tent on the cheap for my Gartside 130
(12' open clinker dinghy)
With my sail bundled up with the yard and boom I can hook one end of the 11' yard to the mast traveller, raise it up and support the aft end with a boom crutch, a topping lift, or my removable bowsprit (which has a jaw for supporting the yard and can be clamped to the stern knee.)

I tried an overnighter at an island close to me on a dry eve with just a tarp thrown over (mostly for privacy not good for rain) and was able to lie down full length on the floorboards(and a mat) under the amidship thwart, cook and generally enjoy a nice evening reading etc. I forgot my boom crutch so I used my jib halyard as a topping lift. Likely will use my sprit as a boom crutch

-I have a 14' x12' tarp I can cut to shape, and it will work but likely be noisy. It's a good simple version, though I could see myself doing just as much work as making one with decent waterproof/resistant breathable fabric. It could be a practice model. It was on sale $13 I have tarp grommets and a good sewing machine

- I was thinking of buying a used/new tent rainfly of big enough dimensions and cutting it to fit

- Also thing of finding a classic pup tent shaped tent and removing it's bottom and recutting as well.THere's one locally, an older Eureka 4 man timberline

- or just buying fabric and do it properly. Sunbrella is pretty expensive though.
What alternatives are there? treated ripstop nylon?


Also thinking of hull attachment points. I've heard of weighted sandbags. I've seen someone using a strap around the hull but that seems arduous to set up (I used a rope under my lower rubrail on my tryout trip and it didn't work well.)

I thought of something affixed underneath my lower rubrail (hooks? short dowel nubs?)

[Todd Bradshaw]

Re: Boat camping tent.

Most stuff like that I make from Odyssey polyester boat canvas. It's about half the weight, bulk and price of Sunbrella, comes something like 63" wide in all kinds of colors and has really great resistance to UV damage. It is coated on one side, but breathable. It may cost you more than nylon, but it will last about five times as long.

DSCF0007a.jpg

[rgthom]

Re: Boat camping tent.

Todd knows fabric and the Odyssey polyester is low cost at around $12/yd. There are two materials I like for boat tents, both around $21/yd at just over 60" wide:

- Shelter Rite from Sailrite. This is heavy 18 oz vinyl coated polyester, completely waterproof and very tough. If you want something that does not leak and there is airflow from the ends this will stand up to a lot. It can be bonded with vinyl cement so no sewing necessary.

- WeatherMax 65 (Seattle Fabrics has this). 6.5 oz breathable water repellant polyester, UV resistant, uncoated. Several forum members had used and recommended this, I made a tent 10 years ago and it is still like new.

For retention I use snaps and 1/4 turn fasteners. Both require some tooling to use, and both would have hardware screwed into the boat. You might not want to do that to the Gartside, but they make for easy and secure attachment.

Rick

[Dan McCosh]

Re: Boat camping tent.

We used to use a pup tent hanging from the boom as a boom tent. The floor was slit, and we put cushions on the seats in the cockpit. It worked quite well, and had the advantage of a couple of screened, ventillating flaps.

[AndanteEd]

Re: Boat camping tent.

Also thinking of hull attachment points. I've heard of weighted sandbags. I've seen someone using a strap around the hull but that seems arduous to set up (I used a rope under my lower rubrail on my tryout trip and it didn't work well.)

I thought of something affixed underneath my lower rubrail (hooks? short dowel nubs?)

Have you got a wooden paddle on board?

If so just tie the cover strap to the paddle, shove the paddle underneath the boat on one side and it should float up on the other side with the strap attached. Pull it in, tie it on to the cover and you're done.

In an attempt a more sophisticated solution, a few years back I did add hooks under a lower rubrail on an open dayboat:

Bow.jpg

They worked OK, but they can get caught on things and it's not as easy to get the cover tight as it is when there is a strap or two going under the hull.

[The Jeff]

Re: Boat camping tent.

I can tell you from my lone overnight experience with a polytarp boom tent that it is definitely noisy. It was a last minute thing and I honestly put very little effort into it, so maybe a different setup would work better. But I found the wind crinkled the tent to one side, then inflated it when the boat swung through the wind, then everything flopped over to the other side. It sounded like I was inside a potato chip bag and I got maybe an hour or two of sleep.


Roger Barnes has hooks along the outside of his hull and I believe his tent has bungee cord loops that he's able to easily snag. I'm considering hooks, but haven't decided how they should be made or attached. But I'll probably try straps under the boat next since it'll be easy.


Either way, I'm interested to see what you come up with!

[Brian Palmer]

Re: Boat camping tent.

I built a tent from surplus store Goretex ($7/yard!). It attaches to hooks on the hull under the lower edge of the top strake. I think urethane coated nylon would be fine if your tent will not be used as a boat cover. 20200919_182109.jpg20200927_174848.jpg

[Todd Bradshaw]

Re: Boat camping tent.

If it matters, polyester of some sort and at any weight would have much better UV resistance and lifespan than coated nylon. You are generally much better off limiting light nylon to clothing and using polyester (and in heavier weights, acrylic) for shelter projects. Similar weights, coatings, etc. are available for both nylon and polyester. The polyester is also more stretch resistant, which can be nice if your ability to retighten the shelter as it stretches is somehow limited.

[Hugh MacD]

Re: Boat camping tent.

If it matters, polyester of some sort and at any weight would have much better UV resistance and lifespan than coated nylon. You are generally much better off limiting light nylon to clothing and using polyester (and in heavier weights, acrylic) for shelter projects. Similar weights, coatings, etc. are available for both nylon and polyester. The polyester is also more stretch resistant, which can be nice if your ability to retighten the shelter as it stretches is somehow limited.

And keep in mind that if your coated nylon stretches, the coating may not. I've had coated nylon rain flies develop leaks where they stretched and the coating cracked, then closed up when the load was off.

[Toxophilite]

Re: Boat camping tent.

Mr. Palmer your red shelter looks functional and great!
All sorts of great information, thanks
I did acquire a coated poly tarp of a size that is enough to make into a shelter.

So far I've found the stout looking Odyssey fabric up her for $21 a yard
At 60" wide I think I might need up to 9-10 yards ( So I can screw up some too!)

For now I will see if I can rework this poly rainfly/tarp

I was thinking as I have 2 Purple Heart rub rails and some 1/8" brass rod I could drill some little holes in the underside of the lower rail and tap in some short nicely rounded lengths of rod, Just enough to hook a tarp on. It won't be going into the cedar planking, would hold better, and be reasonably discrete without poking out.

[Toxophilite]

Re: Boat camping tent.

There was also some polycotton cloth being sold locally quite reasonably. I hear it also makes good tents.

[dutchpp]

Re: Boat camping tent.

I Kinda like this construction with 3 carbon or fiberglass? half hoops over the boom on a small German Hansa Jolle.
The Germans call it "kuchebude" and it creates some serious living space on a small open boat.
kuchebude.jpg

By the way, this is a Hansa Jolle, a 5,5 meter long keel-centreboard half open boat designed for coastal cruising, the Germans also race it on their lakes.
hansa jolle.jpg

[Brian Palmer]

Re: Boat camping tent.

I've attached my shelter to the boat with loops of bungee cord so they keep it tight.

[Nicholas Scheuer]

Re: Boat camping tent.

For securing the sides of the tent along the gunwales you might consider pairs of ties (like reefing nettles) attached about 6" above the hem, aligned with spaces along the rail, with lead weights sewn into the hem in order to keep the hem draped down over the side. I wouldn't like extra fittings screwed onto the topsides; too likely to be damaged dockside.

[StevenBauer]

Re: Boat camping tent.

One thing to avoid is having the tent open at both ends. A friend had that arrangement and after a foggy night at anchor everything under the tent was soaked from condensation as the fog flowed through the tent all night.