Cockpit Tents

[Ian Loveday]

I'm looking for a cockpit or boom tent for my Bayraider, I have searched the forum and found some info but most of the posts were fairly old so I though I would see if any new solutions have been found.

The official tent looks good but is rather expensive for the amount of use it will get.  The MSR gear shed is another idea and a better price.  has anyone got any suggestions?

[Matthew P]

At a cost of about £60 and perhaps some loss to Gladys's dignity (not much of that left anyway) I "pitched" a carefully selected but cheap Halfords tent on my BR20.  The photo shows my first attempt. Unfortunately I don't have a photo of the final version in which the poles are shortened and fitted with bent pegs to fit into the rowlock holes so that the tent sides over-lap the side of the boats and "pegged" to small hooks screwed to the wooden rubbing strake.  The tent inner was not used.

I used it on a circumnavigation of the Isle of Bute in May last year and it worked a treat.  There was no noticeable condensation although we kept it well ventilated and cooked with the door (flap) open.  Access to the fore-deck to attend to the anchor was awkward but not impossible.  It stood up to wind and rain, either swinging to anchor or in a sheltered marina but of course it would not be as durable as a "proper" £500 job.

Matthew

Gladys BR20 GRP No 23

[david]

Hi Ian,
             I am also looking for a workable solution to the cockpit tent. I just ordered the item below to see how that will work. (Have to love the return policies of the retail stores that allows me to do this at no risk). The dimensions look like they will give me some head room and plenty of points to stake it down around the boat. Will have to see how it actually works after it arrives. (I may have to incorporate a "bendy" tent pole to increase inside volume.) My idea is use this as some have used the gear tent extension. Over the existing canvas top and extending towards the stern..
  I do like the idea that Matthew brings up and may try that if this one is a dismal failure!

http://www.rei.com/product/858953/eno-housefly-rain-tarp#specsTab

David.

[Jonathan Stuart]

David,

I am a fan of tarps/bashas. We roughly strung one up aft of the sprayhood at Sail Caledonia last year during heavy rain and it worked well. If I had worked out the best methods of attachment before the event it would have been even better. So that's what I plan to do.

I notice the tarp in your link has ends that fold over to give more protection than an open end. That looks good and could be ideal on a boat. Did you order this from the US or have you found a UK outlet?

[Ian Loveday]

Thanks for the info, the tarp with the door flaps looks good and I like the simplicity of something that goes over the boom and just has a few lashings rather than lots of poles etc.  I'm not to worried about it been particularly storm proof as if the weather is that bad i'll not be on the boat. 

I'll think ill try a tarp of some sort and when i've worked it out i'll post a few pictures.

Ian

[david]

Hi,
     Jonathon, in reply to your question; I am in the USA, so I ordered from REI, which is a retailer in the U.S. You may be able to find in the UK. The original purpose for the tarp is as a cover for people using hammocks, instead of tents, to camp out.
My plan is to string this under the boom, secure to the spray hood and attach as appropriate. We will have to see if/how it works. I'll post pics if it seems to work. My main questions is how to secure so it does not blow off the boat.

David.

[Jonathan Stuart]

David,

Sorry, I made the stupid and slightly embarrassing mistake of assuming I'm talking to someone in the same country as me! That looks a good tarp so I'd be interested to hear how you get on with it.

[david]

No problem Jonathan. No reason you should have assumed anything other than I am in the same place. 

[Matthew P]

Inspired by David's tarp idea I ordered via Amazon a DD Tarp XL - 3m x 4.5m - Lightweight Tarpaulin/ Basha (Olive Green) Sold by Woodland Ways Bushcraft and Survival for £44.59.

It fits neatly over Gladys's spray hood and is secured with bungees to lacing hooks screwed to the underside of the rubbing strip.  The tarp has strong loops sewn along the central seam which can then be attached beneath the lowered boom and topmast - so the potentially wet sail is not dripping into the tent.  Adjusting the height of the boom adjusts the overlap with the sides of the boat.  I also fitted a flexible fibreglass tent pole "arch" between the rowlock sockets to add shape the back of the tar but this is not essential.  The tarp is long enough to cover the whole cockpit area and enclose the end but I found covering the front half of the cockpit give enough space and allows open air are at the back for cooking and access.  The end of it can be folded, parcel fashion, to create a door.

In gentle conditions at Bala this weekend it seemed to work well although there was the expected condensation.  Condensation could be avoided by leaving the "door" end open at the risk of letting in insects.

The colour (choice of green or brown) is slightly less jarring than the bright blue Mark I Halfords festival tent.

My guess is that is good for maybe 4 weeks use before UV light and abrasion degrades the fabric. and it is robust enough for any weather fit to be out in but not storm proof.

Matthew
Gladys BR20

[Colin Morley]

I have looked at this and played around for a while.
In the end I have settled for just using the standard BR mooring cover which attaches to the mast and mizzen. It is solidly built.
It is open at both ends but dry inside and the spray hood can be partially raised. It covers the whole cockpit so when up there is no outside area to sit and cook.
It is quite high inside but not room to stand up. However, it can be rigged as high as you like.
The main advantage is that it is a good mooring cover and as I am likely to only camp rarely it means I dont have to buy or carry both a cover and a tent.

[Ian Loveday]

I ordered a DD tarp as well but went for the 3x3m version.  It looks well made and has lots of attachement points but as yet I have not had time to get it set up but once I have worked it out i'll post a few pics

[steve jones]

This is going to sound a bit sad, but I have been using a 3x3m 'Trader' tarp for the past few years.
It cost at the time about £10 ( I think they are about £16 now) , it is used in conjunction  with carbon fibre camping poles, inserted in 15mm 'speed fit ' plastic pipe thrust into the rollock holes and another fitted by the mizzen.

  This length covers the whole boat BR17 , over my sprayhood and gives adequate head room.

I found the camping poles split in windy conditions unless sleeved,

Disadvantage is having to stow the tubing which has to be forced into the forepeak past my long range fuel tank , the fuel feed of which is protected in the footwell by a section of drainpipe! 

Simple low tech stuff.

Steve Jones  BR17  Nona Me

[david]

Hi Mathew,
                    Excellent. Your tarp idea is exactly how I had viewed what I was trying to do. I am encouraged by your efforts. Thank you. I have been put off until July 25th on my tarp. Some excuse that they sold out and need to bring more into the county! Ho well..... In the mean time, I looked at the tent Graham had made, it certainly is the cats meow for our boats. I just can not get by the cost justify. I anticipate only using it for about 10/14 days a year!

Regards,

David.

[david]

I finally received the tarp with the doors after numerous delays/excuses etc. Well, it's a disappointment. The material is really light weight, putting it up in even a gentle wind would be a challenge on the water. Also, not enough material strength to put grommets in the correct places. It is not quite wide enough. Which would allow water/wind into the side of the boat.  Plus, it just looked ugly. OK, back to the drawing board for a more elegant solution.

[Royboy]

I think my BRe solution is very elegant!