Camping aboard tri-hull

[Cherokee-Runabout]

So I've been pondering this over for a little while now. I have a 16' Lund tri-hull with ski/lounge seats a bimini, zip on windows, back, and front covers. I was thinking about maybe pulling an over-nighter on the boat on a smaller lake (i.e. not the Great Lakes). Some areas in my state have boat camping areas but it seems like it would be odd in such a small craft.Is this a ridiculous idea or has anyone else done this before?

 

[coolbri70]

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull

i will drop anchor, unroll my bag on the floor and sleep right under the stars long as its not calling for rain

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull



When I was in my 20s, I ran up the Hudson River, through the Canal system, Lake Champlain, and the Chambly Canal to Montreal, Canada. I slept aboard this 15 footer for seven nights, one of which was during an electrical storm. At the time, this boat was powered by a 55 horse engine and had full canvas. While it was a bit scary during the storm, it was otherwise relatively comfortable. I used facilities at marinas.

At the marina at Isle Notre Dame in Montreal I was the smallest boat there and it did not feel odd at all.

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull

Assuming it's just you ( ie 1 person) then you can do anything you want. However, if there is another person involved ( especially those with a rank of Admiral ) - well, good luck :laugh:

 

[ziggy]

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull

Assuming it's just you ( ie 1 person) then you can do anything you want. However, if there is another person involved ( especially those with a rank of Admiral ) - well, good luck

me and my admiral been doing the camping thing for years off or our 16' tri hull to initially.

we'd load that sucker up to the gills with our gear. tents, grills, coolers, chairs, tables, etc. up the missouri river we'd go. this boat also had full encloser capabilities.

Some areas in my state have boat camping areas but it seems like it would be odd in such a small craft.

just watch out for the larger boats. they throw off a big wake. on the river there's no where to run either. caution is the word along with pretty good skipper skills.
me and the sweety lately been over nighting on this

this is the boat in my sig. it has it's obvious benefits for over nighting considering it's only a ninteen ft. boat.
both boats were back to back ft. seating that fold out in to lounges. the tri hull we'd tent camp mostly. the nineteen we stay onboard.

so imho. your idea isn't far fetched at all. go do it. it's a blast.... just have all your ducks in a row for being prepped for all circumstances. when i was doing the river (which i feel is much more isolated and much more dangerous than the lake), i'd even tell someone a float plan in case i didn't come back for some reason.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull

we had a 16' starcraft when I was in high school, and in the spring before the bugs got bad and the police boats were lauched we'd have an overnight "boat party" in a cove somewhere and sleep on our boats. Mine had a canvas that went from the windshield half way back; I'd extend it with an Army poncho, and one other guy and I could sleep on the fold-out seats.

It was cramped and the dew soaked everything by morning even with the covers. It was fine for high school boys if you had lots of cheap beer to help you sleep. As for adults, it would be OK if you are a backpacker type, but not if you are a car camper type. If you can, I think it would be better to carry a small tent and set up on shore. That, or carry lots of cheap beer.

 

[spoilsofwar]

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull

I spent a few nights on my 15' Starcraft trihull, although always tied up to a dock, and admittedly I was in no mental condition to really care how comfortable my accomodations were.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull

Wife and I camp on boat all the time...lot's of fun and much cheaper than motels!...I built a 7'X8' wooden deck on front of my large jon boat so we can pitch the tent, air mattresses, sleeping bags, pillows, radio, cold beverages!...Almost Heaven!...

 

[ziggy]

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull

and the dew soaked everything by morning even with the covers.

yep, that morning dew can be pretty thick....

 

[Oldrod 47]

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull

What Ziggy said, both times. Did it for several years with a pre-teen in a 19 ft Aristocraft, threw an air matress of the fold out seats. Son slept across the stern in front of the engine box. Best times of our life. Camped on Lake Cumberland, went up the Kentucky River, (interesting trip from Ohio River to Frankfort) Dock side at marina on Ohio river. Would do it again all these many years later.

Oldrod 47

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull

I've been boat and shore camping for years and have sleeping bags stowed on the boat, just for it. I started out on a 16' tri-hull which had home built lounge seats, a big seat/storage compartment behind the windshield and the middle of the deck wide open. When boat camping, take the seat tops off (2" thick foam) and place them on the deck, insta-bed The big storage compartment had 4 sleeping bags in it, all the time.

My current boat isn't so comfy since it has pedestal seats, but has more deck space to stretch out on. I cobbled up a cover for it out of a rain fly from an old cabin tent. Look like 'ell but works well as we have been in rain several times and stayed dry. Work much better then the emergency plastic tarp I had in the tri-hull..

Storing provisions in the boat can be interesting. I once opened up some granola bars which had been on the boat for who knows how long. They had the faint taste of fuel and I was burping up gas fumes for the next couple of hours. Another time I was out night fishing with a buddy and grabbed a package of cookies from under the seat.... After both of us munched down a couple I felt a strange tickling on my hand,,, ANTS!!! A flashlight confirmed that the entire package was crawling with the little buggers, ants and cookies were quickly pitched overboard (Ants kind of taste like cookies)

I noticed a couple days earlier that there was an ant trail coming from my yard to the boat,,, and those little buggers climbed the tire, wheel, axle, frame, bunk, hull, under the cover, into the boat and finally discovered the package of cookies where they were partying for who knows how long.

Have fun and don't let the bed bugs (or ants) bite

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull

Well while not exactly the same when i did my pontoon rebuild I left the front 8 x 8 section clear of any furniture so I could pop up a 8 x 8 cabin tent its 72 inches inside so plenty of room for cots. Its worked real nice so far.

 

[MolsonCanadian]

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull

We did it in our 17' Doral often enough. We would put the cooler between the sleeper seats and pop an air mattress over it. Wasn't too bad. I banged my noggin on the steering wheel now and again.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull

Well while not exactly the same when i did my pontoon rebuild I left the front 8 x 8 section clear of any furniture so I could pop up a 8 x 8 cabin tent its 72 inches inside so plenty of room for cots. Its worked real nice so far.

with a pontoon you can get a full camper enclosure canvas for them, and although its spendy, it makes for a perfect RV on tubes!

 

[F14CRAZY]

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull

I've got a cuddy and a V hull but I stay overnight on board most weekends during the summer (slip kept) and have cruised and stayed overnight

Those high docks suck...

 

[moosehead]

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull

Do it. Boat camping is under rated.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull

If you are into bears, wolfs, loose / wild dog pack areas or no real police department areas............Carry a good sized pistol on yourself.
2 times I had to fire a couple of rounds to restore law and order.

Forgot to mention our big USA cats. You are 911 in the wilds.

 

[Cherokee-Runabout]

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull

Wow. Thanks for all of the enthusiastic replies. I guess I'll have a few months to plan for it, December in Ohio :cold: so I'll have some down time to plan out routes and figure how much gear and so on. The other question I have is say for example I'm on the Ohio River or a tributary, are you allowed to camp on the smaller islands? Or is this just something I'll have to ask the watercraft or wildlife offices?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Camping aboard tri-hull

often it's better not to ask