Poor Mans boat camper cover?

[Thajeffski]

So I love camping out on the water......and I've always wanted to sleep on the boat.

I can't afford 4k or whatever it costs for a real camper top for my bayliner.

The type of deal I plan to do is go out to an island, party, hang out, eat with friends..... then when they retire to their tents I will retire to my boat. I'm thinking a king size air mattress would do really nicely. Boat seats in the bayliner reline down to flat. I'll put something down the center isle that's the same height and there you go nice floating bed

The problem is how to make the top cheap.

I had an old 8 person tent, that got a hole in it. I'm thinking I might use it to fabricate a top.

What do you guys think ?

My plan is that the blue boat top will be responsible for covering the front of the boat and the red/brown rain cover will do most of the work. I need something to fill in the sides. Or maybe I'll just cut the floor out of the old tent, it was a square and might just be perfect size!

pics:

Of course this won't work on windy stormy nights, but I won't be planning to be out on those nights anyway.

Does anyone see any problems with a design like this? Is CO2 a problem ?

 

[solar7647]

Re: Poor Mans boat camper cover?

Well you may want to check the requirments for sleeping on a boat. I know in Ohio waters you cant sleep on a boat unless your boat has a cabin.

If wether is nice, why not just sleep under stars with sleeping bag, less stuff to carry?

If you have some one thats good with a needle and thread or machine you can get that tent material pretty cheap and make up a teant that encloses the boat (wind sheild back and use the poles for your bimini top to suport it and get a do it urself snap set to add to the material and attach it to the snaps already there for your cover.

I cant c C02 being an issue if motors off and your are vented that much.

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Poor Mans boat camper cover?

yeah, I'm thinking I'd have the sides closed in though.

 

[Dick Sorensen]

Re: Poor Mans boat camper cover?

Great approach....go ahead.....I went to the local sewing store and got some material that could serve as mosquito netting....not too expensive perhaps this would work for the sides.....give it a try....it's not like you've tons of money invested

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Poor Mans boat camper cover?

I think you're thinking along the right lines. Buy a tent that's roughly the size of your cockpit. Cut the floor out of it. Fold over and sew the ragged edges. The perhaps install some snaps in the tent and the corresponding parts of the boat. Could end up being pretty neat!

 

[rfdfirecaptain]

Re: Poor Mans boat camper cover?

CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) won't ever be a problem. CO (Carbon Monoxide) on the other hand is a silent killer. Regardless, CO should not be a problem if there is no combustion. That includes propane heater, gas grill etc.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Poor Mans boat camper cover?

Of course this won't work on windy stormy nights, but I won't be planning to be out on those nights anyway.

dreamer, . if your like me, you'll get caught. + once ya got cover, a little rain isn't gonna stop me from enjoying the lake. + when it rains, everyone goes home. except folks with full cover..

Is CO2 a problem ?

so far, i'm still alive. i don't use any fuel heat source or grills though. but i do cruise with full cover. there is plenty of places (on my boat at least) that lets a draft in for ventilation. ya can hear the wind howlin through the gaps.

good luck with your project. it's most worthy and being under full cover can be a real winner for sure.

Well you may want to check the requirments for sleeping on a boat. I know in Ohio waters you cant sleep on a boat unless your boat has a cabin.

guess it's a good thing i don't boat in ohio then. i don't have a cabin but my boat design had overnighters in the back of their minds it appears to me. http://www.aristocraftboats.com/fiberglassbrochures/Incomparablepage2.pdf

i do the overnighter thing often if i can..

yep, i boat in the rain too..

just makes for more excitement on the lake i think..

good luck with your project Thajeffski. you'll love the outcome i think...

 

[koko1]

Re: Poor Mans boat camper cover?

That is awesome Ziggy, I would love to have something like that, just probably would not use it enough to justify the cost of it since we have a camper set up on the river..

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Poor Mans boat camper cover?

Ziggy that looks pretty cool!!

Well I went to walmart today looking for a cheap tent....found one for 50 bucks that i think will work.

I didn't want to cut the bottom yet....but here's some quick "tests" just to make sure it'll fit right. Any suggestions on the type of cut I should make?

Turns out this tent is big enough that when I cut the bottom and put the bimini up it should fit just fine! From floor to top is 10 feet, the bimini is way below that...