MacGregorSailors.com

I did a search and found only a few threads that had actual pictures of what people do for boom tents, most of them as comments within other threads, and no specific mods with a boom tent in it...didn't get any pics in the mod search.

I have a feeling that we'll be using one frequently while we're anchored, so wanted to ask you to post pictures and descriptions of what you do, how you set it up, what you tie it to, etc. etc. This can be anything from the fully-custom-engineered-professionally-built type, to the hardware store tarp tossed over the boom and tied off with clothesline...doesn't matter, just trying to get an idea of what people do, how they tie them up, etc. Any tips and tricks would also be helpful...and this way we'll have a lot of info in one dedicated thread. I have an S boat with a single (offset) backstay and a (cheap) bimini.
Thanks in advance!!

Here's a thread from 2 years ago that I started with a comment about sailing with our boom tent in place.

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... =9&t=14080

We also use it regularly when in the slip, definitely when sleeping, as our stern faces east, so it keeps the morning sun off the cabin.

Sadly it is one thing I don't have a photo of, however the principle worked a treat.
Under our stack pack I put a second bit of dacron with a couple of 6' zips so that I could zip a boom tent onto the boom easily. loops on the outer edges tie off to stanchions & bimini. Quick and cheap to make, it worked very well when we were getting rained on! When the sun came out briefly they seemed to do the job well enough too.

This one is my favorite:



Sadly, I emailed the manufacturer and they are no longer making it.

I never took pictures of my boom tent but can explain how it works.
I bought the material thru Defenders and is a copycat of Sunbrella canvas at 1/2 price. After 6 years it still is in great shape.
I made the cover for my CP19 but it worked great for the MacX.
The forward section was cut to a V shape with gourmits on (3 each side) fastened to lifeline bottom support and the aft went 6 inches over the bimini. The sides were just over the lifelines for visability.The V part of the Bow is important as this is the area the to bring forward of the boom for driving rain winds.
This would handle a driving rain and one could still sit in cockpit. We mainly keep it on for morning dew protection.
I have thought and tried Fiberglass inserts but wind will tear them apart.
Dave

vizwhiz wrote:I did a search and found only a few threads that had actual pictures of what people do for boom tents, most of them as comments within other threads, and no specific mods with a boom tent in it...didn't get any pics in the mod search.

I have a feeling that we'll be using one frequently while we're anchored, so wanted to ask you to post pictures and descriptions of what you do, how you set it up, what you tie it to, etc. etc. This can be anything from the fully-custom-engineered-professionally-built type, to the hardware store tarp tossed over the boom and tied off with clothesline...doesn't matter, just trying to get an idea of what people do, how they tie them up, etc. Any tips and tricks would also be helpful...and this way we'll have a lot of info in one dedicated thread. I have an S boat with a single (offset) backstay and a (cheap) bimini.
Thanks in advance!!

Here is ours



What I like about it is that it is 10' wide. That way it produces lots of shade and any rain that falls is sent overboard, not onto the cabin or the gunnels.

It can really take a beating in the wind



Plus it has great visibility.



And folds up nicely into a 5' by 5" package.

The picture above, is my Mac, the WildestDream. The boom tent from Softtopper is great and provides protection from sun and rain...sorry they no longer make it. They made excellent carpet replacements too.

Saw this in a sailing magazine (forget which).

http://www.habitent.com/

"measure twice, cut once" ... I measured it twice, but it was still too short.

- Brian.

Thanks again to all who posted!

DaveB wrote:The forward section was cut to a V shape

Dave, are you meaning a v-shaped notch cut out of the front leaving one part to go on either side of the companionway, or a triangle-shape like coming to a point in the front?

Retcoastie, could you describe how it's assembled? It looks like a piece of small diameter PVC pipe with the tarp zip-tied to it along the fore/aft edges, then just bent to make a Conestoga Wagon type hoop-tent...is that correct? I kinda like the idea, just not sure about how you did it with only 5' long sections...a PVC pipe coupling to join the two 5' sections to make it 10' long?

Seahouse, the support structure of the habitent looks like a glorified version of what Ret has...and with a complete cover on it. I don't want the cover part - I need all the air flow I can have down here!

Actually it is a 8x10 plastic tarp attached to three ten foot PVC conduits. The PVC conduits come with an attached coupler. I cut them in half and stuck the cutoff end into the attached coupler. The tarp is attached with strings which allow them to be reused easily. Having five foot tubes, I have used it on the beach as a sun shade on really hot days by using each tube as a leg and tying the ropes to rocks, stumps, and stakes.

This is what it looks like packed up. The case is two of those folding canvas chair bags sewn together.

That's awesome Ret...I like the idea... Yeah, didn't remember that conduit comes with a bell-shaped end for joining together sections...makes great sense, and no extra pieces required! And I like the bag too...easy peasy!
If you don't mind me asking a couple more questions...

How does the string attach the tarp to the conduit - just tied at the grommets in the tarp, or "sewn" along the edge with a long piece of string?

How is the pole in the middle attached (assuming one of the three is in the middle of the tarp to hold it up) without compromising the water-tightness of the tarp?

How/where do you attach it when you bring it down to the sides? Lifelines? Stanchions? Other kind of tie-down? And do you bend it over the boom, or is it free-standing from the bowed-up conduit?

We use an 8'x10' tarp with fiberglass sectional tent poles at both ends. Fabric sleeves are sewn to the edges of the tarp to hold the tent poles in place.

Marc

Whiz,

For the ends of the spreader conduits, I drilled a hole about 1" back from the outside end. The lines are tied to the grommets, then fed into the end of the conduit back to the drilled hole, and then outside the conduit. The lines for the forward two conduits are tied to stanchions and the rear is tied to the cleats. This way, when there is wind pull, the tightening of the line pulls the tarp out to the ends of the conduits, keeping it taut.

The center conduit is only attached at the ends. It stays centered by itself. I use a bunge around the mast and another around the topping lift to keep it tight fore and aft.

The leading and trailing edge grommets are tied to the conduits with a short piece of line at each grommet. You can see the bow knots in the visibility pic.

It usually lays on the boom. I guess it could be bowed up by shortening the lines. But, that would make it narrower. If I need to raise it for a taller visitor, I just raise the topping lift.

Ken

We made a cockpit tent for our previous boat out of a couple of nylon tent flys sewn together and some dome tent poles, might have to re-purpose the parts for 'Imagine'

Great pics and ideas guys and gals, keep em' coming.

Glenn
VK2FUN

What size cover (tarp) works best for boom tent on a ?

Thanks,

Jim