Boom tent

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Boom tent

Postby mcqmga » Tue Dec 16, 2014 6:22 pm

Guys, Christmas is here and the wife asked what I might want - I was considering a Boom tent for for the DS1 - I see ebay runs a model available in 'sunbella" and "poly" @ 300.00- Any suggestions as to the benefit of a boom tent and if so what features to look for or pitfalls to avoid ? Price? manufacturer?
Thanks - Bob
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Re: Boom tent

Postby Baysailer » Tue Dec 16, 2014 11:18 pm

Bob,

I used a 8x10 for years with no major issues. I doubled bungies in the grommet holes and clipped over the rub-rail. A heavy duty poly tarp would last about 2-3 years in the northern climate I'm in. I did have a guy out of buffalo make some for me for the DS and Rhodes a few years ago and they are a step up and worth it in my opinion.

You may want to check SLO sails or Intensity as well. I moor my DS a lot and use a boom tent cockpit cover. I think as long as its fitted and made for a DS there shouldn't be any problems. I've never lost mine even with high winds. Mine has an open back but for mooring there's no issues with that. My Rhodes has the same boom tent, is docked and occasionally gets some water in if the winds are right, nothing to bad though .

Advantages are its easy to put on and take off, does keep most if not all of the water out of the hull and protects the cockpit and all its contents from sun exposure. Also don't have to be such a neat freak when wrapping up. you will need a topping lift, I wouldn't trust the boom brace. It doesn't do anything for the deck finish though, for that you would need a complete top cover. I've never used one but putting one on may be more work. One advantage to that is you could probably use it as a cover when stored on trailer as well.

Merry Christmas to you!

Fred
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Re: Boom tent

Postby talbot » Tue Dec 23, 2014 12:15 am

Intensity's boom tent for the DS I is about $195, made of "Venture" cloth. I wonder if you could get away with a blue tarp from the hardware store. I used one for a season on my DS II before I got sail covers, and it seemed to work fine. You probably would replace it every year, but you could buy a lot of blue tarps for $200-300.

See the DS II section of the forum for the design of an actual camping tent that suspends from the boom. Different purpose from a storage tent, but it looks spiffy. (People reported that a regular over-the-boom tent leaks where it stretches across the furled sail. Not a problem for the sail, but unpleasant for a crew trying to sleep in the cockpit.)
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Re: Boom tent

Postby GreenLake » Tue Dec 23, 2014 7:13 am

Instead of blue tarps, I use white ones. They seem to last at least twice as long.

I have no idea of the expected durability of the "venture" fabric, but $195 really is rather cheap as such covers go.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Boom tent

Postby talbot » Tue Dec 23, 2014 2:30 pm

Following Baysailer's suggestion, I looked at SLO (San Luis Obispo) Sails. It looks like they are the makers of the boom tent sold by Intensity (same price, too). A similar tent (8x10) is about $20 cheaper from Lee Sail Covers in Ohio. That's the company that made my sail covers. They use something called "WeatherMax," which they tout as being superior to Sunbrella. They also boast about their thread. (I understand from my local sail loft that sail covers and boom tents usually have to be restitched from time to time because the thread rots out before the fabric.) In any case, I have had no problems with my sail covers in five years of 6-month seasons, so I would at least look at Lee.
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Re: Boom tent

Postby TIM WEBB » Wed Dec 24, 2014 12:39 am

I think it really depends on what you want your boom tent to do. There is a big difference between having something that will take care of your boat while she's on a mooring, and having something that you can use to live aboard for a few days at a stretch ...

Regarding materials: Sunbrella and all the other fabrics are great, but if they are sewn with Nylon thread, then yes, that thread will break down over time with UV exposure. Polyester thread is the way to go.
Tim Webb
1979 DS2 10099 The Red Witch
(I used to be Her "staff", in the way dogs have owners and cats have staff, but alas no longer ... <pout>)
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Re: Boom tent

Postby talbot » Wed Dec 24, 2014 1:35 am

Tim Webb writes: "There is a big difference between having something that will take care of your boat while she's on a mooring, and having something that you can use to live aboard for a few days at a stretch ..."

Oh yeah. I have boom-tent envy for his creation. My crew is lobbying hard for a pocket cruiser. Galley. Enclosed head. Ballast. Freeboard. If I had only invested in a better boom tent for the DS . . .
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Re: Boom tent

Postby mcqmga » Sun Dec 28, 2014 3:26 pm

Thanks for everyone's input ! I've learned a lot and have decided to try the 8x10 tarp w/bungees to see how works- maybe make some modifications and see what happens. I want to use as both mooring and tent - I'll post a picture if worthy - thanks,
bob
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Re: Boom tent

Postby TIM WEBB » Tue Dec 30, 2014 1:21 am

talbot wrote:Tim Webb writes: "There is a big difference between having something that will take care of your boat while she's on a mooring, and having something that you can use to live aboard for a few days at a stretch ..."

Oh yeah. I have boom-tent envy for his creation. My crew is lobbying hard for a pocket cruiser. Galley. Enclosed head. Ballast. Freeboard. If I had only invested in a better boom tent for the DS . . .

Don't have envy Talbot! And don't worry: the female majority of our family will be demanding something with a cabin soon enough ... <8~O
Tim Webb
1979 DS2 10099 The Red Witch
(I used to be Her "staff", in the way dogs have owners and cats have staff, but alas no longer ... <pout>)
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Re: Boom tent

Postby TIM WEBB » Tue Dec 30, 2014 1:24 am

mcqmga wrote:Thanks for everyone's input ! I've learned a lot and have decided to try the 8x10 tarp w/bungees to see how works- maybe make some modifications and see what happens. I want to use as both mooring and tent - I'll post a picture if worthy - thanks,
bob

No prob Bob! All I can say is, whatever you come up with, do yourself a favor, and suspend it below the boom ...

And remember: ALL pictures are worthy! ;-P
Tim Webb
1979 DS2 10099 The Red Witch
(I used to be Her "staff", in the way dogs have owners and cats have staff, but alas no longer ... <pout>)
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Re: Boom tent

Postby Alan » Sat Jan 03, 2015 7:55 pm

All pictures, you say? OK then, here's a palace among boom tents:

boom tent.jpg
boom tent.jpg (247.88 KiB) Viewed 16143 times
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Re: Boom tent

Postby TIM WEBB » Sat Jan 03, 2015 11:16 pm

I see a boom, and some other structure, but I don't see no tent! ;-P
Tim Webb
1979 DS2 10099 The Red Witch
(I used to be Her "staff", in the way dogs have owners and cats have staff, but alas no longer ... <pout>)
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Re: Boom tent

Postby Alan » Sun Jan 04, 2015 12:00 am

They stowed it away it once they realized how it reduced close-hauled performance. :)
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Re: Boom tent

Postby GreenLake » Sun Jan 04, 2015 2:39 am

Great picture.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Boom tent

Postby Alan » Sun Jan 04, 2015 7:33 pm

Thanks, GL. It was taken at Morro Bay on the south-central California coast, where crew and self spent a few days recently. Perfect sailing conditions and weather - we saw two Daysailers and a similar boat scooting around amongst the moored big boats. One of the Daysailers was really moving, maybe even planing for a bit.

We had the ocean kayak with us this time, but I'm working on a sales pitch for why we really need to bring the DS on a future trip.
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