Homemade Boom Tent?

CaptainBob

CaptainBob

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I think I'm buying a Westerly Tempest in the very near future - and my plan is to pretty much live onboard. The one I'm close to closing a deal on has lazy jacks I believe - and I'm wondering if these will scupper my plans to set up some kind of tent supported by the boom? Or can they just be disconnected when not in use?

I was thinking of using an old genoa I have for the canopy.

Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks!
 
Slacken off the lazyjacks and pull them forward to the mast and hook them onto a cleat or ramshead or similar...then..at its simplest...throw your boomtent over the boom and bungee to the rails
 
Because Jissel's boom is to short to make a meaningful boom tent, I run a line round the boom to support the forward end of a spinny pole and attach the aft end to the backstay. I lose a bit of headroom, but it does make for better shelter as the cover goes back to the backstay - and could go beyond with a little surgery to the tarp I'm using.

I suspect an old genny would be more rainprof than my cheap tarp, which lasted one season /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif!
 
My wife made me a boom tent with a pocket for a line in the apex which is suspended under the boom & tied each end to the mast & backstay.This way it can be moved to cover all or part of the cockpit.I leave the lazyjacks in place.
 
Not a boom tent but an awning, in conjunction with lazy jacks.

P1000696.jpg


I set up the lazy jacks so their length can be adjusted from the cockpit. To put the awning (or boom tent) up simply requires them to be slackened right off and pulled forward. When the photo was taken it was in the experimental stages and couldn't be slackened right off, since remedied.
 
I made up one similar to ditchcrawler - i.e. under the boom as we have a stackpack. Along the "ridge" of the cockpit tent I put in a series of groundsheet type plastic eyelets and then bungee cord with a plastic clip on one end & a loop on the other so the cord could be stretched around the boom.
 
You can get a small plastic cleat that clamps on the backstay for fixing off a rope from the mast just under the boom for a tent per ditchcrawler.

Hi John ditchcrawler - I'll have to show that to the Mrs.......
 
Under boom may be the way to go as the kicker will be too far forward to be nuisance.
Or
some of the Med boats I saw had sort of awnings like roller blinds on each side of the boom. Pull out and attach whichever the sun is over ~ or both for UK.
You don't need a roller but could fit a strip of luff-groove to each side (or if you are in UK to the bottom, and always use both!)
 
[ QUOTE ]
I fitted a luff groove under the boom-bought 3m piece from a sailmaker.Works well.
Jim

[/ QUOTE ]

Caravan shops will sell you the same stuff for less
 
On an earlier boat we had a simple shade cover, length was a metre in front of the mast to the backstay just above the boom.

It had 5 loops stitched on the top so it could be fitted above or below the boom with short cords.

There were 3 battens, made of electrical conduit running from port to starboard, one at the forward end, one aft and one level with the front of the cockpit.

A slot was cut to allow the cover to go forward of the mast, the spinnaker halyard held this end up and the batten ends held it down with ties to the rail.

The mid batten was set on top of the boom or under with a tie through one of the sewn in loops, the end pulled down with ties to the rail.

The rear batten was fixed to the back stay in the centre through the loop and the ends pulled down with a tie to the rail.

The whole thing can be pulled lower on one side to protect you from the sun (or rain) and the bowed shape means no water gathers on top.

Simple and low cost, rolls up around the battens, or can be folded and battens stowed in the quarter berth.

Hope this helps.

Avagoodweekend......
 
My cheapskate solution has been to buy a smallish Monotex plastic tarpaulin from Bradshaws and an eyelet kit. The tarp should be clear as the blue and green ones are very depressing to live under. The tarp goes over the boom and you slit one end to go round the topping lift. Reinforce the slit with Gaffer Tape. In the eyelet holes put bungy ( I got mine at SBS). Preferably put plastic hooks on thebungy to attach to the guard wires.
You get some leakage at the aft of the cockpit from the split.
With a rod kicker that problem would disappear. Put extra eyelets where needed, particularly at the outer end of the slit and tie those onto the backstay.
It would be difficult to make it gale proof. The total cost for me was about £35.
 
If you are planning to semi live aboard why don't you buy a boat with a wheel house instead? There are a couple of Halberdiers for sale down your way in the West Country.

Usually come with all the nice bit and pieces like Eberspachers and calorifiers, and with the half wheelhouse are great for sailing at the beginning and end of the season when everyone else finds it too cold !

Regards Nick
 
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