Lifting coachroof for my Yachting World Rambler

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DR007

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Here we are again, the winter is here and having spent some very comfortable nights in my boom tent I am now considering having something a little easier and waterproof to sleep in. When the Rambler was first thought of by Jack Holt, he considered three versions, an open dayboat, as mine, one with a lifting Coachroof and one with a fixed cabin. When I first wrote to Classic boat for info re the boat I had back some original literature and pics from the pages of Yachting World Mag back in the late 50's. None of the articles depicted the lifting coachroof and I would be very interested in making one.

It would appear from the October edition of Classic boat in the Yard News section there are boats with this type of coachroof especially in the Norfolk area. I did send an e-mail to Buttifant's Swallowtail boatyard but have had no response. Is there anyone out there who I could talk to either on the phone or in person who could give me some advice. I am a woodworking joiner so feel confident of making this but it would help to have some plans/ideas/fittings etc.

In the first instace, could you please respond on this site and we can take it from there.

Thank you for reading this and I look forward to your hearing from someone.

Kevin
 
I dont know if you have seen this one Rambler

The owner may know of a lifting top one.Have you considered a cabin that can be unbolted ,lifted off and stored ashore when not wanted?
 
Kevin,
I built one to plans in 1976 in Africa. There was no lifting roof option in my plans.
I felt the traditional roof looked far too heavy and posed endless sealing problem.
I retained the sheerline, but fitted a roll-deck over the whole hull from the cockpit bulkhead forward from one piece(butt-jointed) of quarter inch ply. Fitted internal laminated deck beams and external fore and aft "stringers".
the two berths below worked and we sailed it for 4 years, racing it with success.
A very light solution. It was a lovely boat.
pm me if you want more !
Ken
 
It would be straightforward to build the cabin lid, and the only variations from there are how to support it when raised. I've seen photos of Broads boats in CB which were simply hinged at the front with a couple of metal folding legs holding the aft end up. If the 'knee' in these legs is arranged with a pivot which is off-centreline and they can go very slightly overcentre, past straight to a very shallow 'v' in the other idrection, the knee could be made quite stable. Other variants include solid legs which form a 'X' when raised, and fit into notches on the cabin sides.
Peter.
 
I have too many years exprience of Broads lifting cabin tops - if I can be of any help please let me know.

As previously mentioned, there are usually a pair of hinges fitted to the front of the cabin top - unless you want the front to lift too. Sliding guides are not a bad idea and essential for lifting fronts. The beams of the cabin top usually rest on a stringer (?) around the top edge of the cabin sides. Canvas is generally fitted between the cabin roof and the cabin sides to keep the cabin snug when the lid is in the lifted position. Most people lift the cabin top with their backs but there other other winding, even hydraulic/electric systems around - or you could fit a couple of eyes and use the main halyard or topping lift. Depending on the length of the cabin top it's held in the 'up' position by one or two struts either side that are fixed to the beams of the cabin top and wedge onto the stringer around the top of the cabinsides. Doubtless as clear as mud.

The upside is that you gain a lot of living space when its time to turn in. The downside is that you lose all the structural rigidity the cabin roof should provide. As I get older and idler, I look at the reduced height and just crawl in anyway. OF
 
Thank you everyone for your time and photos and Peter, your comments give much food for thought, having seen that rather smart boat 'Swallow' in October's Classic Boat mag I just felt it would be nice to do something similar on 'classic' lines with fixed sides with portholes in then to have the coachroof lifting. I would be able to get a local cover maker to run me up an 'all round' skirt to fit to the underside of the lid and to the flange on the sides. I had been considering having the whole coachroof lifting (front and back) to a similar height and your X type things either side would do that with probably my back starting it off! The finished job I would prefer to be very much in keeping with my boat which currently often gets photographed as it passes through the lifting bridge of our harbour. Mine has dark blue topsides, off white decking, varnished spars and cream sails. Unlike many boats down here she gets an airing at least once a week in the summer and might get more if I am successful in producing a comfortable semi permanent shelter and I suppose she would then become a 'pocket cruiser' perhaps only because she has burned a huge hole in mine already, but that is boating today for you! Thanks again, Kevin
 
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