Making the boat tent and adapting trailer

Making the Tent

We thought it would be a good idea to make our own boat tent as we fancied a bit more space and the chance to add our own modifications seeing as would be living in it for some time and it could be quite warm in Greece. We also had to bear in mind it would be needed in the UK afterwards where the weather was likely to be colder, wetter and more extreme.

Viv started off researching various fabrics, threads and Velcro fastenings and we scrounged an old frame tent from the bin following a Wayfarer rally to Ullswater to use to make templates prior to cutting the final material. Whilst on holiday we found an Ex Army and Navy store about to close down selling Gortex fabric at a price just too good to miss, only problem our measurements were 250 miles away at home. We retired to the nearest pub and borrowed pens and napkins to sketch out rough dimensions then went back and bought around 23 metres.

First problem was how to raise the gooseneck to give a bit more height, a piece of drainpipe cut to fit over the spinnaker pole attachment point held together with Velcro and a new pin bolted through the back side raised the front end by about a foot meaning I can sit on the thwart with clear headroom and Viv can almost stand up.

The idea of using the old tent to make a pattern was partially successful, it was a good way of testing out design ideas and using gaffer tape instead of stitching saved time but in the end it was easier to cut sections out directly from the main material. It was particularly useful though in working out how best to overlap and join sections to reduce the chance of leaks and get the best runoff for water.

We started with the roof panel cutting two sections joined at the ridge and overhanging the side poles, followed by the stern section and round the sides from the rear to the side doors. Then we designed the front side section up to the shrouds. The front section velcros into a fold around the shrouds and along the roof up to the mast. The idea being in hot weather we can take the front panel off and either leave it open or replace it with a midge net allowing air to blow through by rolling up the rear door and putting a midge net over the opening.

By using Velcro to fasten the front section in place it gives flexibility to remove it in decent weather and put an extension made from the old frame tent on to cover the whole of the foredeck as added storage space. In really bad weather the double seal should stop water leaking in we hope! Side doors were made quite large again so they can be rolled up to let in air and light if the weather is  too hot and were made last of all to ensure they fitted properly with the rest of the tent.

We made small neoprene covers to fit around the point where the shroud meets the roof and glued them in place with evostick which seems to work really well. This allows them to be pulled together giving a tight seam around the shroud.  Similarly where the mast comes through the roof we made a neoprene collar out of an old wetsuit that wraps around the mast and overlaps the ridge of the tent underneath forming a seal held in place by two Velcro straps to keep it tight against the mast.

The sides of the tent are held down by Velcro straps, a real pig to sew through especially the hook side that just strips the thread and breaks it on a regular basis.

We had a bit left over so Viv made replacement bags for the front of the thwarts to hold hats, gloves and glasses and a cover for the engine when not in use.

We did have a spy come over at one point, rumour had it Richard Branson was interested in what we were doing before he decided to go under the sea and explore the deeps rather on top of it. Taking a photo of his balloon seemed to scare him off though.

Steve from Witchcraft Engineering at Hockerton did a really good job adapting the trailer welding on a piece to mount a winch so one person can now get the launching trailer onto the road trailer. He also built a small mount so the spare wheel can be carried on the trailer rather than inside the baot or car allowing easier access to it in an emergency. Both the winch and spare wheel can be stored in the car easily at the end of the journey for safety.