More progress on the boom tent and a test run.
Here it is all buttoned up. I made a decent boom crutch and bungee cord loops that go under the hull.
I 3d printed some hooks to attach a bungee cord from one deck carlin to the other. Once the loops are in place under the hull, secondary hooks come up to the tent’s webbing loops. It’s a bit fiddly getting the tension right on everything but I think it’ll be more difficult to get the loops under the boat and attached to the tent all at the same time. The knot on the tail end tells me this is the first loop to put on which goes up towards the bow.
This way I can unhook a few to roll the tent back and not worry about the whole thing falling apart.
I know you are starting a Longsteps build, but I got some advice from a fellow Phoenix III owner (sister to the First Mate) for storing a sleeping platform. He just created two extra side benches the same size as his originals. He stores them under the side benches and uses a pair of simple straps to hold them together – one on top of the cleat, the other under. Just in case you do some additional camping before your build is complete (I followed Welsford as he was building his first Longsteps – this is quite a complex build but it looks like you are up to the task)
Thanks, I thought about making my side benches two layers with a hinge or even just strapped together. Then I could open them up to make a wider sleeping platform. I’m looking forward to the sleeping setup on Long Steps! Well, honestly I’m looking forward to everything about Long Steps. I really think it’ll be the ideal adventure boat for what I want to do. I’ve currently got the strongback built and 50% of the frames epoxied in and I’m aiming to launch next spring. I’ve neglected this blog a bit between being busy with work and trying to keep up with a two year old… but I’m currently on vacation so I have some time to post updates and a few trips I’ve been on!