I’ve decided to build a better boom tent since the setup I used on my overnight trip to Tangier Island was pretty terrible. I started with a cheap 10′ x 10′ ripstop nylon rain fly from Amazon that I cut to follow the curve of the hull. Then I made triangular doors at the rear from the scraps and hemmed and sewed everything together. I don’t expect this to last all that long, it just needs to last long enough to get Long Steps built in a few years.
I started out with a cheap 10′ x 10′ ripstop nylon rain fly from Amazon. I cut it to follow the hull and made triangular doors from the scraps. Next I need to make a permanent boom crutch and get the attachment system figured out. I think I’ll go with shock cord straps under the hull rather than installing permanent hooks under the gunnels. I’m hoping to get Long Steps built before this setup wears out.
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.
Here it is all buttoned up. I made a decent boom crutch and some simple ties made from folded nylon cloth to hold the doors shut.
The tent and sprit is all held together with lashings. Actually I just use the same pieces of line for my reef points. The ends of the boom crutch are left long to serve as a cleat for my anchor light.
I anchor in shallow enough water that I doubt anyone will run into me, but I do run a camping lantern up the halyard just to be safe.