Quote:
Originally Posted by grimesrfg
As I'm new to the world of RIBs this may be a daft question.. but..!
Has anybody adapted a tent to fit the bow of their RIB? I fancy doing some camping along the coast without the necessary hassle of finding a campsite, leaving the boat, etc.
I'm going to come up with a design but thought I'd see what else may be out there that might help. I've looked around and found little so I guess what better place to try than here!
Rob.
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Not enough space in the bow of mine to sleep in, so I made a tent out of a heavy duty tarpaulin. Pics show stages in construction and a view brailed up at anchor. It's not pretty, I know.
I have to sleep athwartships on the aft bench seat, head on tube as a pillow, so have to cover the whole boat or the floor would get very wet. Hoops are plastic overflow plumbing pipe with a strip of oak inside to give stiffness. Ends are plugged with wood and have a 10mm dia spigot made from an old fibreglass tent pole. These fit into holes drilled in the D section fenders and into stainless tube centreline supports that I made up and had welded locally. Tent is held down with bungee thingys hooked round rubber cleats glued just under the rubbing strake.
It's very much a mark 1 version (you didn't realise?). Windows are the next thing. Hope to get those in this spring. Also need to arrange some bracing for the hoops and add another one in the bow. Top end of force 5 is its maximum without that.
When I get it just right I may get a tent/cover maker to use it as a template for a 'proper' one. On the other hand the tarpaulins are only £30 or so and weigh very little. Maybe I won't bother.
Spent quite a few nights aboard last season with great success. After end is left open for ventilation (I'm in a tent with maybe 80 litres of fuel in the middle of it
). I had concerns about the tank vent but there's enough ventilation, no smell of fuel and I was able to use my small camping gaz stove to brew up and heat the tins. (On hot sultry nights I might have to stuff some paper towel in the vent.... er! This is Argyll, there' are no sultry nights.) maybe a plastic tube led over the side might be better.
Hope that helps.
White Noise
