Two terrible questions...but I have to ask them

[Donald Tyson]

-Has anyone installed a tent for sleeping in on top of their cabin roof?
-Has anyone installed an upper helm on one of these boats (22-26)?

[JamesTXSD]

There was someone here who did a platform for the cabin top, for his wife to sunbathe. I don't recall hearing how that played out. We had a CD-25, and the only time I went to the cabin top was to lash bicycles to the radar arch. You may be agile than I am, but I wouldn't care to spend time up there. I haven't heard of anyone putting a tent on the cabin top (you will find a bit of list when you roll to one side or the other). While some of these boats have a secondary aft helm (in the cockpit), I'm not aware of anyone successfully putting a helm on the cabin top... although I recall a "doctored" image of a tall ladder on top, with someone standing on that.

The right tool for the job. There are some boats that are/were designed to accommodate an upper helm; these are not those boats. One guy's opinion, take care if you decide to go for it.

[gulfcoast john]

Hi Don,

The Full Circle crew just completed the Loop on the CD26 Full Circle, which includes a top line (($4000?) rooftop sleeper. See the pics here:

http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=32417

We had a local canvas shop attach a 9 panel Phifertex screen to our bimini which gives great rain, privacy and bug protection with some breeze.

Good luck in your search, but start it with looking at Full Circle. I would.

Best,
John

[thataway]

I was also going to ref. Full Circle, and their fiberglass/canvas/Mesh. roof tent. Their boat was at our house for several months, so I got a good look at it. I would not want to sleep up there in any place with much wave action. I am familiar with several boats which had "sun bathing platforms"--That was OK--but again--not a place I would want to stay when underway. It certainly gave them a 'guest' stateroom or a place ot sleep with great cross breeze.

There are a number of boats this size (C Dory 25) (mostly center consoles) which have put flying bridges, or half towers on a level equal to the cabin top. My personal feeling is that there is some risk of poor handling under certain circumstances with that weight aloft. I vividly remember a 25' center console with a half tower in the BVI getting caught in a cross chop and capsizing. That was not pretty. Is the C Dory more stable--perhaps, the boat capsized was a deep v--and the flat bottom C Dory is more stable in cross chop. The Ranger Tug puts a convertable flying bridge--sort of--on their 29 and 30/31 boats.

I recommend against putting a helm or any weight more than a dinghy/paddle boards etc on top of the 25 or 22.

[PvL]

We ran into a family from Vancouver Island this summer while kayaking through Sugglers Cove on BCs Sunshine Coast. They had one of those roof top tents on their CD 25. The fellow said it worked for their family

Never did get the owners name.

[Donald Tyson]

[Foggy]

I once ascended the main mast ratlines (non WWII reference) on Ocean Star,
the 88' Ocean Navigator training schooner, to the crow's nest while underway
somewhere between Bermuda and Norfolk, VA. The memory is vivid. I can
definitely tell you, higher is not better regarding one's comfort in a moving
vessel traversing a sea state.

Aye.

[Donald Tyson]

[MannyBridge]

We have a 2006 CD 25 and last year we put a Go Overland Journey X Lite rooftop tent on it. It's under 100 pounds and we used Yakima rail mount roof racks. Initially we thought daytime use at anchor would be the primary use, most for our daughter, but after having it up there for a few months we all started using it allot. It's great for lounging and taking in the views, and napping. I assumed that it would be very unstable with me at 190lb but surprisingly even with a moderate wake it's not too bad. I slept in it a few times while at a marina and I had no problem with rolling or getting in and out. We set it up so it opens forward so it's easy to climb in and out the front or sides. So far the biggest draw back is dingy storage, its now quite high when on top of the closed tent and the tent is black which gets very hot in the sun so there is a risk of damage to the PVC. I have taken to deflating and storing it on the bow.

We may have been the boat in Smugglers cove that was mentioned.

[Donald Tyson]

Nice Testimonial, Thanks.