Camper-back

V

Viewfinder

New member
Hi All

Going to get a camper back made for Viewfinder (22-cruiser) in a few weeks. Does anyone have suggestions as to what style works best for them or doesn't? We hope to be doing some overnights this summer and it seems like this is a great addition to the boat!

Thanks,
Steve and Debbie
 
Steve-
I had our camper back made to extend all the way to the engines. This opens up a lot of room inside and allows access to the lazerettes.
We are in process now of having screens installed in the side panels.
 
Roger
Who did your camper back for you? I like the way it extends over the motor well. Will you have the back screen drop to the front of the motor well or somehow wrap around the motors?
Looks good
 
Rock-
I had Peggy at Channel Islands Canvas in Oxnard,CA do the camper back. The rear panel wraps the engines and snaps outside the engine well on both sides and between the engines. The rear and side panels roll up and the straps keep them up, out of the way. The panels have screens in them with the covers inside, we are able to adjust the screen covers at full closed, 2/3 closed, 1/3 closed or full open. When full open, the covers are rolled and strapped to keep them out of the way. I don't have the eisenglass- too much trouble when they get scratched. The screens allow good visability as well as cut the wind. (Pat just wishes they would cut my wind :oops: ) (the current pics don't have the screens in the side panels)The canopy has zippers where it attaches to the cabin so I can zip it back to allow ease of entry while tied to the dock.
 
king canvas made ours. they did a really great job. we have a total of eight panals that can be unzipped and rolled up or removed. this allows for greater choices. I have fished this winter with just the back side and corner panals off. this keeps the rain and wind out and still allows enough room to run the down riggers and rods. Another thing to look for is how the canvas is attached to the roof of the c-dory. many of the canvas i have seen has the full lenght of the top held in place in a slider thingy. this requires you to take the poles out of their mounts and slide the whole top off the boat as one unit. Mine has the same thing ,plus a zipper 4 inches from the edge so i can leave the poles in place and just unzip the top, or just half the top. this makes getting in and out to alot easiers. It also allows me to get to the radar arch with out getting on the side of the boat. My top also allows me to unzipp the top from the poles with out moving them. its a really great top. if you want I can take pics of it for you.
 
Our new 25 will have a camperback from Canvas Riggers in Oak Harbor, WA - have just seen pix of the camperback on Bess-C made by Canvas Riggers, the first 25 they have done. David on Anna Leigh has seen it up close and approves. Main thing in any design is access, access, access! The one on our 22 by King Marine was sadly lacking in that department, we had to go back and have the zipper added up by where it attaches to the bulkhead, and no zip out door panels. Sounds like they have improved recently, from what Starcraft Tom says (Tom - time to lose the "Starcraft" part - no? :lol:). But with all of that, we kicked ourselves for not having it from day one - for cruisers, it should really be considered essential rather than optional. It functions as major additional living space in any weather.
 
Viewfinder,
I just had camperback canvas made also. If you use the search function above for camperback canvas you will find an excellent discussion by Les about canvas options. I had mine made by King Marine and specified screens in the side panels. If I had it to do again I think I would not do the screens. Unless you get a much better fit around the corners and curves than I did the screens would not be of much use. I think the mosquitos would easily find their way in. Good luck with your installation.
 
Hi all, I just talked to Dave at King Marine about a camperback for Adeline and have questions for those who've "been there and done that". First, aluminum or stainless? Dave says aluminum is more than adequate but I'd like to hear both sides. "Hard legs" or straps at the rear? Screens or no? Adjustable privacy curtains( partial closing)? Are the lazarrettes inside or outside? Will my Canon downriggers interfere? Finally, is there anything you wish you'd done differently or that I should be aware of? Cheers, Pete
 
I think the least expensive part of the camper is going to be the support poles. I'd go stainless and 1". You never know when you are going to be hit by a wave or have someone lose footing and fall into it. The fello that did my top recommended it and the cost difference at the time was small in comparison with smaller stainless tubing. I'd like to do the full camper canvas in the future, maybe someday. :sad
Shaun
 
Adeline,

On my 22 I had the canvas done by King Marine. They do a nice job, using aluminum and the lazzarettes are on the outside of the canvas with their usual install. On my 25 (which is 12 days from my picking her up, BUT WHO"S EXCITED??) I will be having The Canvas Riggers in Oak Harbor do the work. This is the CO. that does Les's boats. Da Nag and Dave on Sea Shift had them done there. They use S/S. Also the window material is a higher grade and there are a lot more panels which equates to more options when they are up. Dave at King Marine does a good job, don't get me wrong. But If you are spending 2K for canvas whats another $500? The camper on the 25 actually (if there were lazerettes like the 22) would have them inside the canvas. However the engine is outside.
 
I've always wondered why the front of the camper back on these isn't styled like a derby cover from a sail boat. That way you would have more height right by the back of the cabin and would have the ability to see over the cabin still. Plus it would seem that getting in and out of the boat with the canvas on would be much easier.

Obviously this would require the canvas to be mounted a bit forward of the back of the top. But I don't see that as such a big problem.
 
Hi Gary
Isn't it time to update your signature block ? I thought you sold your sled.
It was nice meeting you at Lopez and I hope everything works out for that Texas boat.
Terry
 
Well the guy backed out on me this morning :( So the sled is still for sale.

Twas nice meeting everyone this weekend as well! Hopefully I can get the other boat soon.
 
Gary,

For those of us who are ignorant in the ways of covers for sailboats (like me), could you explain a little more what a derby cover is?

Roger on the SeaDNA
 
Yup, that is what I'm talking about. And I'm just barely over 6' tall.

But my main thinking is getting in and out with it on would be much easier. The typical camper back is raised 6" or more a foot or so behind the back of the top. If this were done like the photo above such that the full height was achieved right at the back of the top you would have that extra space for entry/exit of the boat. Plus you would then be able to see forward over the top when in the cockpit area (maybe not in the center of the roof but certainly on the side of it).
 
The pix of the sailboat cover is a pix of a "doger" or "dodger?", so called because it allows you to dodge bad wx and spray. They're nice and a high camper back with a raised front end and a window would be very cool!! :lol:
 
Hi All,
My 2 cents on a camber back includes a yes to zippering the top a few inches aft of the sliding attachment point to allow for speedy dropping of the top, yes to stainless 1" tubing for the security of its strength, yes to hard legs for the rigidity they add to the top, yes to clear side and rear panels for the added light and vision it allows. I am experimenting with inexpensive mosquito netting hung over the top rather than side curtains with netting in them. This loose netting works well over the Bomar hatch and was real -$ (cheap). If it works I will weight the bottom edge and use light weight shock cord around the top to keep it positioned. King made my top and shipped it to me. It fit perfectly and is well made.
Mike 'Levity'
 
Well, the cruiser way of securing netting over a hatch is to sew chain around the bottom. That secures the netting against wind, and provides a secure seal against bugs. Works well over lifting hatches, such as the one over the V-berth

Boris
 
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