Rooftop tent on a c-dory?

There are other boats which have put that much weight up there. But it is not the weight of the tent--but what about with two people up there? Average person weight is 150 to 180#. so total weight could easily be 500#. Lets say a storm comes along....then you might be in trouble.

Sleep one on the table and one in the cockpit. Or Two in the cockpit. I grew up sleeping in the cockpit of a boat about the size of a C Dory. (My folks got the bunks).

4 adults is a lot. But "Retriever" has cruised with 5 "adults" aboard, plus a Golden... (OK two of them usually slept on shore in a tent.).
 
I would probably be the only one up top, and only while anchored or moored. Do you think we will see much difference in the handling while the tent is in the stowed position?
Thanks
 
Not only do you have the weight of the tent thing, but you are also going to need some sort of (custom) adapter to mount the tent to the roof rails on the C-Dory.

You need to consider the extra windage that the tent will provide when it is erect. That and the weight of the tent payload could result in lots of rocking of the boat. Being high up, the translation of the people in the tent is going to be larger than if you were in the berth.

I also wonder how much wider the tent is than the cabin roof. It might overhang a bit which might make moving to the front of the boat and things like locks more difficult due to the overhang.

If I were going to do something like that for my boat (ans since you admit there'd only be one person using it), I'd built a platform sized for one person and use a one person low profile back packing tent. Something like this https://www.snugpak.com/outdoor/ionosphere

I'd make something that goes across the cockpit (gunwale to gunwale) before I'd put it on the roof.
 
I don't think the weight would be the problem. We normally carry two 13 foot kayaks on top and stow some of our kayaking gear in the boats. So we are close to 150 lbs. I think that while sleeping up top you would want to incorporate a barf bag. I could not imagine what kind of sleep you would have at anchor if there was any kind of wind or chop. I would try to figure out how you could sleep the extra person lower down in the cockpit.
 
What they said...

Peter & Judy":p8v86btb said:
I don't think the weight would be the problem. We normally carry two 13 foot kayaks on top and stow some of our kayaking gear in the boats. So we are close to 150 lbs. I think that while sleeping up top you would want to incorporate a barf bag. I could not imagine what kind of sleep you would have at anchor if there was any kind of wind or chop. I would try to figure out how you could sleep the extra person lower down in the cockpit.
Click to expand...
 
I have slept many nights on the floor of my boat when 4 went. With a decent pad and a good bag, it actually wasn't that bad. I think you'd be more comfortable there than on the roof.
 
Currently my daughter sleeps on the floor. This makes it hard for the wife to use the porta potty at night. I really want to keep the walkways clear.
I would think a little rocking might help a guy sleep better.
 
I would certainly look at using the cockpit, (hammock or sort of) instead of adding that weight aloft. You are not only adding the tent weight, but the mounting gear, bedding, windage (as mentioned) but you are also adding the leverage of off center moments. That may not be a big deal in head on seas, but in beam seas it will be an issue, and in following seas it increases your chances of anxiety in a bow steering moment, that will make things uncomfortable at best and serious to hazardous at worst.

I would vote for the cockpit, followed by the table as best options.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

the inflatable is 55 pounds.
1_10_2012_from_Canon_961.highlight.jpg
 
The C dory will not roll over in calm weather. , it might just be a very uncomfortable night if there was some chop or wind. Probably not even with usual chop. But I have seen boats in the 22 to 25' size roll over when too much weight aloft and heavy beam seas.
 
Okay, I'm going to look at other options. Thanks everybody. Maybe I could make one for a single person, smaller and lighter? What do you think the max weight would be that I could feel safe if we are caught out in the weather? I'm not really concerned about comfort when in the tent. I am only concerned about safety when underway if we were to end up in rough water unexpectedly.
 
clayhubler":1fo77gcs said:
Okay, I'm going to look at other options. Thanks everybody. Maybe I could make one for a single person, smaller and lighter? What do you think the max weight would be that I could feel safe if we are caught out in the weather? I'm not really concerned about comfort when in the tent. I am only concerned about safety when underway if we were to end up in rough water unexpectedly.
Click to expand...

You could make a single sized tent structure fairly light. If you collapse the tent when the boat is moving, it won't add much windage. So it shouldn't be much of a problem when cruising.
 
Back
Top