Cockpit Camping

[multimedia_smith]

Hi Folks...
I finally got to try out my "screened sleeping porch" on a trip to the barrier Islands weekend before last... we had what has to be the last of the cool fronts for the season and we went for it.  The wind was not great on the way there, so we motored a lot of it.  At just above idle, the Honda BF2 pushed us at 4.7 mph... at full throttle it would have only made just above one mile per hour more, so we opted to sip the gas lightly and have less noise and vibration.  As it turned out, we didn't have to refuel untill we got there... note the extra gas on board... we would have had enough for multiple trips... but that's good.
Anyway, the frame "just" fits into the forepeak to clear the hatch and then stowes with the filler board in the quarterbirth.
We had a great time (wife daughter and I) and were quite comfortable.  The next morning, we went swimming and left the island the next day before the first ferryboatload of tourists arrived.  The wind was great for the return trip... we sailed to the Gulf side and then had a hullspeed reach single tack trip home.
Here's a pic of the rig...
http://www.com-pacowners.com/gallery2/displayimage.php?album=32&pos=7
http://www.com-pacowners.com/gallery2/displayimage.php?album=32&pos=1
Enjoy
Dale

[hazelscamp]

I enjoyed looking at the improvements and additions to your boat.    I would like to do some of the same on my eclipse.  My only question is......Where do you store all those parts when you are underway?   I recently spent a weekend out and had to move "stuff" to the cockpit in order to freeup a bunk in the cabin for sleeping.

norm

[multimedia_smith]

HI Norm,
The idea is not to have to sleep in the quarter berths... Here in the tropics, it's much too hot.
I store the center cockpit filler in the port quarter berth... along with the sleeping bags, the PVC frame (two sides of the corners are not glued), pillows, and light flanel blanket (we sleep on top of the bag 'till it gets too cool), the screen, the tarp, and the hatch board.  Everything for sleeping is pretty much all in one place and out of the way.  The only things we have to move are the cooler and the 4gallon water jug in front of the port a potti.  I like to keep them low and centered while underway on the cabin sole.  If you are sleeping inside, the frame is simply four pieces of PVC and the net is relatively small in a bag.
I do have to keep enough room free to point the PVC into the forepeak in order to clear the companionway bulkhead to get it out of the hatch... but it "just" fits.
With all that extra cabin space in the Eclipse, you should be fine.
Here is a link to the screen "box"... the double width is no longer available from them but you should be able to find one somewhere.

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=7565&memberId=12500226

Enjoy
Dale

[B.Hart]

I like the screen porch, here in florida we always over night in october for my birthday. The bugs arn't bad and it usualy is in the low 60's or 50's at night so it feels good to squeeze into the cabin. In the summer the screen and sleeping in the cockpit would be a must. Planning to go to the lake this weekend , I hope the water levels are not to low to launch. The drought here is about to make the boat ramps useless.         Bill