Cockpit Tent for Baycruiser 23

[Andy Dingle]

Cockpit tents - Here we go again ...!

I've decided to get a cockpit tent for Equinox, my BC23 and I'm looking for idea's and suggestions of what other owners have, if any?

There has been lots of previous discussion on a cockpit tent for the BRe and I wonder if one could be made up for the BC23 with some alteration.
I'm informed that at least one (soon to be ex) BRe owner (!) has a well designed one that may be adaptable.

I'm aware of the Habitent cockpit tent - http://www.habitent.com - they now have a smaller model, the 'Scirrocco' - although not boat specific, it seems a reasonable approach but with apparently only three sizes to choose from I'm a bit wary of it looking like a bag of the proverbial draped over my lovely boat. At £445 plus, it's not cheap but I suspect cheaper than a bespoke one.

Grateful for any feed back please - and on the Habitent if any one does know of one being used in anger on a Baycruiser 23 or similar size yacht.

Thanks all.

Andy

[Rob Johnstone]

Hi Andy, Vagabond has a cockpit tent. It has  a frame that is made from a couple ofhalf hoops of al tubing that lie around the rear of the cockpit coming. The "hoops" sit in zip pockets set into the segments of the tent. When erected, the forward hoop is tied to the main support for the spray hood and theres a small free segment of the tent that zips onto the tent and is held to the spray hood by a length of bungy. I'll dig out a photo and send you a link to it.

It works well, not so much as extra living space but as useful overnight storage, freeing up space in the cabin and providing somewhere to store wet gear, thus keeping the cabin dry.

[Rob Johnstone]

This link should take you to a folder containing two photos. One shows the tent folded down aft of the cockpit. The second shows it erected- the "window" in the rear segment of the tents can be seen through the windows of the spray hood and the loose "joining piece" is the segment of the tent that has the white diagonal zip on the side. The zip holds shut a flap in the side of this segment that acts as a "door" to the tent. There's a flap on each side.


 

[Rob Johnstone]

It would help if I had included the link:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/y4lidz34bqmv2bh/AAAnFmPDkIBMMQCd64VRiB3Ba?dl=0

Operator error, I'm afraid.

[Andy Dingle]

Thanks Rob..  Yes I have seen yours and it is an excellent and easy fitted solution. - Was that designed and fitted by Matt and the crew?
I like it for its simplicity and practicality but I think it would obstruct my solar panels that sit on the rear deck - obviously the rear section of your tent would be laid down during the day when I most need the limited sun rays we have..

I didn't know you had been in at Wells? Was that on your circumnavigation? (I need to speak to you about that ..!?).
I'd been thinking of 'organising' (hate that word!) a meeting up of some kind at Wells for some casual cruising on the North Norfolk coast at some stage ..

Cheers

[Rob Johnstone]

Hi Andy,

The solar panels shouldn't be a problem.

Vagabond has two Aurenco solar panels (each about 6 x 24  inches) on "the quarter deck". The tent folds down aft of the cockpit lip without covering them.

Matt and I "sort of" designed it when I was specifying the "extras" for Vagabond. He may have kept the drawings: beware, though, Vagabond's spray hood is quite low compared with some that I saw at Mylor last year.

Vagabond has left her barn and is now some 80 miles away at Northney Marina. I'll be going there sometime next week and will try to get some better photo's.
 

[Andy Dingle]

Thanks Rob - more pics would be useful.
My solar panels are quite wide and covers most of the rear deck and also about two foot long so I think whatever I put down on the aft deck would cover them ..  put it would be good to make a comparison.
I'll contact SY about what they are doing now for cockpit tents.

Does any other BC23 owner have a cockpit tent they could share info with me please?

Andy

[Rob Johnstone]

Andy,
I've found another photo and added it to Dropbox. The link should still be the same.

[Andy Dingle]

Thanks Rob - I'll have a look.

I found this one on the web.

http://www.cjmarine.co.uk/baycruiser-23-cockpit-enclosure ..

Very nice but (starting) at £1345!!  They're 'avin a larf!!

Cheers

Andy

For the benefit of our friends from the colonies - translation is 'They are having a laugh'. - Colloquial English estuarine slang for 'They think they can get away with extracting the urine out of us!'
Not to mention our cash.

[Rob Johnstone]

I gather the official Swallow version is about half the price of the one Andy found on t'web.

[Peter Taylor]

...and Andy's price does not include the "Cockpit Enclosure Breakdown Kit" at £168 which provides a couple of bags to keep your enclosure clean - at that price you wouldn't want it to get dirty!