Camperback Usage

[ddenver]

We have a new full Camperback and wonder how most folks tend to use them.

Does everyone tend to have ALL panels up all the time? I have seen numerous photos on the website of folks with just the bimini (top) portion up. Do those of you who have camperbacks predominantly use just the back or most aft side panels?

They take so much room we really do not see a really good way to store them inside the boat and with all the great warm, dry, and hot weather we are going to have both during the Bellingham Gathering and the week afterwards (wishful thinking), we wonder if having all of them up all the time will be too warm.

Anyway, any feedback, tips, or hints, on the use of the camperbacks for a camperback newbie would be appreciated.


Thanks,
Dan & Tanya on C-Renity

[Will-C]

The only time we usually use our camperback is when we are out cruising for a week or more. It keeps the cockpit dry and gives you an extra room if you get rain in the evening or during night. It keeps direct sun off our cooler and us in the shade during the day. We keep the the side panels rolled up during the day and drop them at night.
D.D.

[Fairbro]

We have had our camper back for 9 years now and remove all of the side and back curtains whenever weather permits. My proceedure is simple: remove the curtains in the oposite order that you want to put them back on when leaving the boat. I lay them one atop the other on the table. Once all the panels are stacked together I roll them into a bundle about 10 inches in diameter and place them on the side of the v-berth with the end sides down. (their weight prevents unrolling) When we are puting the boat back together for the night I take the roll out, unroll it on the table and re-install the curtains in reverse order which allows me to disembark by fastening the last panel from the dock. This only takes about 5 minutes to do with practice and is expidited by lubing the male snaps with a very light oil wipe.

[JamesTXSD]

I really like our camperback, but there are times in the Tropical Tip when it is just too warm to have it all up. I keep the bimini up all the time, and attach the side/rear panels when we are cruising or going almost anywhere cooler. When cruising, we also roll our side/rear panels up around a piece of foam (swim noodle). I put old towels or blanket pieces between the eisenglass panels. When rolled up, I put it in a bag that Joan made for us out of matching Sunbrella material. We then strap that up to the radar arch, where it is out of the way.

With a gray furry crew member, the camperback is also great to keep little Izzy contained when she's in the cockpit. Our side/rear panels have screen inserts as well as the eisenglass, so there is good airflow in the cockpit when we want.

It only takes a few minutes to put the panels up or take them down.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

[caw]

Hey Dan, 10-4 on what Wild Blue says about storage. You will love the side and rear curtains when you need them----and hate them when you don't. But, you will learn to live with the inconveniences----and you will learn your own routine. M L and I are constantly taking curtains down and putting them back up----down to go crabbing----up if it looks like rain-----down to go fishing ----up if it looks like rain---etc. For short periods, we just lay them in the v-berth. Long periods---rolled up and separated with towels and in their storage bag. They actually are pretty comfortable to sleep with rolled up along the side [my side] of the berth. Usually,however, they are up and zipped at night---in case it rains. Good luck and time on the water will answer all of your questions!!!!!

[jennykatz]

We had the bimini made first and then had side curtains and back made up a few months later . We have used the camperback only a few times in 3 1/2 yrs . We keep the side curtains at the boat but keep the back eisenglass screen curtain at home.It just is to hot down here in SW Fl.

I had hoped when I retired I would be traveling a lot more in colder climates and using the camperback but so far no go

[Levitation]

Well, Jennykatz, had you headed up that great parking lot called I-75 to the sparkling waters of the Great Lakes you would have been treated these past 2 weeks with 97 degrees and 90% humidity... Seem familiar?
Anyway, it is 51 this morning and crisp... Sun is sparkling off dew on the grass... The grass is too wet to mow until the sun bakes the dew away, so here I am... The remainder of the summer is going to be like paradise up here... Saddle up that trailer and come North to the Apostle Islands of Lake Superior and enjoy a week or three... Do bring your side panels for the bimini... If you do come up, let us know and we will pop by for a cruise with you...

I love trailering the boat... I was at the public dock in Bay City (Mi) to launch yesterday with old friends from New Zealand to take them in a river cruise on their 3rd day in the USA - but I digress - Anyway, a fella at Hooters where we had lunch, and who keeps a big boat in the local marina was asking about our Ranger Tug bobbing at the dock in front of Hooters (lots of folks pointing and looking) he asked how far we had been with the boat... When I told him so far this year we had the boat to the Gulf of Mexico (Boca Grande) and to Drummond Island (between Lakes Huron and Superior) and to Lake Erie (Put In Bay) and I am planning on Lake Superior Apostle Islands this summer and then down the Chicago Sanitary Canal in the fall as a part of the Great Loop, he got a wistful look and said he wished he could do that with his boat... I gently pointed out that selling his (humungous) Carver would pay for a new Tug and a new trailer and a new Duramax and all the diesel he would ever need for the rest of his life.. By the time we walked out his wife was glaring poison darts at me (tee hee)...

[Aurelia]

We keep the sides on nearly all the time and will roll up a panel or two for a better view at anchor sometimes. We did take all of them off for a trip last year and regretted it with rain for four days blowing its way in and soaking the cockpit despite the remaining bimini. We now have a straw mat type outdoor carpet in the cockpit and really use it as a separate living space so I think we will have the sides at least attached from here on out. They are a pain to store but we do have a bag and sections of old sheets made up to stack, roll, and store some panels if we encounter really nice weather for an extended period but you know how that goes up here. We don't really fish and that would change things and if we didn't have the little one running around, we could more easily get away with just the bimini. A couple of chairs on a nice afternoon anchored in a sheltered bay is what it's all about. With the wallace humming, door open, and our canvas all closed up (ours has a panel to seal behind the motors), we can even spend time back there comfortably in the winter.

[ddenver]

Greatly appreciate the input from each and everyone of you!

Take care and stay safe,
Dan & Tanya on C-Renity

[rob bauerle]

what about when trailering. I live having the top of the camperback on and taking all the sides off since I don't really need them. The top is nice to get out from under the sun. (Hope you C-brats on the west side know what that is). But worried that I'm going to damage to canvas in trailering. Any ideas

[rogerbum]

[starcrafttom]

On the 22 susan loved to have that canvas up and loved to have it down. We ran with the whole thing or the bimini up unless I was fishing. We also trailered with it all up at 60 to 70 mph. just make sure you have the snaps all done up and the zippers tight.

If you are going to fish or crab a lot or just want to fold the top out of the way I think the best way is to use the quick release mounts for the top with a extra set near the cabin. this way you can fold up the top and move the legs to the extra mounts and bungee it to the cabin hand holds. This way its secure to the rail and the cabin but completely out of the way while fishing or just enjoying the sun.

another tip is to have the top made so that the canvas that connects to the cabin roof zips from the out side of the cabin to the middle of the cabin from each side. this way you can fold back half the top at the cabin. makes getting in easier when docked or when docking.

[DaveS]

Hi Dan and Tanya,
We install all the panels on the camperback and roll them up, (as there are "keeper straps" to hold them in place while the panels are zippered in place), when we don't feel we need them....ie: no rain (not often around here LOL). If we encounter rough seas while cruising we roll them down to keep the spray of the waves out, and usually at night we roll them down just to keep the moist night air out (which again is always around here LOL). By keeping the panels attached storage is not a problem.

[localboy]

We have used our complete unit very sparingly, mostly when out for a longer trip and when the weather is cooler (I know; we live in the PNW, so "cooler" is open to interpretation, especially this spring/summer ). We get more use out of the top only as it provides shade, but more importantly, a roof to keep the rains off. It's now completely off as I've been using the boat for shrimping & crabbing more than cruising and the frame gets in the way. It'll probably go back on once M is done w/ RN school in early August and we get a chance to be out on it more.

[billtwymank]

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In the hot sunny Tar Heel State we use a permanent bimini for full time cockpit shade that is illustrated in the Lady KC photo album.

We then purchased Phifertex Plus Mesh in sand color from Sailrite.com
for use as tie up side sun screens, when necessary.

It all works good here in the sunny south.
Today, we were in the 3 digit temperature until the big storms blew thruuuuuuuu.

***