The C-Brats Forum Index
HomeForumsMy TopicsCalendarEvent SignupsMemberlistOur C-DorysThe Brat MapPhotos

Three Reasons To Use The Camper Back While Underway

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    The C-Brats Forum Index -> All Marinauts, All The Time
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
C-Nile



Joined: 09 May 2008
Posts: 638
City/Region: Connecticut
State or Province: CT
C-Dory Year: 2012
Vessel Name: Betty Ann
Photos: C-Nile
PostPosted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 10:10 am    Post subject: Three Reasons To Use The Camper Back While Underway Reply with quote

There was a thread on the CD forum about the lack of scuppers on the C-Dory's and its cousin the Marinaut. Everyone knows that with most boats our size, a very large wave that poops the cockpit has the potential to submerge the scuppers on boats so equipped, rendering them useless. However, I made a decision with our Marinaut to use our camper back fully up while underway. This has the potential for deflecting a great deal of water from the cockpit. Of course, there are limits, but having the canvas back up mitigates risk.

If the bilge pump ever clogs or otherwise fails when the canvas is down, the cockpit would fill up with water when it rains. My CD 16 filled up with more than a foot of water while unattended for a few days at my dock. Using our camper back would prevent this from happening.

Finally, I like a bone-dry cockpit. Using the camper back while underway keeps the cabin bone dry in even rough conditions.

Rich

_________________
Marinaut 215 - "Betty Ann" Sept-2011
CD 16 Cruiser "C-Nile" Sold 06/2011
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
JamesTXSD



Joined: 01 Mar 2005
Posts: 7444
City/Region: from island boy to desert dweller
State or Province: AZ
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: "Wild Blue" (sold 9/14)
Photos: Wild Blue
PostPosted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 10:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's a sun porch, too. Hot Cool
_________________
Jim & Joan
CD-25 "Wild Blue" (sold August 2014)
http://captnjim.blogspot.com/

Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
C-Nile



Joined: 09 May 2008
Posts: 638
City/Region: Connecticut
State or Province: CT
C-Dory Year: 2012
Vessel Name: Betty Ann
Photos: C-Nile
PostPosted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 11:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

JamesTXSD wrote:
It's a sun porch, too. Hot Cool
. Uh oh! -- a fourth reason; in retrospect, the topic should have been worded differently.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
dotnmarty



Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 4196
City/Region: Sammamish
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 1993
C-Dory Model: 16 Angler
Vessel Name: LIZZIE II
Photos: Lizzie
PostPosted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 11:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

When we bought our well used 16 foot angler it came with a sort of mini camperback. Turns out it suits our needs very well. It extends the rather claustrophobic angler cabin by several feet. With the sides off it makes for a nice bimini without the inconvenience of the back poles. Finally, and this is the best thing since naval architecture was invented, with the sides and back dropdown installed and the original dropdown installed it provides a private standup head on a 16 footer. Suffice it to say, this is a big deal for a pair of septagenarians out all day. By the way, we also have a slantback mooring cover which actually goes from the cabin roof, over the 'camperback and back to the splashwell.


_________________
MartyP

"...we're all in the same boat..."
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
thataway



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
Posts: 20778
City/Region: Pensacola
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: thataway
Photos: Thataway
PostPosted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 11:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Although we do run with the camper back up when cruising in cooler weather--areas like Like Powell, we do not.

Having a large wave to "poop" the cockpit is very unusual, although it can occur. If you truly have a large wave from the side or even forward, it can get under the snaps, and even left the side curtains.

Again-The scuppers are not at all "rendered useless" The water will drain out, depending on the amount of floatation aft, and the speed the boat is traveling at. Of course the C Dory 22 does not have scuppers. But in the thousands of miles we have traveled in C Dorys we have never had a wave overwhelm the boat--or anything close to it.

_________________
Bob Austin
Thataway
Thataway (Ex Seaweed) 2007 25 C Dory May 2018 to Oct. 2021
Thisaway 2006 22' CDory November 2011 to May 2018
Caracal 18 140 Suzuki 2007 to present
Thataway TomCat 255 150 Suzukis June 2006 thru August 2011
C Pelican; 1992, 22 Cruiser, 2002 thru 2006
Frequent Sea; 2003 C D 25, 2007 thru 2009
KA6PKB
Home port: Pensacola FL
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
C-Nile



Joined: 09 May 2008
Posts: 638
City/Region: Connecticut
State or Province: CT
C-Dory Year: 2012
Vessel Name: Betty Ann
Photos: C-Nile
PostPosted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 7:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Marty,
I like your mini-camper back on your 16 Angler. It gives you all the benefits of a CD 16 Cruiser cabin, but affords you the option of having quit a large cockpit for fishing or relaxing.

Bob,
You are of course right when you said that a cockpit would drain "...depending on the amount of flotation aft." I'm sure that good boat designers like yourself would ensure that you had the right amount of flotation aft if you designed the cockpit for scuppers. However, if I had a boat with scuppers, I would not be so quick to assume that I would be covered, and would defer to the advice of an expert assessment. It is also reassuring, giving your extensive experience with boats, that you have not been overwhelmed by a wave, and I know you have been in some pretty hellacious conditions. As for the camper back -- even on he hottest days, we seal her up like a drum while underway. We want a dry cockpit. If you look at the movie of us while underway, you will see how much spray the hull kicks up toward the cockpit. I am not knowledgeable if CD 22's have the same characteristic, but if we did not have the camper back, things would get really wet inside the cockpit in certain conditions.

http://www.c-brats.com/albums/C-Nile/Betty_Ann_20_mph_near_Orient_Bay_LI_NY_on_Sep_18_2013_Taken_by_Irish_Queen.mov
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
My IRA



Joined: 18 Dec 2003
Posts: 233
City/Region: Springfield
State or Province: OR
C-Dory Year: 2013
C-Dory Model: 23 Venture
Vessel Name: Aidiam
Photos: My IRA
PostPosted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 10:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rich,

Thanks for the wonderful video of Betty Ann in motion. I never tire of seeing these boats in action on the water and your's is a beauty.

_________________
Jerry and Helen
1984 Arima Explorer sold 1985
1985 Arima 17 SR sold 1992
1992 C-Dory 22 Cruiser sold 8/96
1992 OLympic 26XLF Sold 10/2000
1989 Arima 19 SR sold 2003
2004 C-Dory 25 sold 10/05
1992 Bounty 25 Offshore Pilot sold 6/2010
2006 Arima 17 SC sold 9/2012
2013 C-Dory 23 Venture
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
C-jeep



Joined: 12 Jul 2013
Posts: 89
City/Region: Maple Bay
State or Province: BC
C-Dory Year: 1987
C-Dory Model: 16 Angler
Vessel Name: C-Jeep
Photos: C-Jeep
PostPosted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 10:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Marty.
I was going to have a full camperback installed on my Angler 16 but I admire your abbreviated version. The problem I have is in regards to my sloped mooring cover. It attaches to to a channel under the cabin roof and slopes back to the motor well. I would have to remove the half camperback when moored so as not to have rain water accumulate. With a full camperback it would not be necessary. Do I understand you correctly that your sloped mooring cover installs over your camperback?
Cheers
Chris Williams

_________________
Chris Williams, 1987 CD16 Angler "C-Jeep" F50 Yamaha,
Maple Bay, BC
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
dotnmarty



Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 4196
City/Region: Sammamish
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 1993
C-Dory Model: 16 Angler
Vessel Name: LIZZIE II
Photos: Lizzie
PostPosted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 10:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes Chris, the mooring cover was cut to fit with snaps on the top rear edge of the roof, run over the top of the installed blue bimini and then just slopes down to the snaps at the forward edge of the splashwell. You could simply pull the pins on the blue bimini supports and have a 'normal' slope down the hypotenuse of the triangle but I like covering the whole thing with the mooring cover. By the way, the blue cover shown makes it difficult to use the stainless handholds while boarding. The canvas guy made some heavy duty leather luggage handles and sewed them to the top corners of the bimini. In the picture Dotty is holding onto one of the handles with her left hand.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
C-jeep



Joined: 12 Jul 2013
Posts: 89
City/Region: Maple Bay
State or Province: BC
C-Dory Year: 1987
C-Dory Model: 16 Angler
Vessel Name: C-Jeep
Photos: C-Jeep
PostPosted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 11:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Marty. I think I will poach your picture and show it to my canvass guy.
Cheers
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
C-Nile



Joined: 09 May 2008
Posts: 638
City/Region: Connecticut
State or Province: CT
C-Dory Year: 2012
Vessel Name: Betty Ann
Photos: C-Nile
PostPosted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 11:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My IRA wrote:
Rich,

Thanks for the wonderful video of Betty Ann in motion. I never tire of seeing these boats in action on the water and your's is a beauty.


The credit for that video goes to Steve and Eileen of the Irish Queen! Thank you Jerry and Helen, for those kind words. We have had her for three seasons now, and we continue to enjoy our Marinaut. Last year, we spent 21 over nights and travelled 1,000 miles! But we have been on a Venture 23, and you have a beautiful boat, too. I wish more people took videos of the C-Dory family and documented the conditions. In the video of our boat, we were traveling at around 18 knots in one foot seas. We were traveling with the tide, and into the wind. It would be interesting to see if CDory waves climb up the hull toward the cockpit like ours does. I think our trade-off for a slightly smoother ride might be slightly more spray in our cockpit.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
My IRA



Joined: 18 Dec 2003
Posts: 233
City/Region: Springfield
State or Province: OR
C-Dory Year: 2013
C-Dory Model: 23 Venture
Vessel Name: Aidiam
Photos: My IRA
PostPosted: Mon Jan 06, 2014 3:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rich,

From your video, Betty Ann seems to ride nicely with minimal spray. The test Marinaut that Helen and I ran with Les, had a very impressive ride and handling characteristics.

We had the pleasure of viewing Betty Ann in the fit and finish stage at Les's shop. I examined it carefully and state with confidence that your Marinaut is best built boat that we have ever examined in detail. Les spares no expense of material or time in his quest to build a flawless boat.

I agree that cruising with the top up is a good practice to keep spray out of the boat (yours rides dry by design).

Enjoy, Betty Ann will out live you and your children.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
C-Nile



Joined: 09 May 2008
Posts: 638
City/Region: Connecticut
State or Province: CT
C-Dory Year: 2012
Vessel Name: Betty Ann
Photos: C-Nile
PostPosted: Mon Jan 06, 2014 4:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My IRA wrote:
Rich,

From your video, Betty Ann seems to ride nicely with minimal spray. The test Marinaut that Helen and I ran with Les, had a very impressive ride and handling characteristics.

We had the pleasure of viewing Betty Ann in the fit and finish stage at Les's shop. I examined it carefully and state with confidence that your Marinaut is best built boat that we have ever examined in detail. Les spares no expense of material or time in his quest to build a flawless boat.

I agree that cruising with the top up is a good practice to keep spray out of the boat (yours rides dry by design).

Enjoy, Betty Ann will out live you and your children.


Thank you for your observations Scooter. We are very pleased with her handling characteristics, space utilization, and fuel economy. And you are right about Les Lampman. He is a man of deep character and integrity. Les promised us that even though our boat was the first, that it would essentially be no different from those that follow, and he was a man of his word -- not only delivering on what he promised, but exceeding it beyond our wildest dreams. My wife and I can't wait for our fourth season to begin!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    The C-Brats Forum Index -> All Marinauts, All The Time All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
     Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum



Page generation time: 0.1047s (PHP: 85% - SQL: 15%) - SQL queries: 31 - GZIP disabled - Debug on