Any cons to camper back?

Marco Flamingo · Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 10:55 am Post subject:

With a CD 16, I do a fair amount of limbo and crawling around on my hands and knees. When docking, I do a barrel roll out onto the dock with the line in my teeth. I call it my Rambo maneuver. It is not yet perfected and likely never will be.

My camper back has all of the advantages and disadvantages mentioned. I don't fish that often, and it is never a priority, so I'm willing to put up with the limitations (as one would expect by cruising in a 16 foot boat). My camper back is the only place on board that has standing head room and therefore is the best place for a shower. With two people cruising, it is a necessity. The only time I really didn't like having it was in the canyons at Lake Powell. It limited the view straight up the canyon sides, which isn't normally an issue with boating. But spending two weeks on Lake Powell without it would not have worked.

I saw a camper back in Telegraph Cove that addressed the fishing problem. The aft part of the cover was cantilevered with the last bow attached several feet forward and the top held tight with two straps going down to the splash well. The back and side curtains for that area could be removed when fishing. Putting the poles out on rod holders wasn't a problem, and when you needed to, the two straps were unsnapped and the bow folded forward back over the top. That completely opened the back four feet of the camper top. Plenty of room for the fisherperson to move around.

Mark

thechadmiller · Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 1:03 pm Post subject:

Since we got our boat in Feb we have trailered it to the river about once a week. Can't see being able to afford leaving it somewhere in the water anytime soon. Sounds like more of a pain for now.

thataway · Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 2:33 pm Post subject:

Chuck, I am not sure what you mean by the "limbo" tops? Perhaps like Sea Otter cantilevered top? I find them actually easier to get in and out of, because you can grab the raining and swing under--Marie was asking for a cantilevered top. There are very few boats which have this. It has nothing to do with if there is a camper canvas (which means surround all of the way around), I don't find taking the Bimini Top down difficult when trailering. It takes a couple of minutes.

Different strokes...

ken35216 · Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 3:30 pm Post subject:

I really enjoy mine especially in winter.

In summer the screens gives some privacy in marinas which is nice.

colbysmith · Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 7:12 pm Post subject:

I just got a bimini and camper top this past fall. It's something I really wanted, mostly to keep the cockpit dry when boating in rainy weather. Also for the additional warmth. Have the camper back on, is almost like adding another room. I had mine made locally for $1200. Ok, you asked for Con's. Now that I have it, a few concerns and dislikes. First off, I love the bimini top portion of it. No regrets whatsoever. My thoughts now deal strictly with the side and back curtains, or camper enclosure part under the Bimini. (I will say with just the bimini top on only, I can unzip the top from the sides slightly to make it easier to get on and off, but I would like to see someway to add a strap or something to hold it back when I unzip it slightly for entering and exiting the boat!) The sides snap up the side, with no zipper, so to enter and exit I have to undo the snaps. That can be a bit of a pain. To fish with my downriggers, I need to take the side curtains off. To use my kicker, (no remote) I need to remove the back curtain. Removing and reinstalling isn't all that hard, but does take some time. My side and back curtain has screen, and then a vinyl window. That window is heavy duty, and rolls down rather than up. To open the side curtains for entry and exit, I can not leave the window down as it's then to hard to fold the curtains back to allow entry or exit. I don't have a privacy material, which would be nice, but would add even more weight or thickness to fold. I've only used the side and back curtains a few times, and I do like them when I do, but not sure if it was really worth the cost. If I had to do it all over again, I'd start with just the bimini top, with the option to add the side and back curtains later. Colby

localboy · Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 7:16 pm Post subject:

Three problems with ours:
1. Had I designed it, I would use the small, bungee loops all the way around the bottom vs. snaps. Ours only has the bungee loops on the center rear panel. It's easy to install, in the heat of summer, when the Sunbrella is loose/stretched (but that's not when you need it). In the winter getting all the panels on, snapped down and zipped can be frustrating to say the least and maddening to say the most. One of our zipper's stitching blew out and getting the snaps on the bottom snapped can result in a sprained thumb. (Ours came with the boat, so I had no say)

2. I'd make it taller. I'm barely 5'10 and I just clear the highest point of the frame. Anyone taller would have to hunch over, and that gets old. Again, ours came with the boat.

3. Getting in/out of the cockpit with it installed can be a PIA. I added straps/snaps so I can at least roll up the front two panels and they stay put. But even then, you've got to be pretty limber to do it easily and gracefully...and remember, I'm barely 5'10. The Admiral is a tiny 5'2 and makes it look easy.

Wandering Sagebrush · Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 9:12 pm Post subject:

DayBreak · Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 9:17 pm Post subject:

Thank you Colby, Dr. Bob and everyone else that has responded to this thread about the details of owning/construction of a camper back. I can now see the many more advantages of having a camper back than not. We have been considering having one but haven't done so yet because we are still researching the subject before making the purchase. I can see the materials and design are very important with regard to the usability factor. You must also have an experienced fabricator that knows how to make it function well for the intended purpose on your boating use. Great information here!

thataway · Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 9:42 pm Post subject:

starcrafttom · Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 10:54 pm Post subject:

They do get in the way of fishing but well worth it. There are several things you can do when ordering or making your top. One make it higher. I am 6 ft and had plenty of head room under the top fo our 22 and our 27. I have been in CDs that were designed by midgets where the top came right off the top at the same height.

You also want the frame to end far from the end of the boat. I have seen tops where the supports were at the far back corner. You will never be able to fish out of a set up like that. But if your support are mid way from you cabin to the end of the deck and angled back to the end of the deck you can fish from under it. Also use the quick release ends on your supports. These are the ends that snap onto a mount on the gunwales. If you mount a second set right next to the cabin you can easily store the top folded up right against your cabin. Peter on cdancer had this set up on his 22 and it worked really well.

My last tips if to have at least two side panels per side. So tow on the left , two right and two on the back. Many times we ran just the first panel on each side to keep the spray out while running.

Jazzmanic · Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 11:47 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the mention Tom. Yes, the mounting bars stored nicely against the bulkhead thanks to the quick release pins mounted on the gunnels. It fit perfectly underneath the tall radar arch like they were planned that way.

It's true, the camperback bars got in the way when fishing but we've fished with the bimini up and surprisingly the downriggers were mounted in the perfect spot between the cross bars. We actually had 8 panels on our camperback. Six like Tom described and two narrow ones in each back corner. It was easy to pick and choose what you wanted attached.

Caryn and I always stated that buying the camperback was probably the best addition (and first) we ever added on C-Dancer. During our rainy fall, winter and spring up here in the PNW, it provided an extra room to hang out in. It was expensive but well worth the money spent. YMMV.

(Man, I miss that boat!!! Wasn't she a beauty?)

hank clow · Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2018 9:28 am Post subject:

Another thought on privacy screening for camper backs. We found that a product called Shade Cloth works very well. Easy to cut and stich on a regular sewing machine. We were able to design covers for each "window" and attached them using small Velcro buttons. We added additional glue to the self-glued sides. The covers are light weight, breathable and easy to store. The product is available from Amazon and comes in a variety of colors and is very inexpensive. We don't use them very often, but in a crowded marina setting they do the job.

Hank and Pat

Meri Aura

Wandering Sagebrush · Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2018 9:34 am Post subject:

Bob, if my side panels are in, it’s very hard to unsnap from the cabin top and flip it back. I just had a communication miss with our canvas guy when I described what I wanted. Because of that, I rarely use the sides and back unless in very wet conditions.

thataway · Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2018 5:21 pm Post subject:

hardee · Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 12:42 pm Post subject:

Not having a camperback, I still enjoy having some coverage from both sun and rain from my inflatable that rides over the cockpit on a rack that goes up vertically from the splashwell. I frequently stand in the cockpit when photograghing. The cover provides some protection from the elements when I am on the boat, and if I'm out in the inflatable I don't need that coverage.

Since most of my boating is single handing, I don't need the extra room, so I'm ok with no camperback.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon