Any cons to camper back?

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.
 
thataway":3e9rphz0 said:
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...
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Bob, I understood it to be a Bimini like mine, where you have to either unsnap from the cabin, or crawl in when you’re at a dock.
 
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!
 
Wandering Sagebrush":2tesc34l said:
Bob, I understood it to be a Bimini like mine, where you have to either unsnap from the cabin, or crawl in when you’re at a dock.
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Hmm--we have always unsnapped the corner (or zipped it back) of the Bimini--never even thought about trying to get in a 22 with it buttoned up...Every one of our Bimini's have had an Awning railing and a zipper. I agree, it is very difficult to get in, without the top being open.

Our current boat only has 3 bows, and the Bimini is not fully self standing, but there are places for straps to come forward and hold the top in place, if the first 18" are zipped out. There is a real advantage to that in hotter climes, because you want free flow of air under the Bimini. The Cantilevered tops, usually have a panel to zip out and also allow free flow of air.
 
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.
 
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.

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(Man, I miss that boat!!! Wasn't she a beauty?)
 
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
 
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.
 
Wandering Sagebrush":29aer1mo said:
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.
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Steve, solution: Would it be better to go back to the canvas guy and have him put in 2 zippers--leave the snaps, if you wish, instead of the awning rail? Might save you backs!
 
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
 
Oh one last tip that should be obvious to you canvas makers but is not. Across the top of the cabin where your canvas attaches, it should be mounted with a slide track but then have a zipper the width of the top with in 3 inchs or so of the slide. . If you do not have that zipper, and I have seen it done that way, you will have to slide the whole 8 ft wide top to the side to remove. the track is by far the better way to attach to the roof but the most inconvenient way to remove the top while fishing or anywhere but the dock. In fact we had the zipper set so we could open either the left or right side of the top to make exiting at the dock simple and easy. If this does not make since I could video it.
 
Tom, Do you have a single zipper, or two zippers, which start in the middle, and then zip toward the outside? We have one piece which goes into the awning railing, and then zips either to the Bimini or the cockpit slant back cover from the center to the outside.--this piece is permanently fixed to the aluminum awning rail. I have found that in the heat the vinyl awning railings will stretch and eventually the bolt rope will pull out to it.
 
Our 25 had the two zippers at the bolt rope track to make it easy to open either size of the top for entry/exit.

I am surprised that no one talks about the biggest down side the the full camperback enclosure: It gives you a second room; your stuff that is in the cockpit stays dry (from rain or spray); keeps out the bugs; a great place to sit and toast the end of the day, even if that day has some liquid sunshine.

The downside: it makes you want to spend more time on these great boats. Your lawn will suffer. Projects around the house will get pushed back. You will start questioning whether that job is more important than spending all your time on the boat. You may start dreaming bigger about all the great places the boat can take you. Your social life may suffer because you won't really want to play bridge with the neighbors (and I have no idea how to play bridge, anyway)... unless they want to come to your boat and play in the cockpit!

Warm weather or cool (especially if you have screens), if you aren't at the helm or navigator position, the cockpit is just a darned nice place to be. Oh sure, it takes a little effort to set it up or take it down. The Blonde made a nice storage tube to keep our sides/screens in when not set up, and it would store just fine under the radar arch. But, most of the time, when we were on the boat, the camperback was set up.

So, yeah... there is no downside. Like the trailer, the camperback makes these boats even more functional and "homey."
 
JamesTXSD":3g27oqvi said:
....

The downside: it makes you want to spend more time on these great boats. Your lawn will suffer. Projects around the house will get pushed back. You will start questioning whether that job is more important than spending all your time on the boat. You may start dreaming bigger about all the great places the boat can take you. Your social life may suffer because you won't really want to play bridge with the neighbors (and I have no idea how to play bridge, anyway)... unless they want to come to your boat and play in the cockpit!
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All the stuff happens to me and I don't even have a camperback.
 
And I thought Jim was going to get technical, about all the weight that is added aft of the Center of Balance requiring greater down force by the trim tabs and causing a need for more fuel burn to counter said aft weight. Then he goes and gets all philosphically practical. What a guy.

I'm with ssobol :lol:

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
My boat has two zippers. Its great on the 27 in the winter because I can unzip the top just above the rear steering station and look over the top of the boat and still stay warn and dry.
 
I took a family of four out for a charity fund raising event and it was cold and rainy. They worried about being miserable on the water and thought of cancelling. I put up my full camper back and told them they will be dry no matter what the weather. They were very comfortable and warm inside the cabin and cockpit with no fear of the weather spoiling the trip. Later that afternoon the sun came out and we removed a couple panels to enjoy the rest of the day on mirror calm water. So I would say that camper backs are worth whatever it costs and any extra handling to store them. I very much appreciate mine.[/img]
 
We’re cruising the Erie Canal and lake Champlain and the camper back gives a lot of extra covered space but when we’re home and in fishing mode it’s stored on land.Cruising yes fishing no.
 
I agree with harder to get in and out but that can be resolved in advance of constructing . I leave mine up all year long just to keep water and dirt out.
If I did it again I would skip the screens though, they trap dirt , so need more cleaning, and we just don't have mosquito problems here.
Also in winter it's a solar heated room, very toasty.
 
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