Would you consider a penthouse suite for your C-Dory

jkidd

jkidd

Active member
Would you put one of these on top of your C-Dory. Of course you would have to turn so the ladder comes down on the front deck.

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I would as the weight is very little. I do not see it causing any handling problems while underway. You would have to use it in a sheltered anchorage for fear of rolling out. I don't know how it would act or cause the boat to act while on anchor in the wind.

Limitations. You will not be able to mount a radar arch or rod holders on the roof. You would not be able to use a enclosure for the rear deck while using the tent.

I want one of these for my scion XB for hunting and camping in eastern Washington. How do you like yours?
 
starcrafttom":1s6jl69m said:
I would as the weight is very little. I do not see it causing any handling problems while underway. You would have to use it in a sheltered anchorage for fear of rolling out. I don't know how it would act or cause the boat to act while on anchor in the wind.

Limitations. You will not be able to mount a radar arch or rod holders on the roof. You would not be able to use a enclosure for the rear deck while using the tent.

I want one of these for my scion XB for hunting and camping in eastern Washington. How do you like yours?
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I just got it at Thanksgiving time so I haven't slept in it yet but it seems to be very well made. This one is a ruggedized version so it weights about 150 lbs. if it was mounted so it folds open to the bow then it wouldn't be in the way of the radar or the rod holders and you would still be able to use the camper back too. Folded up its 48" X 56" open it's 56" X 96" not counting the entry way. I don't think you could roll out of it the bars would stop you. I could see it when you have extra people on the boat or for longer trips when you might need more space.


Folded down its 12" high.

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ssobol":18px9rpb said:
It would seem that any rolling of the boat might feel pretty extreme if you are lying above the roof.
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That (150 pounds), and another 300 pounds of people could get interesting when the wind kicks up in the middle of the night. :wink:
 
Jody,

Don't think I need a penthouse but what I am really looking for is cross arms similar to what you show on the trailer but with brackets that will attach to the grab rails on top of my cabin. Looks like what you have will also clear a raised cabin roof. I have seen cross arms that will work but have never found brackets that will work. I have a new kayak I would like to carry up there.

Did you make your New Year trip to Powell yet?

Bill
 
I wouldn't try it myself. I was up on the cabin roof this summer doing a little bright work and a medium sized boat wake came by. Man, I tell you, it really rocks up there. A lot. I could't imagine sleeping up there if the boat was in the water.
 
Perhaps it would work for sleeping accommodations when tied up at the marina for those extra overnight passengers.

We have slept 5 on the Tomcat 255 in the cabin and it was tight. It helped that the other occupants were 2 women and 2 young kids. 5 adults would have been too much.

Not sure that I would want to be up on the roof. I think sleeping in the camper back (cockpit) on a cot would be preferred to being on the roof.
 
A better option might be to set one of these up so that it could be across the cockpit (gunwhale to gunwhale). It might work if you don't have a lot of stuff attached to the sidewalls or the rails. You could fold it up and put it on the roof when it is not used (might be a weight issue getting on and off though).
 
It seems to me that the boat would list considerably with the two adults in this--even if the majority of their weight was over the main hull--have to try it out to see.
 
Water Bill":2obodn4l said:
Jody,

Don't think I need a penthouse but what I am really looking for is cross arms similar to what you show on the trailer but with brackets that will attach to the grab rails on top of my cabin. Looks like what you have will also clear a raised cabin roof. I have seen cross arms that will work but have never found brackets that will work. I have a new kayak I would like to carry up there.

Did you make your New Year trip to Powell yet?

Bill
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Those are the mounts that I use on the boat rails. They are Thule 6" rise gutter mounts and the rails are 74" I think.

I haven't been down to Powell yet. The next trip is to drive Poison Spring road to the Flint Trail and then to Robbers Roost and back to Goblin Valley. About 100 miles of dirt road. Just waiting for the snow to melt off of the switchbacks. Planing to do Powell April and May.
 
Jody,

I did a little searching and I believe the mounts must be either the 8" Thule Gutter - High Foot Pack 387 model or the 11" Thule Super High Gutter Foot Pack 953 model. If you remember if it was one or the other of those could you let me know. I have the high top cabin and I am hoping the 8" high model will work. I don't want kayak to sit any higher than necessary.
I just saw there is also a 5" (#300, 300R) model maybe that is what you have.

I will probably be heading to Powell some time in April myself. May try to go back to Apache Lake in Arizona, towards the end of March.

Bill
 
Water Bill":1fba335d said:
Jody,

I did a little searching and I believe the mounts must be either the 8" Thule Gutter - High Foot Pack 387 model or the 11" Thule Super High Gutter Foot Pack 953 model. If you remember if it was one or the other of those could you let me know. I have the high top cabin and I am hoping the 8" high model will work. I don't want kayak to sit any higher than necessary.
I just saw there is also a 5" (#300, 300R) model maybe that is what you have.

I will probably be heading to Powell some time in April myself. May try to go back to Apache Lake in Arizona, towards the end of March.

Bill
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They measure 8" from the bottom of the load bar to where they would sit in the gutter. If you look in my Jackson Lake photos you can see the clearance.
 
I have a boat that I was thinking of doing that on and I think it is a great idea. All you would nee for stability is some type of outrigger arms that could easily attach to the boats. I have a design using the rod holders with light aluminum poles that I attach to the largest boat bumpers I could find. Do not need total stability just some so you end up with a gentle roll at worst. Go for it.

I was even thinking of the hard top version I could use on my full size van or put on the boat. The main roof would bear most of the wt and build temporary supports for the back and front. The back again could be supported using rod holders and the front or a bow rail if there was one.

Penthouse with a breeze.................and in the right harbor of course...... :thup :idea:
 
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