My Camper Cover photos, questions etc

[Julian]

I've had a lot of people send me PMs and emails asking about the camper cover I had made, so I thought I'd just start a thread here on camper covers. Here are some answers to questions I've been posed:

Wanted to ask where and who did your enclosure and what kind of price for something like that? I bought it and custom cockpit and bow covers at the same time all for $2300 installed. From memory, I recall that I paid $300 for the bow cover, $500 for the cockpit cover and $1500 for the complete camper enclosure. The fabric is a competitor to Sunbrella and comes with a 6 year warranty (vs 5 for Sunbrella).

How many different panels make up the whole thing? It is a total of 6 panels. 3 pieces make up the front, one for each side, and one for the back. The 3 in front all zip together, but having them separate makes it easier to put on. The sides and stern all have windows that open from the top, so that you can open the top a little and not have the window keep falling closed. If you open from the bottom, the weight of the fabric tends to close the hole, while in from the top, the zippers are strong enough to not allow it to open more. Plus venting from the top is usually the best for cooling anyway.

Is it hard to put on out on the water? Its very easy to put on in the water. The only slightly tricky part is the very middle of the sides where the bimini poles are, but even that isn't hard.

Who made it for you? I had it made at a local Illinois canvas shop-United Canvas-whom I recommend highly. They were very helpful and pointed out things like--have the cockpit cover go over the rear swim deck seat backs to protect them (unlike the OEM cover). I don't have photos of the cockpit cover, but it snaps on to the 2nd level swim deck edge. They make all their covers custom.

Here are a few photos:

 

[Geiger41]

Thats pretty f'n cool. Something I may have to look into at some point. I wish it could be dome without having to have the snaps on your boat. Also what type of speeds has this thing held up too?

 

[Julian]

I've driven 45 with it....don't do that often, but that is flat out as it creates a lot of drag.

 

[cane.mba]

That's awesome!

 

[Julian]

@cane.mba Thanks...it has served us well.....on one Chicago Loop Cruise the skies opened up on us.....and we were one of the few boats that stayed dry! As we were tying off at the dock at the end of the cruise, a woman on another boat (not a Yamaha) walking by said....."I told my husband to bring our camper cover!!!" She was bedraggled

Buttoning up on the Chicago River....(photo credit to @Sheboat )

 

[MNdrifter]

I've been thinking about sleeping on the boat too. I was toying with a similar idea to Julian's setup. I was thinking of extending it up to the bow area too. Maybe with a pole in front for support.
With the filler cushions from JBP in the back and the stock fillers in front the whole family could sleep well. Might need to bring a rolled up foam pad to soften the cushions a bit.
I hadn't thought of running with it in place. Makes for a nice "most-weather" boat.

 

[biglar155]

I have always loved your cover @Julian ! I seriously thought about putting one on (maybe even making a run to Chicago to see the same guy) thinking it would extend the season a bit. Then I realized that my season length is less dictated by the weather and more by the amount of time we have for boating. Maybe someday...

 

[tdonoughue]

Now, if you could only install AC on the thing, we could use it down here...

 

[Julian]

Then you'd need a Genset.....LOL.....and the escalation continues!

 

[Bacchus_fl]

I really like these curtains. Been thinking about doing the same so that I can do overnights but cant figure out how exactly. I would need the bow for my family which the Yamaha bow tent would work for but they discontinued before the 2012 model change for the 210. I have seen one retro fitted though but not sure how it would tie into a cockpit camper enclosure and if it could stay dry and more importantly keep the bugs out. The other thing I struggle with is the snaps....I hate them!! I know it is a necessary evil but still.

Anybody seen another bow tent idea that would work? or used an older bow tent on the newer boats? Any other pics/post of campers on the newer hulls?

Also @tdonoughue the easiest way to get AC is to use this little trick....

You may have seen this or ones like it but it really works!! we use them all the time when camping here is muggy Florida! There is another version which you don't need ice for called an evap cooler which works well and has the advantage of not needing ice if it is a trip where ice is hard to come by but doesn't get as cold as the other obviously.....

 

[txav8r]

The guy claims 5 hours out of the ice air conditioner. That is amazing! I might have to rig one up! What does your A/C cost you? Well, I get 5 hours per gallon of frozen water!

 

[Bacchus_fl]

It really does work! I was amazed! This was one of my so called mods early this summer and I now use it and a mistymate all the time. Great for long days on the boat/beach!

 

[Craig]

It really does work! I was amazed! This was one of my so called mods early this summer and I now use it and a mistymate all the time. Great for long days on the boat/beach!

Do you take it out on the boat? Something to cool the kids and wife off a bit on certain lake days might help the day go a little smoother, does it really work?

 

[tdonoughue]

That is amazing. I am gonna have to try that. Even without 'walls' around the boat, the direct blown air should keep the wife happier...

Edit: Hey, do you know what that liner is on the ice block one? Never seen one of those. But then I am also thinking: why would you need that? Or the pipes? Couldn't you just put holes in the bucket?

 

[Bacchus_fl]

I do bring it out on the boat when we are going on a long cruise, will be in the back waters (no swimming), deep waters, or will be setting up a tent on the beach for awhile on a hot day. It's no secret that Florida can become unbearably hot. I usually just jump in the water but allot of people won't swim in the river becuase they are scared of gators which killed less people than toasters but fear isn't always rational. We also have a 4 yr old and other little ones around so in order to extend our days we try to keep them as comfortable as possible. I will bring the bucket AC for certain occasions and it works well but keeping up with the ice in Florida is the hard part. I have seen them made out of a cooler as well which would probably be better but I haven't made one yet althought the concept is the same.

 

[Ronnie]

Also @tdonoughue the easiest way to get AC is to use this little trick....

You may have seen this or ones like it but it really works!! we use them all the time when camping here is muggy Florida! There is another version which you don't need ice for called an evap cooler which works well and has the advantage of not needing ice if it is a trip where ice is hard to come by but doesn't get as cold as the other obviously.....

Thanks for sharing this. It's too late for this season but next year I'll have ad when we camp or anchor for the day.

 

[Bacchus_fl]

"It's too late for this season"....lol. Must be nice....we had a heat index warning here yesterday of 111* at 98% humidity.

Although I guess the nice thing about living here is I can boat almost all year round.

 

[Ronnie]

Yeah, you right coasters have a very short off season, if any. Here on the left coast I was hoping that being in a drought meant we would have an Indian summer this year but that doesn't seem like it is going to happen based on the declining temp pattern I'm seeing. Two benefits of living on the left coast are that we don't have humidity problems nor do we have a hurricane season but we generally do have a defined (although relatively long) boating season, then there is the occasional earth quake to remind us that we have no control over Mother Nature.

Back on topic, I love the tent solutions I'm seeing but none will work for me in that I don't like sleeping on my boat (I've tried several times but can't find a comfortable way to do it) and I don't think my family would use it much (we only camp 2 or 3 times a year now).

 

[phototiger]

Thanks for the great info on the camper cover! It looks awesome! Does the cover fit over the bimini top?

 

[Julian]

Thanks for the great info on the camper cover! It looks awesome! Does the cover fit over the bimini top?

Sorry...missed your question here somehow! The cover zips to the existing bimini. They installed zippers all the way around (except the back--as our model has an extension for the back -stock), and it snaps down to the hull or windshield at the bottom.