boom tent/cockpit shade

[Neil]

One of my winter projects is to design and make a boom tent for my F235. The Admiral doesn't like to bake all day on the boat, so this addition will get her out more often. I realise that there isn't room under the boom on the F235 to have a shade over the cockpit, so I think I'll make a boom tent that I can erect over the boom when the main is not up.Has anyone designed such a beast, and does anyone have any advice about this project - especially any design or construction ideas that would make the thing better in any way? I plan to make it out of Sunbrella fabric.Thanks,Neil

 

[Dan]

awning

I have an awning like that on one of my other boats. It is sunbrella with a length of 1/2" PVC pipe at the front and back in pockets. There is a zipper running from the topping lift at the end of the boom to the center of the PVC pipe pocket at the back edge so one side of the pipe can be pulled out and put behind the topping lift when unzipped. The sunbrella has grommets at each corner with shock cord or sail ties at each corner to attach to toe rails and pushpit corners. It also has a tie sewn into the front edge to tie around the boom and two small shock-corded hooks (one on each half of the pocket at the rear) to fasten to the backstay. This should work on just about any boat with a standard topping lift. Hope that helps.