Do-it-yourself Quonset Hut for sailboat

[bellnier]

I want to rewire and install lighting and other equipment on Greta before next summer. So rather than shrink wrap the boat I decided to get a Quonset hut for the boat which would allow me to work without worrying about the weather. I found that it’s difficult find a Quonset hut that is large enough that is less than $1000. I wanted it to be 10 x 30 feet and be able to stand up in the cockpit. I decided to make my own Quonset Hut. I started with a 25’ x 40‘ tarp (Ultimate grey tarp from WM on sale for $90). The structure is made of ½” id PVC electrical conduit. The 21 ribs are 26’ long on 18” centers and screwed to the 5 each 30’ stringers with #10 1 1/4 “ sheet metal screws. I laid out all the conduit on the deck, drilled thru holes in the 5 stringers every 18” and smaller pilot holes in the 21 ribs at the middle and 6” and 6’6” from each end. I screwed them together from the inside so there are no screw heads on the outside to wear the tarp. Materials required is 3 x 21 conduit for the ribs and 5 x 3 for the stringers for a total of 78. The ½ “ conduit cost .92 each so the total cost was $71.76 at Lowe’s. To get the height I wanted I used 3 pieces of 3” id conduit to support the mast which was cable tied to the inside of the structure (2 each 10’ lengths at $10). So the whole project cost must have been about $200 with screws & taxes. Note that the 40’ tarp nicely wraps the ends without overlap.

 

[Joe11688]

You did an excellent job on that! The boat looks great too.
Joe

 

[bellnier]

Thanks Joe. It was really not that difficult once I figured out the design. I didn't mention the first step was making two rows of 21 holes 18" apart in the ground alongside the trailer about 6" out and 9' apart. Into these holes goes the lowest 6 '' of the ribs. Plan to rewire the whole boat. Add a depth finder, VHF radio with mast top antennae, a mast head light, a Windex light, new LED cabin lights, solar battery charger, LED bow light. I have purchased everything over the summer and now have a nice place to work on it. Only thing left to purchase are deck to mast connectors for the antennae, the coaxial cable , and connectors for the lights. Still haven’t researched these items enough to purchase. Any suggestions on these connectors?

 

[RichBone]

I like it. Great job. Can you use it next year for winter storage?

Today I just reerected the framework or my shrinkwrap. Should be covered by the end of the week.

I needed to do a lot of work on the boat last winter.
This was last year-

BTW your last attached image didn't open.

Rich

 

[bellnier]

Hi Rich, I plan to reuse the tarp & quonset hut structure for winter storage as long as they last. We'll see how long that will be. I did purchase a better quality tarp to get max life. I fixed that picture problem. thanks. Your shrink wrap structure looks good and there is plenty of room. Is there access so that you could get in there if you wanted to?

 

[bellnier]

BTW Rich I don't see any connectors near the tabernacle on your deck. Are they hidden from view? How do connect your mast lights and or antennae?

 

[RichBone]

Hi Rich, I plan to reuse the tarp & quonset hut structure for winter storage as long as they last. We'll see how long that will be. I did purchase a better quality tarp to get max life. I fixed that picture problem. thanks. Your shrink wrap structure looks good and there is plenty of room. Is there access so that you could get in there if you wanted to?

I had two doors- you can see one in the rear on the port side and there's another on the starboard bow. I did this mainly for ventilation. It can get pretty warm on nice sunny days a I wanted some air flow when working with epoxy and solvents. I didn't have that much of a problem with the heat last winter because of the position the boat was stored in. But this year the boat is broadside to the south so it should be a little warmer.

I'll try to get some pictures of my wiring connections today.

Have you thought of constructing the quonset without the use of your mast?

Rich

 

[bellnier]

The 1/2" conduit is too flexible to support a snow load on the hut structure all by itself. It needs a center ridgepole of some kind. I think that a 30' 3" ID conduit would work. I don't have anyplace indoors to store the 27' mast I suppose it could hang below the ridgepole.

 

[RichBone]

Here is what I did with the wiring-

The coax is connected to 90 degree connector then to a 4" barrel connector (2 inch was a tad too short).

Rich

 

[RichBone]

The 1/2" conduit is too flexible to support a snow load on the hut structure all by itself. It needs a center ridgepole of some kind. I think that a 30' 3" ID conduit would work. I don't have anyplace indoors to store the 27' mast I suppose it could hang below the ridgepole.

Or lay it on saw horses next to the boat.

I guess having the mast attached to the quonset and the boat would anchor the quonset in place.

Rich

 

[bellnier]

Yes the ridgepole does need to both support a snow load and anchor the hut to the boat during high winds. Your point is good that the ridgepole need not be the mast. I'm going to need to pull some wires thru the mast and it might be a lot easier with the mast laying on saw horses next to the boat.

 

[bellnier]

BTW Rich, Thanks for posting the connector photos. I'm going to need a 4 conductor connector for the 12 v stuff. One for windex light, mast head light, steaming light and common ground. I assume you have a couple of short cables hanging from base of mast?

 

[RichBone]

BTW Rich, Thanks for posting the connector photos. I'm going to need a 4 conductor connector for the 12 v stuff. One for windex light, mast head light, steaming light and common ground. I assume you have a couple of short cables hanging from base of mast?

Yeah, those are the lights I have.

Rich

 

[billh]

Wow, that is great! Nicely done a decent shelter and work area to stay dry and warm. Thanks for sharing that, it may be the think I have been looking for. Very nice.

I want to rewire and install lighting and other equipment on Greta before next summer. So rather than shrink wrap the boat I decided to get a Quonset hut for the boat which would allow me to work without worrying about the weather. I found that it’s difficult find a Quonset hut that is large enough that is less than $1000. I wanted it to be 10 x 30 feet and be able to stand up in the cockpit. I decided to make my own Quonset Hut. I started with a 25’ x 40‘ tarp (Ultimate grey tarp from WM on sale for $90). The structure is made of ½” id PVC electrical conduit. The 21 ribs are 26’ long on 18” centers and screwed to the 5 each 30’ stringers with #10 1 1/4 “ sheet metal screws. I laid out all the conduit on the deck, drilled thru holes in the 5 stringers every 18” and smaller pilot holes in the 21 ribs at the middle and 6” and 6’6” from each end. I screwed them together from the inside so there are no screw heads on the outside to wear the tarp. Materials required is 3 x 21 conduit for the ribs and 5 x 3 for the stringers for a total of 78. The ½ “ conduit cost .92 each so the total cost was $71.76 at Lowe’s. To get the height I wanted I used 3 pieces of 3” id conduit to support the mast which was cable tied to the inside of the structure (2 each 10’ lengths at $10). So the whole project cost must have been about $200 with screws & taxes. Note that the 40’ tarp nicely wraps the ends without overlap.

 

[bellnier]

Afterthoughts on do-it-yourself quonset hut

Thanks for your comments. Keep in mind that the structure needs the boat to support any sort of snow load. The 1/2" PVC conduit is simple not strong enough to stand alone. If I was to redo this I would use something a little stronger. Maybe 1" PVC conduit or even galvanized metal conduit. PVC is nice because it's lightweight, easily cut with a radial arm saw, and you can glue lengths together.
The other thing I would do different is not use the mast but use a large pipe or beam of some kind that would support the center of the structure. I'm not going to have easy access to do my mast rewiring project with it 10 ft off the ground. This spring I'll have to remove the mast and substitute something else.

 

[estopa]

I'm going to need a 4 conductor connector for the 12 v stuff. One for windex light, mast head light, steaming light and common ground. I assume you have a couple of short cables hanging from base of mast?

Why windex light? Night Sailing?

 

[RichBone]

Why windex light? Night Sailing?

That's why I installed one.
I wish I knew of an easy way to light up just the tell tales on the sails.

Rich

 

[bellnier]

yes night sailing

 

[emergpa1]

yes night sailing

Night sailing can be a different experience, which is what all of us are after...that experience that makes you forget all that is going on in the "real" world" and touch the world that is beyond what we know...I can't really explain it but you know it when you feel it.

An other-worldly experience happened when I was night sailing alone this past summer. It was a beautiful night with the wind gently blowing away from the dock. It seemed a siren spirit urged me to let loose those dock lines, whispering all I had to do was loose that stern line, now the bow line. Did I? I am not sure but soon with no effort al all My Girl seemed to make sail by herself. Did I really raise the main and sheet the jib? Whether or not, I was soon coasting along on an invisible glassy smooth lake. At the outset there was a bit of doubt (sanity?) that crossed my mind. Maybe I should turn back before I ended up on a rock or sand bar. But I kept going. I even prided myself that I was careful to make mental note of the lights on shore and the location of the bright stars so that I would not loose my way.
I was coasting along on a soft and variable breeze but when I tacked I fouled the mainsheet with the starboard jib sheet in the floor of the cockpit. It couldn't have taken more than 15 seconds. When I looked up everything might as well have been turned upside down. All the shore lights and stars had shifted so it seemed. I began to search the shore lights and then the stars, but all those looked the same. A really other worldly feeling. My boat was with me, and I knew I was on the same lake, but I might as well have been transported to another world. Then I found Saturn. He was high in the southeaster sky. Like a jigsaw puzzle, everything began to fall into place. Was that the radio tower behind the club? Yes it was, and with that landmark I was able to regain my bearings.
Overall it was a pretty freaky experience, not one i would want to repeat anytime soon.

 

[bellnier]

Thanks emergpa1, I like the way you tell the story. Maybe I don't need a windex light.