Re: [Paddlewise] sailing content

James Lofton wrote:
> 
> Mark Balogh wrote:
> >
> 
> (MAJOR SNIP)
> to my Nautiraid Grand Raid double which is suitable for inland or ocean
> cruising.  The Nautiraid has a screened bivy tent type cover for the
> cockpit area for sleeping aboard at anchor in bad weather or bug country
> and is being adapted for longer crossings solo under sail and paddle.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Mark, could you tell us a bit more about how you have set this boat up?
> Did you remove the center rib(frount backrest), or how do you set it up
> for sleeping.
> The bivy part is something I have toyed with in my head for years, but
> never have started sewing.
> Can you get it quickly out of the way for paddling/sailing??
> 
> I travel sometimes at night to avoid heavy wind, and have had to tie to
> submerged stumps at night, to await daylight, so as to navigate narrow
> channels at the mouth of some rivers. A shelter that I could put up
> easily on my folbot(the bugs know you can't hide)seemed nice, but I also
> feared having something in my way if I needed to paddle quickly.
> 
> Anyway, when you can find the time, myself, and I'm sure others would
> find it interesting.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> James
James,

The quick answer is I don't know if my method could be used on a Folbot
in the same way because of the difference in the coamings/washboards. 
The Folbot skin attaches to the bottom of the coaming unlike many
folding kayaks where the skin wraps inside the coaming to attach to the
top.  Since it would have to be done differently and because I don't
know how quick you would need to remove it, I am not sure.
I will give a quick overview of my set up but it is a work in progress
and I am constantly changing and improving my whole rig.
I bought one of these full screen two hoop bivy type tents with fly on
sale for like $49 which was cheap enough to use in an experiment.
First I made drilled some 5/8" diameter fiberglass poles to accept the
ends of the tent's hoops.  These rest across the coamings.  I stretch
the ends of the tent out and attach to strong points on the deck with
adjustable lines and snap hooks.  I drew a line on the tent bottom to
the shape of the coaming.  I cut out the hole, used the removed fabric
to make a hem for the edge of the hole.  You need to make arrangements
in the hem for the two cross tubes and in my case my sail rig cross
tube.  Essentially on my boat there is a bungy draw string in the hem
that snaps under the lip on the coaming.  On the Folbot you might have
to use snaps or velcro to make a tight fit to keep the bugs out.  My
Grand Raid is deep in the cockpit so I did not need to remove the top of
the center rib.  I am configuring this boat to be sailed from more than
one seat position and with single or multiple rigs in different
locations so sometimes the mid rib seat support is in and sometimes
out.  You also need to do something to level the bottom so the ribs
don't dig into your ribs.  One way I have tried is small closed cell
foam pads between the ribs and then a normal sleeping pad. I have seen
some small inflatable pads someplace that might be good for that.  I
really don't have much chance to try it out as work is too busy so I
really can't say what the fastest set or douse time might be for this
set up but I expect it could be removed in a couple of minutes if
pressed.  Mine only opens on one side. If it opened on two, one might
paddle a short way to relocate if they were able to handle their anchor
line from the tent.  I seem to recall a similar tent set up mentioned on
a Klepper in Ralph's newsletter.

Mark




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