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Dabber Sleeping Boards and Boat Tent
I have been asked how I set up the Drascombe Dabber to sleep aboard.
I thought it might be a good idea to provide a post for the web
site so that others could see how I have been doing it, and share
information.
First I should start by explaining I am 6’-4” tall
and weigh 240 pounds. Sleeping on the floor boards is not really
an option. I tried it once, when the wind was howling, and
a combination of the curve of the seats and the main sheet
cleat
made for a pretty
uncomfortable night. At my size I could not really sleep on
my back as there is not enough room between the seats and the
center
board trunk.
I took care of this problem by creating “drop in” boards
that fit between the seats and raise the sleeping level up
off the floor. These cover the rear portion of the cockpit.
To reduce
the number of boards I sleep on a slight diagonal and my feet
extend onto the rear deck adjacent to the motor well, almost
all the way
to the transom.
Sleeping Board Features: (Fairly successful)
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Boards
in position inside Dabber Willet. |
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Each board is 8” wide.
• First
four boards towards transom are full width. These stow in the
hatches either side of the mast. (A tight fit for the longest
board.)
• The last four boards are short and span from the seat to the center
board case. The case is a little low, so a shim piece is
required to support the inboard end. These boards stow under the floor
boards at the best location to trim the boat.
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Boards;
bottom. |
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Boards;
top. |
•
Originally, 1/2” plywood was too flexible so I added
stiffener strips on the board bottoms, and interlocking
tabs between the
boards.
Boat Tent: (not so successful)
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Interior
of
boat tent.
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• Support: I run a line between the two masts and drape blue polytarp over
this line. (See photo at top of page.)
• Tarp Shape: The tarp was shaped so that there are
two triangular door flaps towards the mast,
and the transom end is open.
From the edge of the seats down to the floor boards is open under
the door flaps.
• Attachment: I did not want to add a lot of attachment points along
the gunwale, so I attach at three locations.
I tie off at each of the two oarlocks on each side, and to a small
cleat at the
transom. This puts the low edge of the tarp inboard of the
gunwale.
• Limitations:
Would not hold up to heavy wind and rain.
Does not keep the bugs out.
Wrinkled bright blue plastic does not make the best looking tent.
• Benefits:
Cheap and done. If
anyone has any questions or comments they can write me at:
Donald Bybee
Willet
Sacramento, California
March,
2003
dbybee@cwo.com
Donald
Bybee is a Restoration Architect with California State
Parks. "My biggest project now is a restoration of the
Immigration Station on Angel Island, which is in the middle
of San Francisco
Bay. This facility was built in 1910 to enforce the Chinese
Exclusion Act of 1842. (Kind of Ellis Island in reverse.) and
is open for public tours. I have not figured out yet how
I can use my boat to go to job site meetings and get
reimbursed by the State. Nothing like mixing a little business
with pleasure. Our motto is, " we go to work,
where others go to play." . His
previous article, Tomales
Bay In
Winter is about a cruise in his Dabber along the
waterway formed by the San Andreas Fault in California.
Donald's California listing on his
Dabber, Willett may be found here, and
he's a member of the
Traditional Small Craft Assoc., Inc. (TSCA)
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