Tom:

I'd need a digital camera and some assistance with transferring the
pictures to a web site.


Hogin Sails made a boom tent for Bert Felton.  A picture of his setup is
in one of the old newsletters. Mine is similar except that it extends
forward of the mast with an open area to see what's going on off the bow
( I throw the sail bags up there at night so I have more room below and
they won't be wet in the morning).  It neatly fits over the lifelines
and stern pulpit approximately three to four inches.  You have
approximately 5'7" standing headroom from the cabin sole to the bottom
of the boom.  I've never  used the hatch boards when the tent is up.  It
has a zipper which you can unzip and zip from the inside as well as the
outside at the end of the boom extending to the stern pulpit.  The boom
tent keeps you dry and warm and give you lots of privacy.  It also seems
to keep the bugs out.  Many times when I anchor in the early evening I
am attacked by all sorts of bugs but as soon as the tent is  up they
seem to stay away.  I  cook with  the Origo stove and  hang a candle
arrangement from the boom for light, which I got at a backpacking store.

It's also a great duck blind.  Recently, at Silver Lake at the lee side
of  Treasure Island ( Hwy 88 at 7,200 foot elevation),  I would sit on
the bottom of the cockpit floor and watch  all the many different birds
swim all around the boat without a clue that I was there.  You can take
some fantastic pictures.

The construction of the tent is first class sunbrella.  Margaret and a
helper spent almost an  hour on the boat taking measurements. The cost
was over $ 500. but it has made a world of difference in enjoying
overnight trips.  I don't like camping and I was really disappointed
when I stayed on the boat overnight the first year I had "Really".  Now,
I go on six to ten trips from Spring through Fall and can handle one and
sometimes  two nights without any misgivings-yet.

I also had lee cloths made.  This time by the Spinnaker Shop in Palo
Alto.  They are classy looking.  I can use them for privacy around other
boats or as an addition to the boom tent to keep wind, rain, and bugs
out, if need be.  I've really only needed  them to keep the wind out
while cooking when anchored off the stern cleats, which I often do
during the warm valley nights at Woodward, McClure or  Don Pedro
Reservoirs and at my favorite go to sailing lake - Trinity Lake.

I won't use the boom tent during the winter months because I don't want
to get it dirty. I cover the boat with canvass.


Rich Cottrell
"Really" M15 # 288



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