Can you run your boat with the rear canvas on?

L

Lvmikel

New Member
Jul 25, 2015
42
Las vegas
Boat Info
320 sundancer
Engines
496 mag w bravo iii drives
So, please excuse the newbie question...but I put up my full canvas for the winter.
It has eisenglass inserts in it.

As I was zipping up the aft curtain that slopes down to the transom (its not a camper top), I notice this white tag by a zipper that says, 'Not To Be Used While The Boat Is In Operation'.

So my question is...how many of you heed this? Or is this your standard corporate America CYA language and its really OK to do run your boat with it up?

I figure the fear is co2 poisoning...

Thanks.
Mike
 
I run my boat with it up. But not at idle speed for long periods and I open the windshield vent. I only really do this when it is really cold.
 
I always remove all curtains as instructed. Also have your cabin door closed. Not to sound like a smarta$$, but it's CO poisoning you are afraid of, not CO2. It's called the stationwagon effect. Exhaust gets pulled back into the cockpit and cabin, and the canvas would help trap it.
Mike
 
I have full camper canvass and run with it closed sometimes (cold weather). If the seas are calm I open the forward hatch and get some flow into the cabin but keep the door closed. I open the windshield vent to keep the exhaust from entering the cockpit too much. I did the same thing with my 320DA so it's not just a diesel thing. Your owners manual may even have something about opening the forward hatch to pressurize the cabin. I was a victim of CO poisoning many years ago and don't take it lightly. being taken by ambulance to the ER after passing out is not much fun! Neither is the brutally pounding headache from when the toxins finally leave your brain! :smt021 :smt021
 
We always take ours off as have heard of a few being overcome by fumes pulled back into cockpit.
 
Also not to be a smarta$$, but isn't it carbon dioxide poisoning which is correctly written as CO2, not CO? My high school chemistry is a little rusty, just curious.
 
When I had my 320 I'd run with it on just crack the windshield vent to negate the negative air flow , now that I have the 480 we have a full camper top on that as well but I still vent the bridge because the diesel will come all the way up the back of the boat in low speeds , now when were trolling for salmon and have a aft wind , I'm back there in full hazmat containment suit with an air rebreather scented with potpourri Cinnabon icing .


Boltman
 
La Maddalena said:
Also not to be a smarta$$, but isn't it carbon dioxide poisoning which is correctly written as CO2, not CO? My high school chemistry is a little rusty, just curious.
Click to expand...

The dangerous gas is carbon monoxide (one carbon and one oxygen). Its written CO.
 
La Maddalena said:
Also not to be a smarta$$, but isn't it carbon dioxide poisoning which is correctly written as CO2, not CO? My high school chemistry is a little rusty, just curious.
Click to expand...

You would have to go a very long way to die of carbon dioxide poisoning!
 
I also run with the top in place, but I have to open the windshield vent to have positive air flow from the bow to stern. Where the problems seem worse is when the back is off and the front part is still in place. Even with the windshield vent open there still seems to be too much exhaust coming into the cockpit to feel safe.
 
I run with my cockpit completely closed up when conditions call for it but im careful about the risks. Battery powered CO detectors with a digital PPM display can be purchased just about anywhere for roughly $10. I have 3 of these in the boat and I pay close attention to them. They get new batteries every spring and I test them by holding them near the exhaust to see that the numbers go up. Just be smart about it and you should be fine.
 
When I had my 330 I ran all winter with the aft canvas on. I would open the bow hatch, leave the cabin door open and open the windshield vent window. I also would leave one of the aft panels slightly open to all for easy escape of air that came in through the cabin.

The whole object of having a lot of air flow through the boat is to reduce the station wagon effect at the stern.
 
We do a lot of trolling for salmon very seldom run with the canvas on when we do like others have stated keep it ventilated. We have 3 CO monitors on the boat 2 in the cabin one is on the 12 volt system from the factory the other is a digital from HD the 3rd is a digital at the helm. We've had the CO monitors go off at the dock idling before pushing off from the wind blowing it back into the helm area CO poising can happen faster & easier than you think.

We have propane in our home with 120 volt & 12 volt digital monitors I even have a digital in the garage near the furnace just in case there's a vent problem that could cause fumes coming into the house, if your asleep you'll never wake up.

On the news lately there have been several deaths from keyless ignitions people think they've turned off the car close the garage door dying in their home either awake or sleeping. A couple last week died the police reported the car must have run till it ran out of gas the keyless ignition was on with an empty fuel tank. I have mine set to beep & lights flash when the keyless remote is removed from the car & the doors are closed it will keep beeping every few minutes till it's shut off.
 
Yes, you can run with the canvas up, but only as long as the Honda genny on the swim platform is turned off. The genny alone is safe, and the canvas alone is safe. Canvas up AND genny on? That's certain death.

Obviously I'm joking, but I do find the hypocrisy here amusing. The canvas manufacturers put warnings on their stuff because there's a very real CO threat. Genny manufacturers put CO warnings on their stuff because it's a very real threat. The consensus around here seems to be that you're absolutely crazy/careless/reckless/stupid/dangerous if you even consider running a portable generator. It doesn't matter what precautions you take. It's the most irresponsible thing you could do on a boat.

Disregard CO warnings about running with the canvas up? Sure, that's totally fine. Just be careful and have fun!

:huh:
 
Well there is a label on my McDonalds coffee that it's very hot.....but I take a sip anyway.

Just be informed and aware and everything will be okay, really.
 
As long as there is positive pressure from a clean source you will be fine. This does not mean ALL windshield glass needs to be open plus all the hatches and a fan going...you just need to create a SLIGHTLY higher pressure gradient to negate the ability of CO not CO2 from entering the space. It's called positive pressure ventilation and a 16" fan can pressurize a 7 story building. It doesn't take much. Crack one of your deck hatches slightly and maintain forward movement crack your windshield vent window and maintain forward movement, as long as you are passing the speed of any stern wind, you will be pressurized and prevent a siphoning of exhaust fumes.
 
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