Cruising with camper canvas in place

D

Dave S

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TECHNICAL Contributor
Oct 3, 2006
6,014
Upstate South Carolina
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This fall will be my first experience using camper canvas. I will soon be relenting to our cooler than average fall and installing the canvas here in the next week or two and would like a little advice from anyone who runs their boat with the camper canvas in place.

I understand the "station wagon effect" you need to watch out for so I will always run with the bilge blower on and with adequate ventelation as well. What else should I do to help prevent exhaust fumes or Carbon Monoxide from becomming an issue while underway? Also, I am not looking to set any speed records while underway, but what is a reasonable cruise speed you can attain with the canvas up? Is 25mph too fast?

Any other suggestons or noteworthy items you want to share with me will be appreciated as well.
 
I open one of my hatches slightly to allow the ventilation to come into the cabin area. I also open a side sindow to allow ventilation to come into the cockpit. Sounds like you want to do the same. I run along 20-25 mph with mine with no real problems. Did have a support bar some loose once, but tightened it up and away we went.
 
Speed hasn't been an issue, I've had my boat over 30 MPH with full camper canvas. I don't usually go that fast because the canvas does limit visibility and I boat on a crowded lake.

I've had issues when trolling with all the canvas up except the back curtain. If I leave the cabin door open, the CO detector will sound pretty quickly. Of course the CO had to go through the cockpit to get to the cabin. So in that case I usually remove one of the front isenglass pieces to get some airflow. I've tried opening the cabin hatch, hoping to get flow all the way through the cabin up the stairs, through the cockpit and out. That doesn't move enough air at trolling speeds.

If you keep the speed up this shouldn't be an issue, it only happens when trolling or idling for a while.
 
jrcinnh said:
. If I leave the cabin door open, the CO detector will sound pretty quickly. Of course the CO had to go through the cockpit to get to the cabin.
Click to expand...

brings up the queston....would it be a good idea to install a CO detector in the cockpit area? :huh:
 
Probably a good idea. I've heard that no one makes one rated for outdoor use. That's why they don't come from the factory with one.

You can pick up battery powered ones for $25, so even if it only lasts a season it might be cheap insurance.
 
To vent the cockpit or not remains a question........I always open the windshield vent a little on even the coldest days and we never have a problem. Out boat is diesel and we would smell the exhaust if fumes reached the cockpit. Others have said that on smaller boats, their CO detectors go off when they vent the windshield. I assume that the station wagon effect must differ depending upon the type boat you have. IT just seem to me that id you put positive pressure with fresh air from the front into the cockpit area that there could be no vacuum in the space where people are.

If in doubt, get a portable CO detector and go have fun.
 
Dave S said:
I understand the "station wagon effect" you need to watch out for so I will always run with the bilge blower on ...
Click to expand...
I don't see where the bilge blower in any way lessens the station wagon effect. In fact, if anything the blower would seem to contribute to the problem by forcing fumes from the bilge to the area that's being 'sucked in' by the effect. Not really an issue since the normal venting action of the bilge should do basically the same thing.

I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't run your blowers as you normally would - just don't see any benefit to running them continously for this purpose.
 
We boat year round. We have done this for the past 3-4 years with no issues. Even on a super cold day, your cockpit area will remain warm, almost like a greenhouse.

When on plane we will slightly open up the rear canvas zipper to let air out, otherwise your canvas becomes a sail and you have resistance. Like Frank, we will crack the windshield vent too.
 
Blower doesn't really help. In the 260 since there are no real vents. I open the side windows in the back of the cockpit with the screens. If you try to run at a slow idle the exhaust fumes start entering the cockpit.

My canvas says not to exceed 45 MPH. Since the boat has never gone that fast. Not really an issue. The canvas is extremely well thought out.

Thanks,

Scott
 
Dave S: Here's a neat little trick we discovered for the aft chunk of canvas. Unzip both sides. Then unzip the top zipper about two feet toward the center on both sides. You can then zip the sides together, leaving an opening on both sides. We often cruise with this configuration + the forward center chunk of canvas removed.

With the mid-berth window open, we did set off the alarm one time. Never had a problem with the window and cabin door closed. I've not tried cruising with the rear canvas completely zipped up -- all the warnings freak me out. We cruise at 25-30 MPH -- speed has never been an issue.
 
If weather requires, we have cruised with the full camper top up -- the traditional camper top on our old boat (2002 280) and now the Fastback top on the 340. We open the middle vent window or unzipped part of the front isenglass (on the 280). We usually cruise at 27 mph or so. We never had a problem, but I do have a portable CO detector I clip to my shirt just to be sure. I have no idea how accurate or useful it really is -- but it's never gone off.
 
Whether is is the great construction of my custom canvas or else. We can cruise very nicely with it in place with just the windshield vent open and do not get any exhaust gases whatsoever. I have run up to 35 mph wihth the full canvas up and it is solid and does not flap one bit anywhere. We love the oversize isinglass on it too. Very good visibility all around

See some pics here:
http://s96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/AlexD_MyAlbums/SMYC 101506/

I know that outside the station wagon effect is still present because when on plane mist from the running gear makes the rear window wet just like on an SUV rear window.
 
I wouldn't have a boat without a camper top. It has made the 'living space' on our 330 much larger. For Great Lakes Boating it is fantastic. We run at cruising speed with it up all the time. I try to crack the front vent.

It is my understanding that SeaRay does not offer the camper top on the 320 and up due to liability issues. Not sure if they are being extremely cautious or not.
 

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Our boat has a hardtop and we run with a drop curtain all the time. My owner's guide has a warning about running with an aft curtain. Apparently, CO can infiltrate the aft curtain but not the drop curtain due to the station wagon effect. This really does vary by boat. When I open the windshileld vent while cruising we suck exhaust into the helm. On ours, it's best to keep the windshiled vent closed and the helm a/c running if it's a warm day.
 
Searay does not offer campers on boats with inboards which have side and underwater exhausts. That is why the 300 is the biggest boat you can get a camper on from the factory. The inboard exhaust configuration puts a lot of exhaust gases in the transom area as everyone knows and the liability risk for SR is too great. As everyone knows here running such a boat with the amper requires care and alertness about potential CO coming into the cockpit.
 
Thanks Alex, I always wondered why there where no campers for the bigger boats. When comparing the 300 to the 320, one vote for the 300 was because of the camper top. The biggest vote was price :lol:

The dealers excuse for not having it on the 320 and up, was that those boats are so big you don't need them. It's a shame that you can't get the camper even if you get a outdrive version of the large boats.
 
Yep, even though the 340 can be had with sterndrives, you can't get a camper for it.

I dunno what your delaer was thinking when he said that :huh: ... sonds like he was making it up as he went ... to big for a camper ??? :smt017 Bullfrog!


Quite honestly ... I do understand Searay on this one. A company cannot expose itself to such a liability. As you can see the aftermarket makes some very nice campers for the bigger cruisers, but one has to be careful. CO coming back in from behind is nothing to joke around with. Our camper is luckily good in this aspect.
 
I will be installing my canvas this week and I am going to place a portable lithium ion powered CO detector in the cockpit as well. I just don't want to take a chance on this one.
 
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