Making a Boat a Home, Part 1

James Danner

A well-thought-out tent can create a capacious living space, transforming any small boat into an expedition cruising craft.

Boatbuilding never ends with launching day. Refinements and alterations are a constant source of clever ideas well suited to individual needs, never more so than when a small boat is intended for big voyages. In inclement weather, those with open boats may yearn for the enclosed cabins of sailing yachts or small power cruisers—but on the other hand, the accommodations on most small cruising boats can be confining, even claustrophobic since they are often not much larger than the average backyard doghouse. With an increasing interest in using small boats for adventure voyaging and multi-day sails in company, individual innovators have been discovering the practical uses of custom-built tents, which can provide roomy quarters of a size most small cruising boats would envy. The air is fresh, the view is unparalleled, and with advances in tent poles and supplies, the results can be a joy to a cruising sailor.In small-boat cruising—particularly under sail—having an absolute destination and schedule can be hazardous. At times, getting into a sheltered cove can be a necessity, but you can’t always count on finding a legal or comfortable place to camp ashore. Being able to stay aboard the boat gives the small-craft sailor the same kind of cruising freedom a yachtsman has. Anchor in the cove, cook your meal, enjoy the twilight, stay dry, settle in with a good book, and be ready for wherever the next day’s adventure might bring.