Open Skiff Camper Top

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kmorin
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Open Skiff Camper Top

#1

Post by kmorin »

Some time ago, I mentioned on the Forum that I'd built a series of 'camper tops' or temporary cabins to clamp onto the open net skiff we were building that time; 1976-80'ish. To fish with anchored nets just beyond and in the surf an open skiff is used to 'clean' or pick the fish from the nets. These skiffs pay for themselves in one or two loads of fish carried to the beach but, they just 'sit' the rest of the year- for the most part.

Some fishermen and I were having a hop flavored adult beverage one afternoon as I listened to them whine about only making six figures salmon fishing and how the skiffs "just sat for the other 10 months". Being the eager young entrepreneur that I was (then) and seeing an opportunity to make a 'sale' to a 'rich commercial fisherman' I proposed a clamp-on convertible top that would allow the guys to use these to duck hunt, deer hunt, or fish later in the season when it gets cooler and windier and generally extend the net skiffs' uses.

This idea is not really unique since pick up trucks have had bed covers used to camp in, and countless other uses, the term camper shell represents the cover which converts a pickup into a covered SUV so to speak. The F-150 can become an Explorer or Excursion while the other brands become whatever their SUV line's names are equivalent.

But they probably only exist in metal due to the relative strength compared to wt and the thin light weight that can be put into an aluminum shell compared to other materials. Yes there are some NON ALLOY shells but I think the lower cost ones, the lighter one and the most easily taken off and stored are all aluminum?

My idea was to provide an entire foredeck, trunk cabin and windscreen so the forward area was covered and could shed incoming oncoming waves that may be too large for an open skiff to safely navigate? That would allow more fall fishing where the run to fish may be a few hours or even as one adventurous fisherman did... take his skiff to Homer and put it on the Ferry to Kodiak and spent a week hunting deer while living out of an open 22' x 6' bottom skiff - camped off shore away from the Ursine local population.

pics are old, the image was scanned and then attempt were made to convert these Polaroids into a decent online image. The ideas are interesting the photos poor but I didn't know in 1978 that Capt'n Dave (Jettywolf) would be asking for these images.

Image

Still being tacked up on the net skiff, which is not easily visible below the camper top. Short segments of the next concentric size pipe (2-1/2") were placed along the existing 2" pipe rail and the walkarond deck or sheer clamp/guard deck was tacked to these pieces.

Image

The entire camper top was a 1/8" and 0.080" construction and was just to keep the weather off, had little framing so merely a temporary shell that bolted on the gunwale of the net skiff. Here the vertical flat bar at the sheer is installed, this was welded at a butt T to the horizontal deck allowing a stiffened in the vertical direction and a T form to help keep the shape in outer edge of the horizontal deck piece. By sticking up above the deck this vertical formed a 'toe rail' when going forward to get the hook too. No rub rails were installed as this boat was not planned to be against another boat or dock, they landed on the beach or trailered.

Image

From the side, probably propped to make welding easier- all MIG in that era. Total wt. was likely less than 100lb unless the glass, bunks and steering were on; then it was probably twice that.

Image

Pretty much simplicity itself, make the shapes, tack edges, weld. Cut out windows, install rubber liner and glass, bolt to the top of the skiff, and being to add steering and throttle/shift controls. Go hunt ducks or fish late in the season. Almost all the surfaces had some cylindrical development to reduce framing by relying on stressing the panels during tack up and welding.

So that is the camper top concept, probably only useful to those with a fully open skiff and no weather helm at all. But since lots of those are so far South it never gets cold? well staying warm and dry may not be worth the convertible top for your boat. Just as with all boat designs, countless variations on the theme could change every single proportion and line into something more useful and attractive for your open boat.

Hope that helps the vision Jettywolf?

Cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK
kmorin
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Re: Open Skiff Camper Top

#2

Post by JETTYWOLF »

Kevin,

That's a lot fancier than what "snap-on top" I drempt up. But that's the deal..........Hmmmm, now what size pole barn do I need to hang that in :?: :?:
kmorin
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Location: Kenai, Alaska

Fancy "pop top"

#3

Post by kmorin »

Capt'n Dave, just how much simpler could I get and have a cabin top?

This was the first one, say 1979 or so? (dates back that far are not real exact, I was working 100 hour weeks so things were just a little vague.) There were other tops and other shops have built them too (shops in this area) and done a much nicer (read more expensive) job on theirs than I was ever financed to do. But I do like the idea for a sort of convertible skiff.

You could just take it off the J'wolf then have tell the first mate "Yo! Babe.... get out here and give me a hand!" she could help to stand it up back of the house- just lean it up like the pictures and the neighbors would never know- no pole barn needed!

:rotfl:

Cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK
kmorin
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