# Sleeping on the boat



## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

Yes I do. Sport brella makes for a sweet shelter. Careful in bear country with coolers and stuff. Have not had issues but it is something to think about. I'll dig up some pics.


----------



## richp (Feb 27, 2005)

Hi,

When you have a 20' boat, you can pretty easily pitch a tent on the deck if you feel the need. This camp was the start of two days of almost solid rain.

FWIW.

Rich Phillips


----------



## UTMIKE (Nov 25, 2013)

i made wood decking for my 4bay frame, beveled out four holes (not all the way thru the decking). This is where my legs from a roll-a-cot fit in to. I cam strap both ends to the frame for extra stability. works great on my 14 ft raft, sleeping perpendicular to boat (across front bay). I too have used the sportbrella, and it was pretty good, even in a big T-storm. But just recently got a sil nylon tarp that i can guy out to 4 d-rings and use two trecking poles to keep up. works well.


----------



## duct tape (Aug 25, 2009)

On the Main last summer, I slept on a Paco Pad across the front bay poly board. I took a Black Diamond Mega Mid but never really got the hang of setting it up. To be fair we only had two nights of rain and I never gave it much of a college try. I ended up just pulling a tarp over me. This year I'm taking a Nautilus beach umbrella.


----------



## zbaird (Oct 11, 2003)

I used to sleep across the deck. After losing a pillow years ago I decided to sleep longways. I have a board (2 if there are 2 of us) that is the size of my drybox. It lives on top during the day and I flip them 90 at camp and that covers the captains well, spans the drybox and cooler and makes for a nice big platform. 

If the weather is bad enough that the tarp wrap wont cut it, my tent has the freestanding fly option. It is nice because then you dont have to get things in the tent and you have access to the whole boat. Its a 3 man tent and fits great on the boats. It gets to the outside of the tubes on the 12' and to the mid point or so of the side tubes and covers the front bay and the center on the 16'. It gives enough room to get into drybags and such inside. 

The only downside with the over the drybox/cooler system is that you have to plan ahead for what you need in the morning or you have to shuffle a little. 

I have run the motor pod with the tent rig setup on bad weather days on trips where you run a party barge and it has been a hit for people getting out of the rain or needing a nap. I picked up a family fighting the wind when I was running a triple rig through the moab daily one time. Pretty sure I saved their marriage.


----------



## trevko (Jul 7, 2008)

I had a front bay with a hatch lid and brought a small board to fit over the cans in the foot well to make a full sized bed area. I then used two poles with a mega mid tent. Worked great as long as the eddy was calm.


----------



## Dave Frank (Oct 14, 2003)

We run a few straps as joists between the frame bays, which is just enough support for the 6" Kelly air bed. Guy out the corners of the double wide bag so the wind can't get it and it's pretty comfy. Bimini pulls up quick for a light shower, tarp over that if it's windy. 


Sent from my iPhone using Mountain Buzz


----------



## InflatableSteve (Jun 12, 2013)

Thanks for the replies so far guys. For those of you that do use a tent or shelter of some sort on your boat, how tall do you like it to be? Do you change and such in the shelter or just catch some ZZZZs?


----------



## willieWAO (Jun 14, 2005)

18 ft avon with a mega mid attached to the 4 corner D rings, then your foot bay is room for sitting, its basically a 5 star accommodations on a raft. good for summer grand trips.


----------



## joejacksonframing (May 20, 2011)

My 16' cat has a big hole in the foredeck where the kitchen box rides. I use one of the aft side decks to fill in that hole which allows me to set a 2 man tent on the deck. Only when buggy or rainy, otherwise, just a paco pad (4") and the best nights sleep of the whole year.


----------



## mr.blunts (May 6, 2008)

plus 1 for the mega mid on an 18 foot raft. I used fastex buckles and attached them to the four corners of the raft. Then a sleep plate to cover up the foot well when sleeping and you can put two pacos side by side. Super roomy and cool in the summer.


----------



## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

How do you sleep on a raft? I have tried it a couple of times and the gentle bobbing was ok but in every river you have that deeper pulse that moves the raft a little more. Do I need to drink more? 

Oh and then there was the rain storm ( no problem I had a good tarp) that dislodged a small truck sized rock across from Dark Canyon on Cat and I got to listen to it tumble down and other rocks tumble down to the river and then catch a good wave off of it when it hit the river. But I really wasn't asleep before that started.


----------



## InflatableSteve (Jun 12, 2013)

carvedog said:


> How do you sleep on a raft? I have tried it a couple of times and the gentle bobbing was ok but in every river you have that deeper pulse that moves the raft a little more. Do I need to drink more?
> 
> Oh and then there was the rain storm ( no problem I had a good tarp) that dislodged a small truck sized rock across from Dark Canyon on Cat and I got to listen to it tumble down and other rocks tumble down to the river and then catch a good wave off of it when it hit the river. But I really wasn't asleep before that started.



I haven't done it yet, that's why I am looking for beta. But I don't sleep well in my own bed, so I figure I will give it a shot and maybe the movement of the boat will help me sleep better.


----------



## followthebubbleline (Mar 16, 2009)

I sleep on my 14' and 18' raft every chance I get. In the summer it's usually cooler "on" the river then up on the beach. My 18 foot raft has a 5 bay frame with two covered full bays in front of the captain's bay, room for two people.













If it rains, I set up a small two man tent, REI Camp Dome 2, over the bays and clip it in to the perimeter line. I love a camp next to a rapid to drown out the snores coming from the beach. The rocking motion is usually soothing but at a couple of camps it can be excessive, I try to avoid those camps. 

On the 14' I set a cot up over the front bay, if it rains, I'm headed to the beach.


----------



## BigSky (Apr 2, 2015)

As long as there are trees around, I won't sleep on/in anything but this...


----------



## InflatableSteve (Jun 12, 2013)

BigSky said:


> As long as there are trees around, I won't sleep on/in anything but this...


Nice! I have a ENO as well. Though we don't have many trees here in the desert.


----------



## OldandBitter (Jun 11, 2011)

I moved the front decking to the captains bay, put the paco pad and thermarest on top, covered it with a sheet and slept well. I could use the rain fly from my tent if it stormed. The only issues I has were keeping up with the changing river levels in the Grand Canyon during the night. Great way to sleep on a multiday trip.


----------



## BigSky (Apr 2, 2015)

InflatableSteve said:


> Nice! I have a ENO as well. Though we don't have many trees here in the desert.


Ha yeah, I can imagine. I've used it on two Deso trips now and there's only been a couple times where I couldn't find something that would work.


----------



## Jungle Jane (Jun 16, 2010)

mega mid (great on 18's) I use on my 15' works great. Takes alittle practice, you can get complete coverage from rain wind, still have cooler access (regardless of wher yt coller rides. I sit on my cooler, set up megamid with corned oosite door, running to outside front dring on boat. Hels to wra sides of tent round outside of shipped oars handles, to make tent tight enough. Then extend center pole up from floor,..beware, you may have pile of guests.
Also seen variations of same idea, justing rainfly over tent poles. Anthing without floor will work. Tarp and poles great, if you are good at tarpology.


----------



## UTMIKE (Nov 25, 2013)

my quick and dirty setup. Poles would be set up better on river. sleep either on paco on front bay decking of on cot in same spot


----------



## tmurph (Dec 31, 2011)

I haven't used the tent on a boat yet - Tarp has been enough. On a rental Rig in the Grand Canyon there was lots of room to sleep across the front deck. On my small boat I have often placed a inflatable SUP across the boat for a nice platform - lengthways or across. Another great option is an overturned IK on the beach - nice air mattress!


----------

