Shade on a Nauticat 44

[FatBear]

My wife and I are considering the purchase of a Nauticat 44. We are getting old, she is fair skinned, I've had skin cancers removed more than once, and we like living outdoors. And it is in San Diego. So we would require some sort of shaded outdoor space where we can setup a table and 2-4 chairs. It seems there is room at the upper helm station, but it also seems like the main sheets (it is schooner rigged) and various other things might make it complex.

Someplace I saw a photo of a boat with two retractable shades mounted to the main boom, one on either side. You drew them out like blinds and attached to stanchions that stuck up from the guard rails. Looked better than a boom tent and seemed like it should be very easy to set and retract. But I cannot seem to find where to buy them. Does anyone know?

It would obviously not work while sailing, but that's OK. We'll just sail north in the morning and south in the evening and let the sails shade us.

Any other suggestions or photos of how others have done it would be appreciated. I'm googling, too, of course, but I suspect you all will have a more functional perspective on how well this or that setup will work.

Thanks

[jontysailor]

Did you find any answers to your boom rollerblind concept, sounds interesting.

[Bill O]

Making a shade that attaches to each side of the boom could be fairly easy. For a simple version, would attach awning tracks to either side of the boom and use either a sunshade/Phifertex type material or sunbrella for the shade. Would add a stiffener (pvc tube, batten, etc. to the outside edge) to help keep the shape and help the rolling it up again when done. A couple of ties to hold it up against the boom, done.

Obviously size and tie downs are adjusted for the area you are trying to shade.

[FatBear]

I looked around a bit and could not find one specifically made for sailboats. I suspect that the one I saw may have been adapted from an RV awning. We were not able to get the boat, so I stopped looking.

Using some lightweight sailtrack to support removable awnings is a very good idea. If it comes around again I will definitely be looking at that.

Thanks.

[JPA Cate]

You can rivet bolt rope track to the boom, and slide in your awning with bolt rope sewn on. If the forwardmost corner ties forward, and the aftmost one, aft, you can keep pretty good shape. However, if you go to lifelines, the protected are will be fairly small, in terms of seating. Extending the stanchions means levering on them, which can cause the caulking around the base to fail and allow water ingress to the interior of the vessel. We do know people who use bean bag "chairs" under their awnings, and one, who used a hammock there. Lots that you can do at anchor including making wind scoop, and making a foredeck awning, which will help keep the boat cool at anchor.

Had you considered using the afterdeck on the Nauticat? enough room for a collapsible circular table with umbrella? Pretty out of the way, fairly easy to store (rack on aft end of pilot house).

You can get shades for the pilot house windows that roll up, and you'll want a solution for ventilating the pilot house, as well as shading it. Possibly replace a light with an opening hatch, to allow air flow, and a port astern that can be opened or closed for managing air flow.

You could consider insulating the overhead in the pilot house, too. Gets pretty warm in San Diego, from time to time.

Ann

[FatBear]

Yes, the after deck is where I was going to use the boom tent. The boat is schooner rigged so the main boom, the longest one, is over that deck. That is what makes a boom tent practical and we did plan to use a table and chairs under it. I don't think it would be much use on the ketch rigged ones because the mizzen mast is right in the middle of the deck.