Most of my trips are two or more days long. Camping in a good tent with a comfortable cot is great, but finding a site that is satisfactory along the river can be difficult. In addition, having my tent torn up by bears is a real bummer...especially when i'm inside. If I shoot the darn thing I have to cut my trip short or there is a chance the meat will spoil. My solution is sleeping aboard the boat. I have built several versions and here is my latest attempt. It is on a homebuilt, 20 X 54 flat with 21 inch sides and welded up from .125. The cots are surplus military litters that I can fold against the sides. The hangers are welded up from square stock and aluminum tube. Kamprite makes a neat deal called the Insect Protection System or IPS that is a little wide for the litter, but with a self inflating mattress inside is very stable and will keep the bugs off. It comes with a rainfly, but I have elected to add 10ft of additional protection over the sleeping area. I probably will never run with the cover up, but it erects and stowes in about 10 minutes. The total weight of the big cover, with poles, and straps in a stuff sack is about 20 lbs. The litters are only about 7 lbs each and the IPS's are just over 4 lbs each. I usually find a protected area out of the wind and current, throw out a couple of anchors and enjoy the absolute silence. We have found that a guy can fish out of each end, while it is raining and stay dry. Obviously, this is not something many of you will need or want, but it may give you some ideas on how to make longer trips more pleasant.

more pictures

and a couple more.

Cool setup. What do you have pushing it?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

Stu you are a genius inventor. Those things look comfortable.

cool set up.

I was thinking of putting poles in my seat holes. And stretch a Hennessy or ENO Hammock between them. The Hennessy I have camped out in many times. Very comfortable and I like the underneath escape hatch and keep out all the flies.The ENO I use a lot too but not for camping, but for inside. Sometimes when I go to a hotel or something the beds are not comfortable, like a special retreat I go too, the bed is hard as a rock. I put up the hammock on a frame. When I had a pinched nerve in my neck, it was the only thing that I could sleep in.

I just love Stu's posts. I think I have a man crush.

Looks pretty damn cool to me. I can just imagine a bear putting his front paws on the gunnel and peaking his head over the side trying to figure out what the hell he is looking at!

Thumbs up stu

H Finn

Looks good.

That would work well for all the spot claimers on public land!
Nice job Stu. Work well done as usual.

That's sweet! Reminded of an old Oregon trail wagon when the topper is up


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Very nice!

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Love these posts. Very well thought out Stu.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

this is awesome

I would move!!

I'm just curious. Don't you have an aluminum boat with a cabin stu? I figured that's what you'd sleep in.
In my old sea nymph gls195 (basically like a lund) I had a fold up bimini top that pretty much turned into a tent, had a zipper door on both ends. If I was night fishing I'd just put that thing up and throw the two front seats in the back and throw out sleeping bags.
It's simple. get a mud motor. shoot ducks in the face.

Here is a 20 X 54 my hunting and fishing buddy and I built in Jan 2011. The cabin can be tough to handle in a cross wind plus there is the weight factor again. It sure is nice to get out of the rain and bugs though. We have built and modified several since looking for the best answer. He prefers the hard cabin and I am leaning toward the conestoga with tent cot or IPS. We are in the planning phase of a 1000 mile Pike fishing trip around the end of June with both designs. That should sort out the hay from the horsepucky.

Very informative, I live in kansas and didn't think about yhe wind factor with the cabin. You're a sharp one for sure stu!!! Nice. Builds

It's simple. get a mud motor. shoot ducks in the face.