Oh and in regards to the pop top enclosure
I just scored a 23 foot Kells and it has a pop top very similar to our Ventures (I have a VN23)
It has the enclosure as well. I just got the boat yesterday, and its raining hard today, so I haven't had a chance to pull it out and compare to ours...however it looks right from the photo I saw
The actual enclosure I don't think is in good enough shape (pretty) for me to use it, but I plan to use it as a pattern to have a friend make one of nylon vs this one is vinyl and heavy and harder to store
when I am done with it I would be glad to box it up and ship it to you so that you could use it as a pattern too. I plan to make mine out of recycled camping tents (I have a nice one with a bad floor and good sides) This way I will also have zippered screens. Its cheaper to buy a tent than the raw materials to make it from scratch. It also can be sewn with a regular sewing machine.
Summer has great stuff, but he also has Ruth...and from what I have seen on the purple sage website that girl not only has the equipment, but also the know how...I wish I had skills like those two
Let me know....same offer applies to anyone who would like to use it....I don't think it will cost more than $20 (prob less) to stuff it in a USPS flat rate box. Just send it to the next person, and they send you the shipping fee when they get it, and we can daisy chain it. Not everybody can sew something from scratch, but I think if this enclosure fits well enough to use as a pattern a lot of us can get that elusive pop top enclosure pretty cheap
Good Idea?? I sleep in a tent sometimes, so I don't see why my enclosure can't be made of the same stuff...will be much smaller when stored than this vinyl one. I posted a "wanted ad" for a damaged tent and got 2 for free for the project.
I will pull it out tomorrow, dry fit it etc and take pics
Cheers Mates
Dave