INVESTIGATOR 563

WOW Andrew
Had some spare time to browse this site [rain] and discovered your re-posted gallery pics of mine from way back in 2013. Thanks for that and your interest Ozzie and David. The world was a much simpler place in those days. One of those pics was a clue to my following health problems which have since been resolved through a plant food diet and retirement from a stressful shift job. So substitute the bacon egg pics for mushies and toms if interested I can open a new tech post on the pop top cover which really did take living on this boat to another level for me.
Andrew you also found my favourite pic of my boat taken by a 'stink boat' friend at the time.

I think instructions on an Emrys pop top mod would be the second most important design milestone since KS designed the bloody boat mate. So please post away.

My stuffed old spine is not going to allow me to crawl around in the cabin for much longer, not an issue when sailing but overnights now make me feel like a trapdoor spider , lucky I’m not claustrophobic . Maybe just a well I don’t boat too much. I have no issues with rabbit food at home but when on the boat it’s a food feast including your bacon and eggs.

I’ve never really measured up but I’ve thought if pop top walls were angled out at the sides sufficiently you could have a “counter” at chest height in the cabin roof to prepare food standing up. Maybe even put my Maxi. Did you ever experiment with that in your design phase. Yes it’s raining here again and I’m stuck inside

Ok Ozzie will do, thanks tho I humbly deny any comparison to his Majesty Kevin.
Your idea of angled out pop top cover is a good one. As it is I use the exposed cabin roof area as shelves for drying towels clothes etc. The upholsterer made a great quality job at a reasonable cost. One thing I would change would be to make it bigger all round as the snap on studs are tight to press on. That would also angle out the window walls more as you suggested for more storage/preparation space.
I’ll post a separate topic.
Cheers mate

The solid dodger style windows would be great down south in cold wet windy weather. Must make the cabin feel much larger and certainly snug. Emrys, the pic shows side screens with roll down canvas outer flaps? Are the front windows also screens or clear plastic as for boat dodgers?

Up here in the hot tropics , mostly need to stay cool and avoid insects. So open to breeze mostly, a double mozzie net over the whole poptop works. When its mid winter , some sort of dodger is good (i use my lowered bimini canvas) to cut the wind chill.

Custom screens with canvas flaps would be ideal.

Now Emrys I want you to see if you can get one on these in too...it’s still cold here

https://www.duckworksmagazine.com/12/ho ... index.html Made from an offcut of steel square section and a car exhaust pipe...solve your cooking problems in Tasmania David and keep the boat warm. Standard in Alaska, I’ve seen them

Hi David, I used a clay pot on my gas stove in the Roberts 24 I had and it worked an absolute treat. No problem with cracking at all. All you did was place the pot upside down, light the burner and not have it going too hot. Once it warmed up you only needed a small flame. With the washboards fitted, the boat warmed up to 25 - 28 deg in no time. I wouldn’t leave it on too long but it certainly warmed you to the bone once you got really cold.
Regards Peter T

I think this is a good topic for discussion I will open a technical section thread.