I've been considering a Verlen Kruger Dreamcatcher for
coastal touring and lake camping.

I want something easy to leave and enter for snorkeling,
open enough to sleep in, with the sun and rain cover for
comfort, big enough to carry essentials for a few weeks
away from dock (although will be carrying a Survivor
brand seawater-to-freshwater osmosis hand pump filter),
that I can convert to sail when desired, rugged enough
to withstand the occasional knocking on coral reef, with
the sea cover for keeping the waves out when the waters
rough, and able to attach an outrigger to for stability.

But the Dreamcatcher is a custom made boat, a bit
expensive. I have not been able to find other designs
that one can sleep in.

I'd be interested in anyone who has a decked ocean canoe
or sea kayak that they have found comfortable to sleep in
on the water, as I've seen the other features in other
designs, or able to add them. But sleeping is essential.

Any suggestions on another brand
of covered deck canoe or kayak that one can do these
things with?

On Mon, 15 Mar 2004 07:54:09 GMT, Robert Mockan
wrote:

I've been considering a Verlen Kruger Dreamcatcher for
coastal touring and lake camping.

I want something easy to leave and enter for snorkeling,
open enough to sleep in, with the sun and rain cover for
comfort, big enough to carry essentials for a few weeks
away from dock (although will be carrying a Survivor
brand seawater-to-freshwater osmosis hand pump filter),
that I can convert to sail when desired, rugged enough
to withstand the occasional knocking on coral reef, with
the sea cover for keeping the waves out when the waters
rough, and able to attach an outrigger to for stability.

But the Dreamcatcher is a custom made boat, a bit
expensive. I have not been able to find other designs
that one can sleep in.

I'd be interested in anyone who has a decked ocean canoe
or sea kayak that they have found comfortable to sleep in
on the water, as I've seen the other features in other
designs, or able to add them. But sleeping is essential.

Any suggestions on another brand
of covered deck canoe or kayak that one can do these
things with?


Any Traditional Sailng Canoe will work. Do a web search for "Sailing
Canoes".

The dream Catcher are indeed nice boats. Building one seems the way to
go.
And is the only way to go if on a tight budget.

Wolverine wrote:

On Mon, 15 Mar 2004 07:54:09 GMT, Robert Mockan
wrote:


I've been considering a Verlen Kruger Dreamcatcher for
coastal touring and lake camping.

I want something easy to leave and enter for snorkeling,
open enough to sleep in, with the sun and rain cover for
comfort, big enough to carry essentials for a few weeks
away from dock (although will be carrying a Survivor
brand seawater-to-freshwater osmosis hand pump filter),
that I can convert to sail when desired, rugged enough
to withstand the occasional knocking on coral reef, with
the sea cover for keeping the waves out when the waters
rough, and able to attach an outrigger to for stability.

But the Dreamcatcher is a custom made boat, a bit
expensive. I have not been able to find other designs
that one can sleep in.

I'd be interested in anyone who has a decked ocean canoe
or sea kayak that they have found comfortable to sleep in
on the water, as I've seen the other features in other
designs, or able to add them. But sleeping is essential.

Any suggestions on another brand
of covered deck canoe or kayak that one can do these
things with?



Any Traditional Sailng Canoe will work. Do a web search for "Sailing
Canoes".

The dream Catcher are indeed nice boats. Building one seems the way to
go.
And is the only way to go if on a tight budget.


Thanks for advice. What looks better now is a decked canoe

with outrigger and sail. Since I'll be in and out of water often during
day snorkeling I need to emphasize ease of doing so. Staying with the
decked canoe rather than kayak retains the load carry and sleeping
space. Back around 75 I used a canvas kayak I'd built for day and night
trips offshore off Long Beach (California) for awhile, but never was
happy with getting in and out of it in the water. About 1990 while
working as a diver off a commercial boat catching display fish among the
Channel Islands along California coast, I became familiar with West
Coast rough water, and think the stability an outrigger offers might be
way to go if reef conditions off Belize coast are anything similar.
I recall looking UP into breaking waves while standing on deck when
we had to return to a safe harbor in bad weather. Except in a hurricane
I wouldn't expect reef conditions to be like that.