Large Cockpit

[DohaSail]

I sail a Pearson 35 now and have never owned a boat with a small cockpit. I'm looking for a boat around 40 feet with a large cockpit (8 feet or longer) and less than 150K (hopefully much less). Can anyone suggest older boats with large cockpits?

[Wannafish]

Sorry, I can't help with the older boat with lardger cockpit suggestion.
I don't understand the relavency of never having owned a boat with a small cockpit. Please explain why you felt it was important to include that statement...or am I reading too much into it?

[BreakingWind2]

Did he mean to say he has never owned a boat with a "large" cockpit and is now looking to move up?

[sailingdog]

What he's looking for, by the sounds of it, is a large daysailer. Most 40' boats don't have a very large cockpit... but he wants one with a large cockpit... and daysailers tend to have larger cockpits than cruising boats.

[sahara]

Older B-40, Cal 40, Pearson 39, Bristol 40?

The P-35 cockpit is over 9' long. I've been on 50' boats with smaller cockpits. A lot of people want a smaller cockpit for offshore because it will hold less water if a wave comes aboard. There is also more room below with a smaller cockpit. I think what he is saying is that he likes his P-35, just wants something a little bigger.

FWIW, I agree with you. It's nice to a cockpit that will hold guests for daysailing or where you can stretch out to sleep under the stars. I think a lot of boats about the vintage of the Pearson 35 will have similar large cockpits and will easily fall into your price range.

[Gene T]

For older boats the Newport 41 has a huge cockpit. Most modern production cruiser/racers have large cockpits. Racing boats have large cockpits. You really need to try them on to see if they are what you want. Some are large but uncomfortable to sit in, like racing boats.

[ronbo1]

Gozzard's 31/36/37 boats have long been noted for their very large cockpits. They have a large pod in the center where the wheel and instruments reside. This pod is a good foot brace, it also reduces the volume of any pooped seas, and water that does get aboard is drained through a 6"x12" spring loaded transom door.

[rennisaint]

Try a Pearson Invicta, if you can find one. They have very large cockpits are beautiful old racing boats and are incredibly reasonably priced, again, if you can find one.