cockpit enclosure

[rikhall]

Great comments all - and yes - there are at least six sides to that page.

Our Tanzer 28 had no weather help, so, we had a dodger made. Two years later we had a bimini made and were asked if we needed the zippers in case we wanted an enclosure later. We said yes (one of our good decisions).

Two years later, I bought some fabric, some more zippers, some window material and sewed an enclosure. I used my old White Jean's Machine that we inherited from my mom.

It looked like this and each of the six panels were independent and came out separately

.

On more than one occasion, with guests aboard, Linda and I slept in the cockpit to give our guests the v-berth. It was lovely. It was not for sailing - could not sail with it up at all (well - jib only), it was for at anchor or at dock for extra room.

We now have an Irwin Citation 34 and the Commodore is making small noises about, maybe, wouldn't it be nice to have a "guest room".

And yes - we can sail the IC34 with Dodger and bimini up, and on our 1002 nautical mile, May / June delivery from Annapolis MD to Fredericton, NB we did so on more than one cold, pouring rain occasion.

[HerbDB]

Originally Posted by DwayneSpeer

I guess it all boils down, to me, to whether you are going to sail your boat and have one really capable of sailing or are you going to motor most of the time because the weather just isn't perfect and you don't want to get that new do wet? Again, sailing is an outdoor activity. I want to be outdoors when I do it and being enclosed just would take most of the enjoyment out of it. And yes, I've sailed in most all kinds of weather and yes, some of it just wasn't fun, at the time, but in looking back I wouldn't trade it for anything!

If on the other hand you own a boat that has sails but looks and acts more like a power boat, then go ahead and enclose yourself and go the rest of the way.

Awe, did we hurt your feelings? We can't all be real sailors like you.

[CaptKermie]

Originally Posted by Omatako

Captkermie - Your avatar suggests you're a big fella but my enclosure in 2.5 metres wide and 3 metres long. It's bigger than most salons. I have plenty of place to do what has to be done.
Yes, it's me in the Avatar.
No, maybe I'm just past being the hero. I want to sail warm and dry. Being cold and wet adds nothing to my experience. If I wanted that I'd stand under a cold shower in my back yard and save a fortune.

Amen to that! Now you know why I am a fair weather sailor.

But I do believe what Faster said:
Quote:
I understand the sentiment and don't entirely disagree, but if the choice is cold and wet in a back yard or cold and wet in some dramatic rainforest fiord after a brisk sail, knowing the cabin heater is going and the hot rums are poured..... there is some magic to that.. Unquote

I have experienced that magic in another life and know what it is, but I was younger then and so much older now.

[DwayneSpeer]

Originally Posted by Omatako

Dwayne - so you have an exciting sail in a nice 20 knt wind with the odd spume blowing up - real adventurous - the essence of sailing - then you get to the anchorage where you're going to spend the night. Do you have to spend the night down below? Or do you just sit and sip your wine in the wind? Oh, and I only motor when the weather is "perfect" i.e. no wind.

I usually go below and change into something comfortable while the wife puts up the rain fly if it's raining and then we go back up and sip our wine and cheese in the cockpit. Since we are at anchor the wind is coming straight across the bow and we are shielded by the dodger.

OK, enough said, I've stated my opinion and objections to being enclosed. By the way one of my best and oldest friends has a full enclosure on his boat and never takes down the sides. Each to his own.

[wind_magic]

Pro - In a storm the enclosure could maybe be used as a sea anchor.

Con - Everything else.