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cockpit enclosure

7701 Views 34 Replies 20 Participants Last post by wind_magic, Sep 18, 2009

bigcj39

Discussion Starter · Sep 14, 2009

thinking of adding a enclosure on my Hunter 34.anyone have any pros/cons on this?

1 - 20 of 35 Posts

lynn1120

· #2 · Sep 14, 2009

We took the step with our beneteau 36

it has extended our season by about a month on each end- so that is a big bonus as that means almost six months in the water.

don't notice much difference in sailing, at anchor we tend to respond more to wind changes-- but then we already have so much m ore freeboard that will happen any way

funny, we never get invited to other boats cockpits for drinks-- they always cart it over to our mooring....

speciald

· #3 · Sep 14, 2009

I have a full enclosure on my center cockpit and wouldn't be without it. Off-shore it keeps us dry and warm. We can close off the entire cockpit with screens or plastic. It isn't hot as we used a light color fabric. In the ICW the screens keep the bugs out which can be a problem in Georgia (horse flys). The tropical sun does a job on the plastic zippers that I will need to replace this Winter.

DwayneSpeer

· #4 · Sep 14, 2009

Stay at home

First of all I don't have a full enclosure, just a dodger and bimini, but in my opinion if you want to shut yourself in while on your boat then why not just stay at home and watch sailing videos?

HerbDB

· #5 · Sep 14, 2009

DwayneSpeer said:
First of all I don't have a full enclosure, just a dodger and bimini, but in my opinion if you want to shut yourself in while on your boat then why not just stay at home and watch sailing videos?

Traveling longer distances one doesn't get the choice of nice warm weather every day. If you daysail your boat or only go out on nice weekends that's great, but some people like to be warm and dry when they travel.

When we took our boat to the Bahamas from the Chesapeake in November, there were few warm dry days. We met may purists wearing full exposure suits obviously not enjoying life, while we were in sweatshirts inside our enclosure.

Don't travel without one.

imagine2frolic

· #6 · Sep 14, 2009

HerbDB said:
Traveling longer distances one doesn't get the choice of nice warm weather every day. If you daysail your boat or only go out on nice weekends that's great, but some people like to be warm and dry when they travel.

When we took our boat to the Bahamas from the Chesapeake in November, there were few warm dry days. We met may purists wearing full exposure suits obviously not enjoying life, while we were in sweatshirts inside our enclosure.

Don't travel without one.

Being exposed for longer periods of time makes on appreciate some of the comforts of home:laugher :laugher ..

......i2f

Cruisingdad

· #7 · Sep 14, 2009

I have one and I set it up in the winter. I have mixed feelings - not from the anchored/moving aspect, but when coming in to dock under power. Mine takes up the entire cockpit and I have a large cockpit, so it is a bit of a bear when the wind is blowing. In fact, it is flat hard to manage period.

On the flip side, the other 99% of the time is great. You are protected from the weather and it gives you a whole other room. A good one made of Sunbrella is not cheap, though. Make sure you opt to have zip out panels with mosquito netting for when it gets warmer.

- CD

Faster

· #8 · Sep 14, 2009

At heart, I'm one of those 'purists', but having sailed boats in the tropics both with and without biminis, I'm coming around to the realization that a bimini is almost a necessity in those regions.

In my own cruising grounds wet is as big a deal as hot, and again I can see the point of a way to say out of the downpour... but for me now, at least for now, using a autopilot remote under the dodger is doing the trick. In the absence of tropical sun I'd prefer to be able to easily see the sails, the windex and the rest of the world.

As far as the various greenhouse enclosures go, again I can see the point of the "extra cabin" and the comfort under way, but my God some of those contraptions are butt ugly and really ruin the looks of a lot of boats.

So in the end, as a purist of sorts and being quite hung up on aesthetics I will probably resist going that way for as long as I can.

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CaptainForce

· #9 · Sep 14, 2009

It's interesting to note that the two posts expressing the least desire to an enclosure are from Washington and British Columbia. We do some latitude cruising with the seasons, but we are homeport Floridda sailors. There is no way that we would find comfort bakimg in an open cockpit while at anchor after a day's cruise. We keep splash guards/side panels that keep out the spray or funnel in a breeze depending on their set. There is nothing impure about your passive ability to control the temperature in the cockpit! If you don't need it,- Great! If you have an addition that improves your use of the boat.- Better! 'take care and joy, Aythya crew

Vasco

· #10 · Sep 14, 2009 (Edited)

I spent many years sailing from Toronto to the Bahamas without a full enclosure. I did have a dodger. I sailed with three or four boats from Michigan for five of those years and they all had full enclosures. I used to say they were wimps and that Canadians were made of stronger stuff. About three years ago I had to spend a month in a marina in Miami waiting for my wife. While there I got a full enclosure which I promptly dubbed my "Michigan Room". What a difference!! No more cold nights on watch, no more being tired from scrunching up all the time in the wet and cold. Hate to admit it but I should have done it a long time ago. Those Michigan folks were smarter than they looked.

With apologies to "Watermusic", "Stargazer" and "Brass Dragon", all from the Davison area in Michigan and all who have recently swallowed the anchor.

"Breathless" with the Michigan room.

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bigcj39

Discussion Starter · #11 · Sep 14, 2009

thanks guys!just ordered mine.I intend on using my boat all year so i think it should come in handy.

DwayneSpeer

· #12 · Sep 15, 2009

HerbDB said:
Traveling longer distances one doesn't get the choice of nice warm weather every day. If you daysail your boat or only go out on nice weekends that's great, but some people like to be warm and dry when they travel.

When we took our boat to the Bahamas from the Chesapeake in November, there were few warm dry days. We met may purists wearing full exposure suits obviously not enjoying life, while we were in sweatshirts inside our enclosure.

Don't travel without one.

My wife and I took our boat around Vancouver Island last summer starting and ending from our dock 300 miles up the Columbia River, a trip of more than 2000 miles over a period of 3 months. Don't talk to me about having to always be toasty warm and dry to have fun. Sailing is an outdoor activity!

Omatako

· #13 · Sep 15, 2009

Mine started life as a bimini with a front screen. We turned it into this:

Yep there are some that prefer to be out in the elements. Our enclosure zips off completely in 6 different panels, returning it to a bimini, all in about 5 minutes to get it all off and ten minutes back it all back on.

So if I want elements I have it and if I want toasty I have that too. Why limit your choices?

The singular disadvantage? At 70 knots of wind the enclosure will go into the sea. I know. This is my second one.

But like some of the posts above, I wouldn't go on a voyage without it.

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rikhall

· #14 · Sep 15, 2009

DwayneSpeer said:
First of all I don't have a full enclosure, just a dodger and bimini, but in my opinion if you want to shut yourself in while on your boat then why not just stay at home and watch sailing videos?

Why confused - I love watching Captain Ron, but I don't do it on my back porch in the pouring rain!

It must be nice to sail where there is no rain, fog or bad weather.

Rik

MJBrown

· #15 · Sep 15, 2009

We spent the money on a full enclosure and love it. It's like having an additional room on the boat. We only put it up when it's nasty out, which it has been often this summer. Otherwise we roll and tie each panel up in soft fabric to keep it from getting beat up. It takes a few minutes to put up or take down but I try to plan ahead so I'm not doing so every other day. IMO it's one of the best improvements we've made to the boat.

sarafinadh

· #16 · Sep 15, 2009

I am wrestling with this issue... raised on chris craft that had enclosures as a matter of course. they were good to have on cold evenings and in bad weather and they provided shade on the hot days, but they always felt cumbersome and I hated how grimy they got.

now with tsunami we are going back and forth on the issue. Just a sunshade that pops up easily and could provide some rain protection but would prolly have to come down in wind of any magnitude? or a dodger that would be a pretty permanent item? or a full on dodger bimini combo to create that 'extra room'?

to add to the confusion our little hole in the water is a flush deck, so how to position the thing if we do want to do it...

canadianseamonkey

· #17 · Sep 15, 2009 (Edited)

The Con - when you're the only one with a full enclosure at anchor and the mosquitos are out....your boat becomes the place for sundowners. Which is not all that bad for the only con that I can come up with.

CaptKermie

· #18 · Sep 15, 2009

Another negative from beautiful British Columbia!
I can't imagine trying to actually sail, using all the lines and rigging with a full enclosure blocking my ability to maneuver my body and limbs. When the day comes that I need a full enclosure it will be a trawler so that I can operate the boat in my pyjamas.
That said I do see the advantage of a bimini and dodger. I have a bimini that I use at the slip and various marinas and anchorages but I cannot sail with the bimini up, so it remains down when under way. I woukld like a dodger some day to keep the colder winds off the cockpit. All we need is to keep the breeze off the companionway bulkhead area to be a bit warmer while travelling under the iron genny. When the weather is inclement enough for a full enclosure it is usually time to stay at home and live to sail another day.
Perhaps a pilot house sailboat would be a fair compromise here in the PNW.

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Cruisingdad

· #19 · Sep 15, 2009

Another comment: As a liveaboard or someone with kids, it is a huge plus.

- CD

Faster

· #20 · Sep 15, 2009

Yes... I'm not so hardy that I'll sail around here without a dodger - as far as I'm concerned a dodger is a must esp for the cooler seasons - much as a bimini is desirable in the tropics.

The dodger also, if well designed, allows one to keep a hatch open in rain for ventilation and light.

1 - 20 of 35 Posts

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