Cockpit weather protection

[stranded]

Looking for inspiration. I am trying to work out the best way of providing weather protection in the cockpit - sun and rain. Centre cockpit boat with lazy jacks. At the moment I have a sprayhood on the boat, and a bimini frame in the shed. I could just have a cover for the bimini made, and that is what we will have to do when we finally get to somewhere hot so we can use under sail, but its not the most attractive arrangement so in no hurry to do that. But in this country more concerned about when moored. The last owner had one of those tin foil arch thngymajigs (never written that down before and not a clue how it is spelled) which I am sure is very effective but dog ugly even without the rust stains and with a leak in one of the tubes, so that's going in the bin and I'm not lashing out for another of them. So thinking of a boom awning. I am assuming I'll just have to pull the lazyjacks back to the mast to mount over the boom, but just before I go and order one, I thought I'd see if anyone was aware of any fiendishly clever alternatives - I've thought about suspending under the boom but there's already not a lot of headroom to spare so think on top would be better. Any ideas? Mark

 

[PetiteFleur]

Does your boom have slots down the sides of the boom? If so you could slide a cover along each side similar to a headsail on a spar. I use a cover which goes over the boom but has a central slot to get past the last lazy jack, tied back together. Als a slot for the topping lift and then tied to the backstay.

 

[stranded]

No slots unfortunately. Your arrangement sounds like what I had in mind and will probably do. Be a bit of a pain to rig though - don't quite know how they have managed it but while the boom has fairly marginal headroom when sheeted in hard, the stack pack is so tall that zipping up over the sprayhood is a nuisance and we have mast steps just to be able to reach the halyard. Still, should at least be plenty of headroom once rigged. Mark

 

[maxi77]

We had a large sun shade which was stretched out along the bottom of the boom and taken out to the guard rails. This was a centre cockpit with lazyjacks. Look at Lalizas.

 

[stranded]

Thanks Peter - never heard of Lalizas before - looks like hours of happy browsing ahead through that catalogue! Mark

 

[jac]

We have centre cockpit.

Not sure what you mean by tin foil arch but we have stainless steel tubular frame at the aft part of cockpit. Cockpit cover zips onto sprayhood and sides and rear can all be folded up. We have motorsailed with it up and with sides folded and it's ok.

Beauty is that it leaves the boom free and makes better seal to the sprayhood making the covered cockpit significantly warmer / more sheltered than something more open might.

 

[stranded]

Its one of these - http://www.g-nautics.com/awnings.html - not literally tin foil but metallic finish. Yes, wondered about that - recently discovered the original cockpit tent in an obscure locker - supported by the bimini frame (which moves back on forth on its own track) - but decided we would rather avoid using the bimini frame if poss. and use the boom, backstay and guard rails. Or may something suspended by the topping lift but think complicated, harder to stow, and maybe less stable in a blow. Mark

 

[jac]

Challenge with using other bits is that you limit your ability to use the cover in different conditions. So if attached to the guard rails, you then can't walk from stern to bow so easily.

Really depends on what you're trying to achieve.

If it's a simple shelter to keep vertical rain off and act as a shelter to the companionway then some type of awning.

If you want to create additional living space on board, enjoy the cockpit more in cooler evenings or when it's raining then go for the enclosure

 

[jaybee63]

Do you have a stackpack/lazy bag?
If so, you could have the boom tent manufactured in 2 halves, with each zipped onto the stackpack. The zips are placed high up on the stackpack just below the batten pocket.
We have used this tecnique quite a few times for boom tents and awnings.
See link for pictures http://www.tecsew.com/boom-tent/dufour-40e-boom-tent-zip-attached-to-stackpack-ref-5066

Browse the boat cover www.tecsew.com/boat-covers section of our gallery and go to boomtents for other ideas.
John
www.tecsew.com

 

[stranded]

Be Jove I think that's it! Very approximate price in Sunbrella or some such - will have to match the stackpac!? Say 15ft long with 4m beam. Mark

 

[Birdseye]

Looking for inspiration. I am trying to work out the best way of providing weather protection in the cockpit - sun and rain. Centre cockpit boat with lazy jacks. At the moment I have a sprayhood on the boat, and a bimini frame in the shed. I could just have a cover for the bimini made, and that is what we will have to do when we finally get to somewhere hot so we can use under sail, but its not the most attractive arrangement so in no hurry to do that. But in this country more concerned about when moored. The last owner had one of those tin foil arch thngymajigs (never written that down before and not a clue how it is spelled) which I am sure is very effective but dog ugly even without the rust stains and with a leak in one of the tubes, so that's going in the bin and I'm not lashing out for another of them. So thinking of a boom awning. I am assuming I'll just have to pull the lazyjacks back to the mast to mount over the boom, but just before I go and order one, I thought I'd see if anyone was aware of any fiendishly clever alternatives - I've thought about suspending under the boom but there's already not a lot of headroom to spare so think on top would be better. Any ideas? Mark

When we bought our current boat, one concession that swmbo extracted was that we must have a wendy house. I was dead agin but I do what I'm told. And she was right. At anchor its great. When the boat is unoccupied, winter or summer, it gives protection. In winter I can leave the cockpit hatches open for ventialtion knowing that rain cant get in. Only disadvantage is that the main sheet has to be attached to the toe rail to erect the wendy house.

I would recommend going for the full monty tailor made pram hood type wendy house to attach by zip to the back of your spray hood. It was £1k well spent though I wouldnt dream of telling her.

 

[jaybee63]

Be Jove I think that's it! Very approximate price in Sunbrella or some such - will have to match the stackpac!? Say 15ft long with 4m beam. Mark

If you send in the info with your details to sales@tecsew.com, mention you corresponded with John Bland on the forum and we will organise a quote.
Or you could fill in the contact enquiry form on our website.

Regards
John Bland

 

[jaybee63]

When we bought our current boat, one concession that swmbo extracted was that we must have a wendy house. I was dead agin but I do what I'm told. And she was right. At anchor its great. When the boat is unoccupied, winter or summer, it gives protection. In winter I can leave the cockpit hatches open for ventialtion knowing that rain cant get in. Only disadvantage is that the main sheet has to be attached to the toe rail to erect the wendy house.

I would recommend going for the full monty tailor made pram hood type wendy house to attach by zip to the back of your spray hood. It was £1k well spent though I wouldnt dream of telling her.[/QUOTE

We have lots of examples of what we call a cockpit enclosure on our site here http://www.tecsew.com/cockpit-enclosures-sailing-yacht

It may give a few ideas.

John
Tecsew Ltd

 

[BelleSerene]

Be Jove I think that's it! Very approximate price in Sunbrella or some such - will have to match the stackpac!? Say 15ft long with 4m beam. Mark

How about this instead? http://www.intheshd.com/gallery.cfm

A dome gives you a load more extra height just where you need it, which if you have a cockpit table isn't standing right under the boom - it's to either side of the boom.

I'm designing something to make up myself to this outline idea, using eBay-procured flexible tent poles, webbing, buckle straps, awning fabric. Plus, if it domes over the boom rather than relying on a boom, we can use it for protection on a mastless week in the French canals which we're planning.