Do you use cockpit tents while underway?

[colhel]

I haven't got one, but am thinking it would be nice for when at anchor or in a marina, but, does anyone use them while underway? If so what's it like? ie visibility, protection from the elements etc. I guess I'm thinking cheap wheelhouse...

 

[Kelpie]

I think it would very much depend upon the design.
For example, our cockpit tent hangs from the boom, so it would be an absolute no-no!
Other types will restrict movement, or access to, the mainsheet or genoa winches.
But at the other end of the spectrum people sail with biminis so I guess it may be possible to have a sort of bimini-with-sides?

 

[ksutton]

I have a friend with a Vancouver 34 pilot, also has a cockpit tent. He sails direct from the Channel Islands non stop across Biscay to northern Spain for a 2 month cruise just about every year.
He does the trip with his tent up and hardly ever uses wet weather gear. In fact he once did the trip wearing his slippers!

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

I do not have a cockpit tent either and I would like to make up one as an extension of the spray hood to use it for when the weather is not so great (as it has been for the last few months). However, I have never seen anyone sailing with a cockpit tent; so I would like to know why, too.

 

[ksutton]

I have a cockpit tent and the reason I don't or cant sail with it up is because my main sheet track is in the cockpit just behind the spray hood!

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

We have a full cockpit tent. There is a Bimini that is over the helm, and a section that fits between the Bimini and the spray hood.

We then have sides and a back that zip in.

Although it is a bit ugly it is the best "extra" we fitted. Lots of benefits, but I guess you know that.

Whether on not it could be used underway depends on two things. The first is whether you can reach all the stuff you need to to sail the boat. We can as the tent does not foul the main sheet.

I am sure we could get away with
Bimini, the back section, and the rear sides, but as I can see where I am going from below we haven't needed too.

The second concern is whether you can see enough to be safe. We cannot. I did not have a lot of windows fitted as we wanted the privacy. Also, vinyl windows are fine looking through at right angles but visibility decreases significantly when the angle is oblique.

So, I think it depends on your own boat configuration.

 

[Vara]

Yes you can with mine, slightly limited for head room and obviously creates some blind spots, but all manageable.

But this is the real answer;

 

[Searush]

I don't sail with mine as it's a ketch & the centre section requires me to remove the mainsheet. But I have a normal sprayhood over the mau=in hatch & another smaller one rear-facing over the aft cabin with a zip-out roof & sides.

Here it is with just the sides rolled up;

In the winter, or really wet weather it is perfectly OK to motor around like that & you are much warmer & dryer than without. If I zip out the centre section completely I can sail with the 2 sprayhoods up & again this is very sheltered, especially downwing in the rain when I can sit under the aft hood at the helm.

Here it is with the 2 hoods up only - a lovely sheltered spot for an evening drink;

It is also possible to put a BBQ on the aft cabin under the hood. or I can have either or both hoods folded.

It provides an extra room of an evening or if wet at anchor or moored & a dry place to put stuff out of the way. It also means that kids using the aft cabin have dry access to it at night & it makes the cabin significantly warmer when it is up in the winter.

It cost me about 1200 quid when I already had the frames so not cheap - but brilliant value nonetheless.

 

[Haven't-a-Clue]

(Bollox to thjis wifi connection, lost post, try again). Yup, I did until a fortnight ago. With mainsheet just aft of sprayhood and tent supported by boom, I could only point about 70-80 degrees on genoa alone but when it's cold and/or wet, it's a nice way of getting sailing.

 

[GrahamM376]

Wouldn't use the cockpit tent when sailing but have a wet-weather backdrop with large window which fixes to the back of the sprayhood. Dry but easy to get out of in a hurry.