Habitent. Cockpit Tent. What are they like?

[winsbury]

2017 now , so resurrecting an old thread, but their new "sirocco" version accommodates very narrow sterns down to 1m, so it should be good for my cobra 750.

It's been a long time coming. They have them made to their specs at a foreign tent manufacturer and make them for stock, so I don't think they can do one offs, or change the spec once they have committed the design.

Uk fabricators can do one offs , but they cost a lot more. Horses for courses etc.

Well spotted you. At the boat show yesterday their stand, actually more like a gap between two other stands, seemed devoid of punters every time I went past, you must have been almost as lonely as they appeared forlorn awaiting a sale. Perhaps they would have done better to have made a sign up that explained they had something new to show, I for one would have taken a closer look.

Lets be serious though; why on earth is the Habitent so expensive for what it is ? They want around £450 for a 3m x 1m Sirocco; for the same money I can purchase a vastly better specified full height 3m x 8m family tent that sleeps 9 or a substantial caravan awning in similar materials. Surely therefore it should be no more than a £150 item that we would all snap up and keep one on board. Such a price point would make it a no brainer buying decision and their resultant sales volume would mean negotiating a lower bulk manufacturing cost would keep their margins.

It's not like they are new to the market either; ask almost any boaty and they are almost certain to have heard of Habitent but the wrinkled nose that follows is reminiscent of the overpriced wrinkled fabric we would rather not drape over our pride and joy.

It is a mom and pop organisation ( as the Americans like to say ) that appears to be hand to mouth financed so such vision or buying power appears, sadly, to be beyond them.

There is definitely merit in the idea of a budget pop up cockpit tent rather than an expensive bespoke fitted canvas one but frankly until the word 'budget' actually applies I will be sticking to our over boom canvas sheet which does much the same thing at a fraction of the cost and looks a damn sight better than their thin polyester offering, packs smaller and is easier to dry.

 

[neilf39]

I love our habitent. Had it for 3 years and far superior to a canvas over the boom and 5 times cheaper than a bespoke one. It is also very light insideas it is translucent. Alot of thought and engineering has gone into it. It's a niche market so isn't mass produced like tents from Go Outdoors and the like.

No relations just a happy user.

 

[blackfish]

Glad to see this thread. I wasn't aware of this product before. Looks like what I'm after. Does anybody have any more recent reviews / views?

 

[Steve Clayton]

Not impressed. Sent them our cockpit dimensions, pictures, sizes, etc for our SO45.2 and they said their large size would fit.

Didn't even come close. Cost me £25 to send it back.

 

[Poey50]

Would it be very wrong to mention that my wife is flogging off a Habitent on eBay that we bought for our Etap 22i, used once and then sold the boat?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Habitent-...223773?hash=item41b33140dd:g:pkwAAOSwTA9X2~Cv

Current maximum bid is £30.

 

[ditchcrawler]

I have had a Habitant for 2 years. It gets used when we are staying for 2 or 3 days at a time and was used this year in Holland. It works well and is well designed, this year we had a lot of rain in Holland and it was a pleasure to sit in the cockpit with the sides rolled up but in the dry. I bought mine after looking at one on a live aboard boat where the lady in question had used it permanently during winter storms with no problem.
A permanent type cockpit cover was in excess of £1500 and for the money it does what I want.
I did by the way get a discount through my Moody Owners Association.

 

[Terra-Loon]

Id rather put the money toward a custom built one. Got a tarp over the boom at the moment which has convinced me to get a proper tent built for next year.

 

[alisdair4]

Had one on my Rival 32 (narrow stern) for two seasons. Expensive, but effective. Quite well engineered and, once you get the hang of it, quick to put up.

 

[GTom]

I came across this enclosure, as a potential solution against rain. However, the website says it's not supposed to be up when sailing. Anyone tried sailing with this? For me, the major benefit of a cockpit enclosure is the ability to sail and stay more or less dry in pouring rain.

 

[Tranona]

I came across this enclosure, as a potential solution against rain. However, the website says it's not supposed to be up when sailing. Anyone tried sailing with this? For me, the major benefit of a cockpit enclosure is the ability to sail and stay more or less dry in pouring rain.

Then you have you pay 3 or more times the price and get one made that is substantial enough for use when sailing. Plenty of designs around, but normal to have one custom made. Suggest you talk to Tec Sew in Gosport who will design you one - although of course there are many other sailmakers or canvas workers who will do the same.

 

[neilf39]

We love ours. It is what it is. If you want something that is easy to use and stow and use occasionally it is great. I think it is good value. If you want to use it a lot and have a cockpit arrangement that allows you to have a cover permanently fitted but folded back when not in use then a heavy bespoke canvas one may be more appropriate.

 

[Quandary]

We have one on a Moody S31 which has too short a boom for a decent tent.
My comments - It is well made of good materials and the light weight is not an issue. Good weather and wind proof enclosure.
It took about three uses before I got the hang of putting it up in the neatest and fastest way. Even so I still would not bother for just a short stop unless raining and I am contemplating a strip of canvas on shockcords as a tent to fling over the boom.
The sides and rear all open, they are three ply with clear acrylic, a blind and a flyscreen, I am tempted to cut off the latter as it droops when rolled up and 18 zips are a lot.
It comes in to its own when anchored or tied up for a couple of days in dreich weather but you do often finish having to put it away wet, it dries quickly, we do not sit in it that much but it is great for the dog and lets us keep the hatch open.
I think it would also work well as sun protection but since the climate changed we don't have to worry about that out here.
It does not require any mods. to the boat and if you are used to modern tents you will get on with it fine.
Would I buy it again? I would rather be with it than without, so probably.

 

[{151760}]

We have one on a Moody S31 which has too short a boom for a decent tent.
My comments - It is well made of good materials and the light weight is not an issue. Good weather and wind proof enclosure.
It took about three uses before I got the hang of putting it up in the neatest and fastest way. Even so I still would not bother for just a short stop unless raining and I am contemplating a strip of canvas on shockcords as a tent to fling over the boom.
The sides and rear all open, they are three ply with clear acrylic, a blind and a flyscreen, I am tempted to cut off the latter as it droops when rolled up and 18 zips are a lot.
It comes in to its own when anchored or tied up for a couple of days in dreich weather but you do often finish having to put it away wet, it dries quickly, we do not sit in it that much but it is great for the dog and lets us keep the hatch open.
I think it would also work well as sun protection but since the climate changed we don't have to worry about that out here.
It does not require any mods. to the boat and if you are used to modern tents you will get on with it fine.
Would I buy it again? I would rather be with it than without, so probably.

I agree completely.
There's no chance of sailing with ours up. It covers the wheel, and obstructs the winches et, and there are tethers everywhere. It's purely for use when moored or anchored. If you want one for sailing, you'll have to fork out the thousands.

 

[Gunfleet]

I had one for a season. I would say not much cop. It's very flimsy, hard to put up and I felt generally low quality. I chucked it in the end. That some posters here love it may suggest they've upped their game a bit - there is no reason it shouldn't work.

 

[maby]

I had one for a season. I would say not much cop. It's very flimsy, hard to put up and I felt generally low quality. I chucked it in the end. That some posters here love it may suggest they've upped their game a bit - there is no reason it shouldn't work.

I think it's a case of getting what you paid for. A proper custom built cockpit enclosure with tubular steel frame and thick Sunbrella fabric is going to be far better than a Habitent, but also far more expensive. The last time we had one fitted to a boat, we didn't see a lot of change out of £10k. The Habitent is certainly far more light weight, but the price is measured in hundreds, not thousands. If you are looking for something that will keep you warn and dry in near-hurricane conditions, then the Habitent is not the way to go, but it will keep summer showers off at a very reasonable price.

 

[Gunfleet]

Yes I agree with that. But it still boils down to ‘not very good’, unfortunately. A brolly will keep showers off for £10

 

[GTom]

Yes I agree with that. But it still boils down to ‘not very good’, unfortunately. A brolly will keep showers off for £10

I am also reluctant to shell out 500£ for something that can only be used while moored while you can get windowed tunnel tents for ~100£. Found a German manufacturer with a similar product (sailseast) but their price also went trough on a serious inflation from 280 to 400€ - for practically a boomtent.

 

[jezza]

It is what it says on the bag . . . an adjustable enclosure for the cockpit. And take no notice of the Essex mudwalloppers who knock it without having even seen one - we have just bought a new one to replace our eight-year-old original.
It has withstood torrential, sustained rain, gales gusting to 47 knots on the windy, and 42-degree sunstroke conditions providing us with a perfect shelter when all the multi-thousand euro blue biminis couldn't keep the neighbours cool.
Our new one is an improved version of the original, with several subtle but significant improvements providing us with a better fit around the back of the cockpit, easier access and better adjustable fibreglass rear poles.
Because of the fair weather we've been lucky enough to have in the south of Brittany and the Loire, we have not fitted the heavy spray hood since June, using the Habitent solely as the hatch and cockpit cover. Perfick!
To answer those who say it's expensive, then so too is a night berthed in Cowes. Our original Habi cost under £400 - divide that by eight years and it tots up to £50 a season. We had no leaks, no tears through wind, but we replaced it because it was beginning to show its age. However, we sold it on for a hundred or so and the new owner is chuffed because he's now able to work on his boat in the dry and comfort.
To those who say its flimsy, you're talking out of your ignorant fundamentals. The material is a very good ripstop fabric much heavier than spinnaker or tunnel tent nylon, and multi-layer panels (vinyl windows, fly screens and a separate outer sheet) with numerous robust zips add up to a very well made and finished product. These are not a mass produced and cheap as chips three-season Quecha camping product (had one, we know!) but a small volume item.
We would wholeheartedly recommend them, if your boat's in the 22 to 32 ft range. And by the way, we have no financial, commercial or other association with Habitent - just live-aboards who do, and not dogsbods on the quay who don't!

 

[{151760}]

It is what it says on the bag . . . an adjustable enclosure for the cockpit. And take no notice of the Essex mudwalloppers who knock it without having even seen one - we have just bought a new one to replace our eight-year-old original.
It has withstood torrential, sustained rain, gales gusting to 47 knots on the windy, and 42-degree sunstroke conditions providing us with a perfect shelter when all the multi-thousand euro blue biminis couldn't keep the neighbours cool.
Our new one is an improved version of the original, with several subtle but significant improvements providing us with a better fit around the back of the cockpit, easier access and better adjustable fibreglass rear poles.
Because of the fair weather we've been lucky enough to have in the south of Brittany and the Loire, we have not fitted the heavy spray hood since June, using the Habitent solely as the hatch and cockpit cover. Perfick!
To answer those who say it's expensive, then so too is a night berthed in Cowes. Our original Habi cost under £400 - divide that by eight years and it tots up to £50 a season. We had no leaks, no tears through wind, but we replaced it because it was beginning to show its age. However, we sold it on for a hundred or so and the new owner is chuffed because he's now able to work on his boat in the dry and comfort.
To those who say its flimsy, you're talking out of your ignorant fundamentals. The material is a very good ripstop fabric much heavier than spinnaker or tunnel tent nylon, and multi-layer panels (vinyl windows, fly screens and a separate outer sheet) with numerous robust zips add up to a very well made and finished product. These are not a mass produced and cheap as chips three-season Quecha camping product (had one, we know!) but a small volume item.
We would wholeheartedly recommend them, if your boat's in the 22 to 32 ft range. And by the way, we have no financial, commercial or other association with Habitent - just live-aboards who do, and not dogsbods on the quay who don't!

Agreed.

 

[SiteSurfer]

Agreed +1 - ours has been brilliant and quite frankly I’m disappointed it doesn’t fit my new boat as I’d much prefer it to paying top dollar for an enclosure