Opinions sought on cockpit enclosures

[Sealong]

I am considering having a cockpit enclosure, made by TecSew, fitted to my Najad 331.
I am 1.8m tall and there is a clear advantage in having one that has full head room inside. However, I can foresee a number of disadvantages with this:

1. Increased windage;
2. The change in height from the spray hood to the cockpit enclosure creates a design that is not aesthetically pleasing.

I would value the opinions from any of you who have an enclosure that is not full height. Do you find the lack of head room to be a hinderance, would you prefer one with full head room ?
Many thanks
Chris

 

[Crazy-Diamond]

I have a full cockpit enclosure which is not tall enough for me to stand under. I've never found it a problem. The benefits of having a full enclosure far outweigh the downsides if you ask me. I'd got for it.

 

[prv]

Mine is the same height as the sprayhood and requires a slight stoop. I don’t find it a problem, since I don’t generally stride around the cockpit anyway. Having the tent makes a huge difference when moored in wet weather, as an “airlock” to remove and store wet coats, a “porch” to keep rain out of the cabin, and as extra living space to sit in. We generally designate the area aft of the wheel as the “wet end” to put coats and stuff, and try to keep the seats forward of that dry for sitting on. If it’s wet but not cold, we generally roll up the leeward wall to give more of a “covered veranda” effect, which makes it easier to get in and out without faffing with zips and loose canvas, and a better view than through plastic panels.

Don’t assume you’ll be able to sail (or motor) with it up. I tried once, but the lack of visibility just felt dangerous and I lowered it after a few minutes so I could see properly.

Pete

 

[robmcg]

No standing headroom in our cockpit tent which has never been an issue. I think it depends on how big your cockpit is. Ours is relatively small so no issues moving around. From an aesthetic point of view the tents that are far taller than the sprayhood often look comical, think Pope mobile.

 

[Allergy]

No standing headroom in our cockpit tent which has never been an issue. I think it depends on how big your cockpit is. Ours is relatively small so no issues moving around. From an aesthetic point of view the tents that are far taller than the sprayhood often look comical, think Pope mobile. View attachment 104978

Just wonder if the Popes chair was made by Martin-Baker?

 

[Poignard]

Just wonder if the Popes chair was made by Martin-Baker?

I would have thought it more seemly for his holiness to be borne aloft by angels rather than being fired from an ejector seat.

 

[asteven221]

We have aft cockpit boat with a full cover which we can use whilst motoring and at a push whilst sailing. I agree with what PRV outlined, but would add that on a wet & cold evening we can bring out a fan heater and be all toasty, having a meal whilst others without a hood are down below not seeing much. It increases the season in considerable comfort. Another nice feature is that if it's cold and windy, yet sunny, it works like a greenhouse and you can sit in warmth as if it's a hot summers day, whilst others are freezing.

I can also motor and sail in the wet (and wind) without a jacket which can be handy. All in all we wouldn't be without one again as it really enhances our pleasure given the Scottish weather. If it's a particularly hot day, it can be used as a bimini.

There is a but however...........

I really don't like sailing with it up and I don't particularly like motoring with it up either. It gets a bit suffocating (for want of a better word), compared feeling the outside open sky. The trouble is that we are lazy and unless the weather is sunny or at least warm and pleasant, we end up keeping it up nearly all the time, even although it's a proper folding frame arrangement and can be folded away on the frame. As I say we are just lazy!!

Another aspect I don't like is the fact that every time I want to enter/exit the cockpit I have to unzip, then zip the door and haul my 6ft 2" frame through a slot called a door. It's more of a crawl to get in/out actually. If you happen to be carrying the shopping etc.... and it's windy, you find you will have to fight a flapping door. It's a tent after all!

So to sum up. For us a fully enclosed cockpit cover is the best thing ever for northern climates, but has drawbacks especially if you happen to be as lazy as me!

 

[Bodach na mara]

The cover on Sea Hawk is about 6 inches higher than the sprayhood and does look a bit high, but the ability to put your oilies on while standing erect seems more important than how it looks. Especially in the soggy Scottish west coast weather. I agree with PRV that motoring with it up is not really feasible. I have tried it once and that was enough. Sailing with it up isn't possible at all obviously. It has completely changed our enjoyment of cruising, for the better. The cockpit is now a dry extra cabin, very pleasant to sit in, even in a wet day.

 

[shortjohnsilver]

Sealong - accepting that all the above is good advice and I too recommend a full cockpit enclosure, just to reference your point 1 regards windage, do you keep your boat in a marina or a swinging mooring? As without a doubt, having the full enclosure up does affect the boat, where the boat is exposed to the wind when it’s a bit gusty, I know this, as for a while I kept mine on a swinging mooring central river mooring, but exposed to the SW prevailing and the NE when it blew from that quarter. The boat, being a lighter boat than a Najaad would sail about all over the place and when it blew hard would fish tail, surging from side to side. Take the cockpit enclosure down and she settled, nose head to wind and comfortable. I’ve got her in a marina now and all good, obviously, and I keep the enclosure up most of the time. Not least it protects the cockpit teak and prevents the bird fouling too. The advantages as above.

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

We have a full cockpit enclosure, standing headroom, and has been designed in two parts which zips together. We can have the stern part of the cockpit enclosure up, which covers half the cockpit and we can also have the other half of the enclose up, which zips to the sprayhood and it makes a continuous waterproof enclosure for the whole cockpit including the sprayhood.
We use a lot the stern part of the enclosure which provides cover when steering at the wheel on a long passage. It extends our sailing season and we stay dryer. The boat is a Moody 33S

 

[Sealong]

Many thanks for all your replies. Just for the record, and I should have mentioned this, I have no intention of sailing or for that matter motoring with the enclosure in place. It will either be rolled up on the frame or dismantled and stowed below.
I am encouraged, because the verdict seems overwhelmingly in favour of a cockpit enclosure.
However, my main question though is on head height. Is it worth the sacrifice to aesthetic quality to have a full head height enclosure ? Or should I accept a design with cleaner lines but loose the ability to stand up straight ?
C.

 

[robmcg]

A cockpit enclosure is expensive. Do you really want to spend all that cash and think it looks fugly when fitted?

 

[Sealong]

Hello Robmcg, no of course not and that is why I posed the question(s).

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Definitely go for full headroom to provide a full "extension" of your current boat.

 

[Bodach na mara]

Trying to get into your salopettes and jacket without being able to stand upright is trying indeed. Go for the height!

If I have deduced correctly that you have a Naiad, there is little risk that your boat will be mistaken for the Popemobile. Unless you are Richard Osman.

 

[James_Calvert]

We don't have one but suggest you check if there's any difference between ease of putting up/taking down for the different designs.

I believe Tecsew are market leaders in this field, they should be able to point you for some opinions at one or two of their previous customers.

Nice people, they did a cover for our new mainsail and matching dodgers a few years ago.

 

[richardbrennan]

I realise it would add greatly to the expense, but have you thought of getting a new higher sprayhood as well?

 

[V1701]

They absolutely do make a massive difference to comfort aboard and the smaller the boat the bigger the difference they make. It might be worth considering a habitent, they do fit some boats better than others. Here's a couple of pics of the one I had on a Dufour 29, worked pretty well and a fraction of the price of bespoke...

 

[johnalison]

Ours is the same height as the HR sprayhood. It is not full height for me but we live happily with it. At the time we got ours, few boats in Britain had them and it was such a transformation from our previous boat that we were only too grateful and we were the envy of our friends. The only disadvantage for me is that stoop needed when entering or leaving, but I don't consider this a major problem. I think that the size needs to be appropriate for the size of boat and cockpit design. I don't think that aesthetics are overly important for an item not used when under way.

Previous to our current boat we had always erected a tarpaulin over the cockpit in wet weather, but a proper enclosure is a real delight. If you have not used one, you might be surprised how light they are inside, and at the speed that it warms up inside in the sun even when it is cold outside. It effectively doubles the saloon space of the boat and makes cockpit parties much easier. I really don't know how we managed previously.

 

[Poignard]

Ours is the same height as the sprayhood and it is perfectly satisfactory. One of the best things we ever bought for our Twister. It is very pleasant to sit in it and watch the world go by whatever the weather.