Spray hoods

[STOL71]

I am not a fan of spray hoods as they can cause a lot of undesired windage, plus sitting behind a spray hood obscures vision and I loose feel where the wind comes from. In my opinion, they are not very esthetic either.
My sailing takes me into all sorts of weathers and territories and I only ever could do with a spray hood about once or twice a year. Mine is a relatively dry boat.
What does the readership make of spray hoods and does the readership agree with the opinion of a few hardened sailors I spoke to that spray hoods are for wusses?

 

[Tranona]

I am not a fan of spray hoods as they can cause a lot of undesired windage, plus sitting behind a spray hood obscures vision and I loose feel where the wind comes from. In my opinion, they are not very esthetic either.
My sailing takes me into all sorts of weathers and territories and I only ever could do with a spray hood about once or twice a year. Mine is a relatively dry boat.
What does the readership make of spray hoods and does the readership agree with the opinion of a few hardened sailors I spoke to that spray hoods are for wusses?

No, don't agree at all. Definite advantages that outweigh the disadvantages and if you get a good quality well designed one you can lower it easily and enjoy the best of both worlds.

 

[capnsensible]

Apparently, first thing they teach you in the Army is that any **** can be uncomfortable.....

Usefully, sprayhoods can be put up and down as needed. I always drop the sprayhood on any boat Im on whilst manouvering and when the weather is nice. But whats the point of sitting in the rain or getting goffered if you dont need to? Or sunburnt....

A regular good look around it and roberts yer fathers sibling.

 

[Robert Wilson]

Interesting questions.
Until I had my old fred-bear hood replaced this year I habitually sailed without it "up". I enjoyed the feel, I agree about sussing wind-direction and I reckon the boat looked better.
With the new, beautifully made hood aboard it's been "up" since the start of the season.

Vanity? Or getting my money's worth?

I'll probably drop it once the family have been and gone and then enjoy "proper sailing"..

 

[JumbleDuck]

On my smaller (8m) boat the sprayhood is useful for foul days both under motor (I sit in the companionway and let the tillerpilot get wet) or at anchor (stops rain getting down the hatch, useful drying space. It's less useful when sailing, but I like it.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

I am not a fan of spray hoods as they can cause a lot of undesired windage, plus sitting behind a spray hood obscures vision and I loose feel where the wind comes from. In my opinion, they are not very esthetic either.
My sailing takes me into all sorts of weathers and territories and I only ever could do with a spray hood about once or twice a year. Mine is a relatively dry boat.
What does the readership make of spray hoods and does the readership agree with the opinion of a few hardened sailors I spoke to that spray hoods are for wusses?

Don't agree. Sailing need not be uncomfortable. Why make it so? By all means drop the hood for visibility or windage or whatever, but not to have on on principle, not for me.

"Wusses". Pejorative term meaning what. "Hardened sailors" are welcome to their drenches with water, skanky wet bunks and salt water boils. I'll stay dry and warm thank you.

 

[Spyro]

I've had mine off for a few weeks as I'm waiting on new one. The weather has been great and I've not missed it all. It would be a different story if the weather was bad. Getting in and out of the cabin is a lot easier too.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

I've had mine off for a few weeks as I'm waiting on new one. The weather has been great and I've not missed it all. It would be a different story if the weather was bad. Getting in and out of the cabin is a lot easier too.

Yes, in all this hot weather I've had it off every day (my, it was sticky), but now it's all damp I've got it up again

 

[duncan99210]

Wouldn't be without one. Ours has an opening centre 'window' to encourage airflow at anchor whilst providing much needed shade. It's easy to drop, which we do for entering marinas and the like. As to aesthetics, I quite like the look of the thing but then again we also have a large bimini that it goes quite well with.
I've never quite understood this puritanistic belief that if you're not wet and cold you're not a proper sailor. Anything that can be done to make the experience pleasant should be done, be that sprayhoods, heaters, autopilots etc etc.

 

[Laysula]

Any fool can be cold and wet.

 

[ashtead]

In the world of Centaurs and suchlike sized craft they do provide a degree of obstruction to reaching the foredeck to attach the brass hanks to change the Ratsey headsail and make the required changes or turn the winching handle on front of the mast or haul up the radar reflector but if you are not concerned at changing the classic lines of such craft and their ilke then the comfort provided by sprayhoods unless they have the crazed window panels favoured by Med charter boats are quite popular nowadays however a fixed windscreen or hardtop favoured by some provide even greater benefits maybe.

 

[Bobc]

I am not a fan of spray hoods as they can cause a lot of undesired windage, plus sitting behind a spray hood obscures vision and I loose feel where the wind comes from. In my opinion, they are not very esthetic either.
My sailing takes me into all sorts of weathers and territories and I only ever could do with a spray hood about once or twice a year. Mine is a relatively dry boat.
What does the readership make of spray hoods and does the readership agree with the opinion of a few hardened sailors I spoke to that spray hoods are for wusses?

I used to share your views on this, but a coupe of years ago my wife nagged me into getting one, and I am now a convert. The best benefit is being able to sit in the cockpit at anchor out of the wind. It can also be a useful place to hide on an overnight passage.

 

[colind3782]

Yes, in all this hot weather I've had it off every day (my, it was sticky), but now it's all damp I've got it up again

 

[macd]

In my opinion, they are not very esthetic either.

I agree. Dipthongs are just so wussy

 

[MikeBz]

Whilst I had a boat without a sprayhood I absolutely hated them. Visually they are an abomination, and the windage is awful. But now I have a boat with a sprayhood and it is a wonderful invention. When at anchor it allows you to sit out on deck comfortably and peacefully for many more hours than would otherwise be pleasant, and under way it provides somewhere comfortable & sheltered for the other half of the crew to sit whilst I'm getting windswept at the helm.

Dodgers next - never had a boat with them, don't like them Actually what I don't like about them is that when I'm sitting in the cockpit watching the world go by (which is one of the best uses of a boat IMHO) I want to be able to see the world outside the boat. But then the same advantages of sprayhoods tend to apply too. The sprayhood folds down in a couple of seconds, if the dodgers could easily be made to do the same maybe I'd be more of a fan.

 

[NealB]

I only put our spray hood up when we want. Otherwise it's stowed flat on the coachroof.

Next boat will have a wheelhouse.

 

[Sandy]

Your boat, your choice.

I prefer to have raspberry jam on my toast, that's my choice.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Dodgers next - never had a boat with them, don't like them Actually what I don't like about them is that when I'm sitting in the cockpit watching the world go by (which is one of the best uses of a boat IMHO) I want to be able to see the world outside the boat. But then the same advantages of sprayhoods tend to apply too. The sprayhood folds down in a couple of seconds, if the dodgers could easily be made to do the same maybe I'd be more of a fan.

I'm sure a sailmaker can make dodgers with zips in them so that they can be lowered for world going by watching.

 

[MikeBz]

I'm sure a sailmaker can make dodgers with zips in them so that they can be lowered for world going by watching.

I'm sure they could. What I really want is for them not to be there 90% of the time, just on the odd occasion when I want more shelter than the sprayhood provides. Happier without them at the moment, but then I said that about the sprayhood years ago!

 

[Lucky Duck]

The compromise is to have a boat where the sprayhood can be stowed into the coach-roof molding so is available when desired but is out of the way at other times.