Center or Aft Cockpit ?

[CFR]

To get some better idea i recommend to have a look on older Amel Maramu or super maramu. French built long disctance ketsch. I have a aluminium cutter based on the same principle with a deep CC which i like a lot because you are sitting deep and protected. Unfortunately many newer / other design just placing the CC high on the top of the cabine which is not a good a nd safe place. especially when entering in a choppy seaa with missing handrails and some big steps....

[gonesail]

Originally Posted by bob perry

Why not just have both like my new ketch.

NICE design Bob

[Laidback]

With the family demographic that will inhabit the boat periodically, CC is the best arrangement for privacy. One of my best boats ever was a Nantucket Island 33 CC

[ozskipper]

My Research so for is this

Pros

CC give you a private aft cabin far away from guests (great for farters snoorers and noisy shaggers or just hiding from kids)
CC gives you a little more height and view from the helm
Nice sunbaking aft area
Space to tie a pushbike to


Cons

CC harder to Medmoor if short handed. if the other half is on the bow there is no one near the stern
Sore neck from looking straight up at the main when trimming.
CCs tend to be wetter as breaking waves board (arguable depending on model)

no doubt a google search of this forum will come up with a few more reasons either way.

Btw, I am a fan of the moody 34cc fwiw.

Cheers
Oz

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by simonmd

As for mooring, here in the Med', stern too mooring is the norm so it does help to be right at the back when mooring up.

Ah. Point taken.

Getting into slips and side-ties I find the close proximity of a mid-ship cleat on my CC to be of great benefit.

Regardless I continue to think the amount and arrangement of canvas and the "stuff" along the pushpit rail is a bigger factor in ease of Med-mooring (or stern lines in any configuration) than is the cockpit location.

[Richard Jordan]

Originally Posted by bob perry

Trav:
There is no wheel in the CC. We discussed it but in the end went with one wheel aft.

We are doing this as a custom project but PSC is bidding on it so anything could happen.

I saw a design with both aft and center cockpit/companionways the other day slipped in the marina, a Cherubini 48. There was not any steering forward either. It was something like the attached though she seemed like she had a larger center cockpit area, kind of a pretty boat.

[witzgall]

In those boats with the dual cockpits, I imagine you could put an autopilot control, even with a joystick, if you wanted control in the center.

Chris

[Searanger50]

Thanks for all your views. I still haven't made up my mind but you have all given us a lot to think about.

Kevin & Sandy.

[jim_thomsen]

I agree with Auspicious (but then again we own the same boat). And having sailed a few years in the Med I never really saw a problem med mooring with our CC.

Another good place for an opinion is John Neal (Mahina Expeditions wedsite) explaining his view (and he likes both). Mahina Expedition - Offshore Cruising Instruction

[goboatingnow]

I would actually say it's easier to med moor a CC boat as generally there is a working deck space for the crew to stand and receive the the lazy line and the dock lines. On Aft cockpits there's often a crush of bodies. There's never any real need to station anyone forward anyway. That's my experience. The biggest advantage in med mooring is a thruster not the cockpit orientation

Dave

[simonmd]

I was refering to short or single handed sailing. If you're on your own then it can be a bit harder as you'll need to give the throttle a few thrusts as you position yourself before having to climb back to recive a line or lasso a bollard. In an Aft Cockpit boat this is obviously easier. Even with two people, the second may be needed to fend off or hold the boat secure to the one next to you while you do this.

ANY boat should be easy to moor with a crew to take the lines. If there is a 'crush of bodies' in the cockpit then the crew is not being managed properly. In an aft cockpit boat, you should have no more than two people there including the skipper. He can take and secure the dock lines while the second takes the lazy line up the side of the boat. Any extra crew would be better utilised fending off and holding the side to an adjacent boat until the bow line is secured.

Having said that, many sailing yachts choose to moor bow first anyway and therefore the difference between CC and AC becomes irrelavent.

Personaly, i'm planning to do either short handed or single handed sailing but i'd still consider a CC even taking into account what i've said above as I belive they offer just as many pros as they do cons. I just wanted the poster to consider this before making his choice.

[boatman61]

My favourite centre cockpit.....

[Anzo]

Corbin 39s came in both configurations. Might be worth looking at how the same boat handles each arrangement.

[Passage50]

It took me years to finally decide a 38footer would be Ideal. Then the deal on the perfect 37 fell trough so I bought a 48 LOA Steel centre cockpit Ketch which I usually sail all by myself becouse my Wife does not like the strong winds as I do.
The additional 7 foot and much wider beam make a lot of sense in comfort and since I own my own private mooring It really does not matter how long the Boat is.

[phantomracer]

Originally Posted by Searanger50

For sometime now we (my wife Samdy and I) have been researching the best yacht to cruise around the world. We have limited experience (but are learning fast) I am ex Royal Navy, my wife a landlubber until recently. We have been living on boats (power, not sail) for the last 6+ years. We have caught fire once out at sea and survived physically and emotionally intact. We have sought advice, read a library and have come to the conclusion that the best boat is a compromise. So what do we want?
1. something costing less than 60K UK pounds.
2. 38 to 40 feet LOA (Accomodation for us and to allow our two grown up children, husbands, wives and maybe later children to visit in reasonable comfort: room for a generator, a watermaker, stores, safety equipment everything we own - we do not have a house).
3. A boat that will be easily handled by two and able to be handled by one weaker crew member with li,ited strength.
4. survivable on a cruising income of 1000 uk pounds per month with an emergency fund of £20k.
5. Able to explore the coasts of the world but cross the oceans to get there
6. Safe - reliable- will forgive me when (not if) i make a mistake.

A tall order.
We have read and talked to many - famous and unknown and I have come to the conclusion that I need a bilge, deep fin keeled yacht, medium displacement, steel, GRP, old, modern cruiser, a Beneauteau, Moody, Westerly, Endurance, etc...
Yes you get the message - I'm as confused as when I started. One question that seems to be poorly covered though is the choice between centre cockpit and aft cockpit.
What are the advantages and disavantages of these designs for serious blue water cruising?

Ohlson 38 !!

Of course I am a biiiiiiiiit prejustice
I think it hits all your points..and its pretty!