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**hpeer** · 13-10-2009, 11:31

Hi,

We are eternally looking for the PERFECT boat! Ha!

We would like an pilothouse with an internal steering station. However, those choices are obviously limited.

On the other hand we have found a lovely center cockpit boat, 44-foot, very traditional.

So, in very general terms, what would it take to buy a good all weather cockpit enclosure and is it even remotely possible to sail with one of these things on? I tend to think not but..................

Cheechako · 13-10-2009, 11:39

I've seen permanent doghouses nicely added on CC boats. A lot of angles and a lot of work, but very nice when done. Friends I cruised with had a Ted Brewer.... Pan Asian 48...? something like that. It had a Pilot house that was wonderful... chart table and steering to Port and a almost double berth to stbd. I loved that layout. Below the raised PH floor was the engine, open the large hatch and you could have a party down there!

S/V_Surya · 13-10-2009, 12:19

Do you want something like this? gs80

Cheechako · 13-10-2009, 12:22

beautiful job on that one. Saw a similar one built from scratch on a Waquiez 43 CC. The wood pieces were Mahoghany all milled to fit and fastened to the cockpit/coaming. It was all milled, dry fit, adjusted as necessary and went to gether like a jigsaw puzzle in the end.... If you're an artist with 5200 beads and a paintbrush it can look like glass in the end.... It looked a little taller on a 43 though!

Catalysis · 13-10-2009, 12:35

Before we switched to a catamaran we owned a C&C Landfall 48 which sailed great and had both inside and outside steering .
You can still find a good 80-83 boat for $150K.
Paul

s/v Moondancer · 13-10-2009, 12:39

We sailed in Canada and New England in fall with no more than a dodger and bimini. Why would you hide from the wind unless you are sailing in the frozen north. It is lovely with the wind in your hair; that is why we sail.

Full enclosure in canvas is about $5,000

Noname1 · 13-10-2009, 12:57

Cheechako it's a Pan Oceanic 46, also made in a 43 and 37 I think and yes we think it great to have a pilot house boat! Is one great boat.
Moondancer when the rain is coming down sideways in El Caribe I'm quite happy to go to the pilot house

I can also stretch out full length in the cockpit - no need to do without. Different strokes different folks.

**hpeer** · 13-10-2009, 13:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by s/v Moondancer

We sailed in Canada and New England in fall with no more than a dodger and bimini. Why would you hide from the wind unless you are sailing in the frozen north. It is lovely with the wind in your hair; that is why we sail.

Full enclosure in canvas is about $5,000

Does Newfoundland count?

Ooops, and NO hair, not for looooooooong while now.

TAREUA · 13-10-2009, 14:22

Hpeer, my cc boat came with a canvas enclosure. It had its good and bad features, but after taking it off a couple times, we decided it was much better having it. The worst feature was the canvas top was dark and leaky. I made a hard top (4x10 sheets of 1/4" white polypro) and connected it over the ss supports. Then I just reattached the windows to the new lid. By flipping up the aft plastic window I can steer in the sunshine and see the sails, while still keeping the kids out of the breeze on the cold days. In the rain and cold, the cockpit is very snug, and I hardwired LED lights for afterdark. Our boat has a ton of deck space. If I had a boat with limited space to lounge about in the sunshine, I might have made a different decision.

Cheechako · 13-10-2009, 14:37

MichaelDsusa: Yea their PanWhatever46 pretty much kept up with my 42 ft Cat most the time. They were an interesting couple, He categorically refused to spend any real money on the boat, although eventually bought a mainsail. the decks were lumpy, the teak needed varnishing etc. After their trip it all made sense to me, they sold the boat for exactly what they paid for it except the mainsail. So their trip cost them nothing really! Some of us have trouble remembering: "It's just a tool". There's something wonderful about just sitting with a cup of coffee or drink up where you can see what's going on instead of the dungeon down below.

barnakiel · 13-10-2009, 15:33

Perfect - to me - would be - a rigid steering house - just for me, my steering wheel and some instruments - completely - enclosed - full protection for the driver...

daydreamin'

b.

S/V Alchemy · 14-10-2009, 10:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I've seen permanent doghouses nicely added on CC boats. A lot of angles and a lot of work, but very nice when done. Friends I cruised with had a Ted Brewer.... Pan Asian 48...? something like that. It had a Pilot house that was wonderful... chart table and steering to Port and a almost double berth to stbd. I loved that layout. Below the raised PH floor was the engine, open the large hatch and you could have a party down there!

Quite similar sounding to mine, although I have two pilot berths in the p-house and a small 5.5 foot bench seat you can snooze on, with stowage beneath all.

I like our pilothouse very much and would only add a small helm seat. We do most of the actual sailing at the aft deck helm, which, since the addition of solar panels overhead, is reasonably sheltered also. While it's perfectly possible to sail from the pilothouse or motor from the sailing helm aft, it generally breaks down as you would expect, as the visibility from high aft is considerably better than lower and forward.

S/V Alchemy · 14-10-2009, 10:33

I also agree that a hard dodger with a hard, fixed roof capable of holding some weight (like a tender or solar panels) but with soft Sunbrella and SS frame sides and maybe back is 90% as good as a totally enclosed house in F/G or metal.

It's best if kept low, however, and with the companionway as small as is practical and protected by some sort of bridgedeck.

Pelagic · 14-10-2009, 10:47

The most important thing about any pilothouse or even a cockpit for that matter is maintaining a good lookout while seated.

Our pilothouse is great when the weather sucks and the raised seating gives us good visibility.