Pros/cons of center cockpit

[pwmullins]

I have a 42 Endeavour CC and I love it. Lots of room and very steady in a sea way. But, you must have a good windshield/bimini combo to keep you dry when offshore or motoring into weather with a moferate wind. Great liveaboard boat and ICW cruiser.

[bustermaw]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Long range cruising is about lifestyle choices imho.
Although its nice to have a cockpit that can seat 37 in reality the most you will often have is yourselves and 2 other couples for sundowners and dinners. So if 6 can eat at the cockpit table u are fine.
Now the bedroom... I refuse to call them all those nautical words because a bedroom... space, space, space is what you want. Space to change clothes, space to hang up clothes, cupboard space, bathroom spaces, swing-a-cat space.
If its got that then go for it. Excuse me while I turn sideways and try to slither out the door...

Sent from a stupid phone that replaces words with weird stuff.

Couldn't agree more.

Sent from a stupid man who replaces reality with weird stuff.

[cajucito]

Hi, Mine is a Beneteau 44cc and I love it. There are always compromises. But if you want to do a bit of extended cruising you must remember that you wont be sailing 24 hours a day forever. You will drop the hook and tie up and want to relax and enjoy the view and then you will be really be glad of all that cosy living space. I just love getting into that full queensize bed in the aft cabin and having full head room and plenty of space to dress and even taking a bath in the ensuite. Yes I said a bath. Up on deck the solid strong dodger (no problem standing up on top of it to zip up the flat pack) is a must and a pair of goodsize scuppers to take care of any water or spray that might make it in but she is a really dry boat in all conditions. CC's are high sided so a bowthruster is also a must. The extra weight also adds confidence in a big sea. I though of going bigger but the 44cc is such a breeze single handed and that was a high priority item on my shopping list. Get the biggest engine you can fit in the hole and thats it... the perfect boat!

[waterman46]

Our center cockpit Morgan 462 has never taken more than a few drops of water in 35 knots and 10 ft seas beating up Baja, CA coast to SF several times due to having decent freeboard forward and a full cockpit enclosure (canvas). The enclosure makes it essentially the family room of the boat. I don't understand the comments about small center cockpits as the boat is of course beamier in that location and any cc boat should have at least 6 ft length in the cockpit so it will seat 6 at the table and 2 or 3 more aft in a party situation.
The downside for me is that it is much harder to furl the main than if we had aft cockpit since our cockpit cover is quite wide and high. But having full weather protected standing headroom at the helm is wonderful.
Doug

[patprice]

CC Vs aft cockpit may depend on usage of the yacht.
I take it you are not in the Med. CC's are almost a rarity here/there as all that stern to tying up becomes a pain. So does getting off the boat via the stern.
I do like the very good engine access of many CC boats.
But....I have little experience sailing off shore on a CC.

[wunderluster]

If the boat is over 40 feet, and preferably larger, a CC has the benefits mentioned already. LOA under 40 feet with a CC is not a good design in my opinion. A very high free board and a very small cockpit is more compromise than its worth for the tiny aft cabin in a boat under 40 feet.

[roland stockham]

I agree that for cruising a C/C is great. Don't think I agree about it being wetter but that depends on many other things. Sleeping under the cockpit is very noisy underway, people walking around, winches etc. ln a C/C crew is out of all traffic and less disturbed. Engine access is often much better. Motion is gentler.
But, and it is a big but, there are a number of designs where the C/C is done to maximize accommodation or some priority other than sailing. To this end instead of a deep cockpit withe seat bases at deck level the whole thing is stuck up in the air. It maybe to create a full headroom walkway on a boat too small for it but, whatever the reason high cockpits cause problems. Increased windage, poor motion particularly when rolling which is horrible in the trades, high boom unbalencing the rig. In my view theses issues make this type of boat unsuitable for long range cruising. On a personal note I often find them to have a very 'dead' performance. By contrast a deep central cockpit feel very snug an safe but will probably not have a walk through on anything under 45ft and the it will be under the side deck not the cockpit.
Only significant issue I have found with a C/C is that you cannot stow the dingy behind the mast so it often means not having a rigid dingy on board.

[patprice]

Originally Posted by wunderluster

If the boat is over 40 feet, and preferably larger, a CC has the benefits mentioned already. LOA under 40 feet with a CC is not a good design in my opinion. A very high free board and a very small cockpit is more compromise than its worth for the tiny aft cabin in a boat under 40 feet.

Tend to agree as the looser is main cabin space in a CC where one when below decks spends most time.

[Silverfox]

When we boughy our 42ft Moody CC 425 in 2006 I was told of a number of disadvantages as follows

1.The aft cabin will be too hot in the Med - Not True
2.The motion in the CC will cause sea sickness - not true
3. It will be wetter - if it is I haven't noticed and we have saiked in some heavy weather
4. Small cockpit for entertaining - true - but we have a great aft sundeck we can use!
5.hard to moor stern too - not true

What did I actually find?

1. Great aft cabin with centreline double berth and headroom - but noisy underway with the engine on!
2. Steep companionway steps
3.Privacy from quayside when moored stern to
4. Privacy when guests are on board
5. Completely avoids "coffin cabins" below an aft cockpit

Completely happy with my choice after 9 years

[waterman46]

Wonder why a stern to tie is any different in either type of cockpit location? Sure it takes about 1 second longer for me to spring from helm to stern rail, is that the issue? Its a candid question since I have very limited experience with Med tie.

We store two dinghies on deck. Hard bottom inflateable forward of mainmast and Walker Bay aft of mizzen. I agree cc arrangement does not work well in less than 40, or I would say 44 ft.

No argument that a cc tends to result in more windage, higher center of mass, higher center of lateral force on sails thus worse performance but really only a factor going upwind.. All these compromises I accept since I quit the racing scene.

Doug

[Reefmagnet]

Originally Posted by TFrere

I think the compromises are worth it to get the extra interior room. I wish I had a CC. Seasick prone crew will feel the motion more on a CC because they are higher off the water.

I'm not sure that's entirely the case. In theory, all other things being equal, the arc of rolling motion increases but pitching motion is lessened compared to an AC.