Cockpit Enclosure

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by jackiepitts

I do not understand why you do not just take the enclosure/bimini down during passages if it is such a inconvenience to have it up? It seems like a very easy thing to do assuming it was put together correctly to begin with.

My cockpit is enclosed so my cat can be out in the cockpit but stay on the boat. She loves it out there. It's done with Pfifertex and is removable with zippers.

IMO the boat could not be safely sailed with the Pfifertex up all the way around. It would keep you from leaving the cockpit quickly. Plus, there's no need. When I'm underway, the cat is in her carrier in the cockpit (she loves sailing!) I keep the Bimini up. I want the shade and don't need all the sun exposure. It's not that big a deal to stick my head out and get a good look at the sails. I don't sail with a dodger up, but I do leave the back panels of Pfifertex up as it is more protection from too much sun exposure. I know someone else who does that as well.

[forsailbyowner]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

+1

I have a full cockpit enclosure. The only good thing I can say about it is that it provides good protection for the cockpit and helm when I am away from the boat. I never sit in the cockpit with it up -- the cockpit becomes uninviting cave.

And it is horrible underway. I wouldn't even dream of trying to sail with it up. I have made two short passages (in two years) under motor with it up, once Yarmouth-Southampton, and once Torquay-Dartmouth, in pouring down rain both times. It sucked - you can't see anything. So now it is relegated to duty keeping the cockpit protected when I'm off the boat.

I'm with Bash -- sailing is an outdoor sport. Good foulies and sea boots are all you need.

I think of a recent sail of mine. The first leg lasted 4 days of solo sailing riding two cold fronts with bucketloads of rain, winds regularly above gale and often calm. windchill down to around freezing at times . With foulies and seaboots I would have been a hypothermic exhausted wreck with a boatload of soggy wet clothes. As it were I spent the time reading in the cockpit and keeping an eye on the radar. At times like these the total amount of sail trim was keeping the right sail up in the right reef point, being quiet and not flapping or flogging and going the right direction. I sure wasnt doing anything beyond easing sheets in gusts.I recall hail bouncing off deck and wave tops slammimg sides of enclosure that stayed outside and not on me.

If it takes too long to get out of the cockpit because of your enclosure, your going too fast. Want trouble, try to do something in a hurry. I go thru inventory before climbing out. Have what I need, lines in boat set how I will need them. Harness check, then venture out

[zboss]

Originally Posted by forsailbyowner

I think of the fisherman I know with skin cancer and lesions all over his forearms below short sleeve shirt level. Hes like the poster child for protection from the sun

Seriously! I have a friend that owns a dive shop and he has ALWAYS been very careful about wearing long sleeves and sunscreen... except his lips. Guess where he got cancer! They were going to have to take his whole lower jaw for something the size of a pin head, lucky for him the radiation cream worked.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

Maybe people are suited best with what they've become accoustomed.





We function best protected from the sun. If you plan to spend decades aboard in the lower latitudes, it's best be avoiding skin cancer.

I would think you'd die of heat with that enclosure in the So lat's.! Heck, I found just the Bimini a mixed blessing... amazing how much heat that fabric passes below... actually hot on the top of your head!

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I would think you'd die of heat with that enclosure in the So lat's.! Heck, I found just the Bimini a mixed blessing... amazing how much heat that fabric passes below... actually hot on the top of your head!

There is a back panel that has not been lowered in this photo that was taken in Maine,- you see Nancie in the sweathirt, it's about 50 degrees F. Don't be fooled in thinking that this is a static configuaration. The side panels with the round view ports, can be present only as splashguards with their lower side outboard. All the vertical panels can be rolled up or removed. We've had this same bimini in the tropics with the top shade only keeping us far cooler than in direct sun. We frequenly sit with the tops of our head in the breeze. We don't dress the same in the tropics either! Of course, your surprise is my fault! I did mention keeping covered in the lower latitudes when I used this photo.

[Cheechako]

Yeah, I thought you were suggesting using it closed up like that in the tropics! Nice system, very common up here in the PNW also.... although most have see through side curtains.... dark up here alot of the year!

[wingless]

The sunshade I made to blot out the sun works great!

The boat stays much cooler w/ the sunshade. This keeps the interior dry, w/ the Strataglass in-place or stowed. It is also much quieter, attenuating almost all the sound from the front.

It is great for at the dock or on-hook.

The fit is pretty good, I am satisfied w/ the fit. This is huge, about 40' tip to tip and 11' at the center, so it was a butt pain to pattern and a butt pain to sew. The wife helped moving the fabric bulk around while I sewed, saving me hours. (I'm going to keep her!)

The forward visibility is reduced, so I need to operate more slowly w/ this in-place.

The linen interior is much better than the captain navy, so the interior remains much brighter.


Outside



Inside



Pattern

[woodymr]

To each his or her own, but upon looking at old photos of sailboats, they carried so much sail as to appear to be dangerous! Now folks are even reducing sail area more by raising thier booms to allow for Bimini! I feel like I want the enviromental impact, hence "sailing" if I wanted to be inside I would buy a power boat.

[woodymr]

I have rig that 1) can hold solar panels, 2) offer cover, shade and 3) be stowed.when sailing. It was a work in progress and just came together nicely starting with panel rack.

[woodymr]

[woodymr]

The forward part of Bimini folds back under rear part and attaches to stern attachments to secure when sailing. Way cool!

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by woodymr

................ Now folks are even reducing sail area more by raising thier booms to allow for Bimini! I feel like I want the enviromental impact, hence "sailing" if I wanted to be inside I would buy a power boat.

I see by your photos that you have a bimini cover too. I agree with the idea of not raising the boom to accomodate the bimini, we didn't and I assume you didn't either. I've seen it done, but I think it's rare. We spent thirteen years without the cover, but sun protection is a wise choice and not just for power boaters.

I see you're in Green Cove Springs too,- I must be your neighbor! ...'currently at Fleming Island Marina to the north at Doctors Lake.

[Mysticmermaid82]

Wow! I love this idea.

Originally Posted by wingless

The sunshade I made to blot out the sun works great!

The boat stays much cooler w/ the sunshade. This keeps the interior dry, w/ the Strataglass in-place or stowed. It is also much quieter, attenuating almost all the sound from the front.

It is great for at the dock or on-hook.

The fit is pretty good, I am satisfied w/ the fit. This is huge, about 40' tip to tip and 11' at the center, so it was a butt pain to pattern and a butt pain to sew. The wife helped moving the fabric bulk around while I sewed, saving me hours. (I'm going to keep her!)

The forward visibility is reduced, so I need to operate more slowly w/ this in-place.

The linen interior is much better than the captain navy, so the interior remains much brighter.


Outside



Inside



Pattern

[Mysticmermaid82]

Wow! I love this idea. This might be a silly question but did you use a fabric with capt navy on one side and linen on the other?

Originally Posted by wingless

The sunshade I made to blot out the sun works great!

The boat stays much cooler w/ the sunshade. This keeps the interior dry, w/ the Strataglass in-place or stowed. It is also much quieter, attenuating almost all the sound from the front.

It is great for at the dock or on-hook.

The fit is pretty good, I am satisfied w/ the fit. This is huge, about 40' tip to tip and 11' at the center, so it was a butt pain to pattern and a butt pain to sew. The wife helped moving the fabric bulk around while I sewed, saving me hours. (I'm going to keep her!)

The forward visibility is reduced, so I need to operate more slowly w/ this in-place.

The linen interior is much better than the captain navy, so the interior remains much brighter.


Outside



Inside



Pattern

[RolfP]

For sailing in inclement weather, I minimally want the connecting piece, and at least one side piece. :-) On one 16 day passage we had a dodger, bimini, overhead extension between them, and one zip-on side piece of mostly "window" plastic, left over from the previous canvas (previous trip) that was destroyed by an over-zealous wall of water. During our gales we moved the side piece from windward side to windward side when we tacked (1-3x/day). It became a moderately wind-less room and permitted us to share meals and conversation in the full cockpit for all six crew as needed with the leeward and aft sides open where we could easily see the sea-state, all while the gale was driving us. Once it warmed up - no more side piece and among us we went back and forth on the overhead (due to sun). Solar over bimini, so that stayed up as did the dodger. Heavy weather, big seas, quite enjoyable trip. I've also sailed sans-canvas and MUCH prefer at least a dodger... When at anchor, I have at times wished for a screen enclosure to expand area not invaded by mosquitoes.