Sailing with cockpit tent up?

[Moody46CC]

In the picture attending the initial post, well, it does look like a tent with no visibility, suitable for harbor/anchorage only. At least where I sail, Chesapeake Bay, most enclosures have lots of isinglass and all-around visibility plus many can be changed out with screens or have isinglass panels with screening. My enclosure has 360 visibility with clean panels. When there is enough wind to threaten the integrity of any of the panels (not sure I'd want to be out that day; might be time to heave to), one can roll them up or take them down. When the flies and bugs are out, the screens are a godsend, and it's nice to have the isinglass up in cold, rainy and blowing weather.

A tent would have little visibility; a good enclosure has lots of visibility and makes sailing more comfortable and probably safer.

[waterman46]

That photo you sent looked like it was actually a tent, and not a proper cockpit enclosure. A decent enclosure is an extension of a dodger, sometimes at a slightly higher level so you could stand up inside it, but able to withstand high winds, and with panels that can be easily unzipped and removed to suit conditions. It may set you back about $8K or more in the US. Ours last about 12 years.

A good enclosure is useful (mandatory for us old farts) where the weather is sometimes cold and rainy or cold and windy. I wouldn't cruise very far in Northern California without one, but if you are only in a warm area you certainly don't need it. In our case, the jib sheet winch cannot be operated without unbuttoning and unzipping the bottom of one of the covers, so we don't use that one (one on each side) very often underway. It's at the aft end of the mid cockpit so spray usually doesn't bother us there anyway.

At anchor (and this is maybe the best feature) the enclosure makes your cockpit into an all-weather living room with view. In cold windy conditions I see those without such enclosures hunkered below deck, with little view and confined into a small cabin, while we are enjoying the view in spacious cockpit.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by waterman46

. . In cold windy conditions I see those without such enclosures hunkered below deck, with little view and confined into a small cabin, . . .

Well, not those in raised salon boats! I have large above-deck windows at eye level in my boat.

But of course, being entirely above the deck is nice. My next boat will have a proper pilot house.

[s/v Moondancer]

Waterman has the analysis correct...We have an excellent bimini/dodger and I slept in the cocokpit through a New Zealand winter...plus a good sleeping bag.

In June we go over the top of the Pacific...Japan to Alaska and the enclosure will prove its worth but we will still keep enough of it open to be able to work the boat. In port it does create an additional room.

In the tropics we have a mosquito tent 22ft by 10ft by 8 ft that goes over the dodger and bimini which again gives us an extra room.

Many years ago I spent a Winter and Spring sailing the English Channel in a boat without a dodger and it was truely miserable!