pros and cons for a 42' center cockpit ketch

[Iskoteo]

ketch center cockpit, its all good

[surfingminniwinni]

Here's Sea Trek III, always dry and protected from the nasty UV rays we have downunder!

[surfingminniwinni]

Here's our old boat Crazy Lady, yes we love centre cockpits!!

[Hoohaa]

Originally Posted by surfingminniwinni

Here's Sea Trek III, always dry and protected from the nasty UV rays we have downunder!

Attachment 55357

Glen
I remember, and have checked the pics, In short. no. we have gone in a completely different direction, Yours looks neat and nicely proportioned. The jury is still out on ours. I might have some pics after the weekend and then you can see for yourself .
We have full standing head room virtually its full length so its quite a challenge making it look good. I am a tad worried but have to put my faith in my shipwright and his eye for detail.

[sestina]

At this size, the problems include a small saloon. How much time do you really spend in the aft cabin compared to your main living space.? The cockpit is often small and if you have a passage way below, the cockpit is rather perched up aka "the wedding cake".

You pays your money...

[Sabbatical II]

It is true. It is very difficult to get a full height hard dodger to look good on a 42' centre cockpit. Having launched such a beast 7 months ago I am very happy with the end result. It has full height walkways either side of the roomy engine bay, a monster rear cabin with queen size bed. Some think that the hardtop is a bit boxy, but after my first bash to windward in the pouring rain there is no way I would go back to canvas, particularly a dodger that you had to stoop to get down the companionway. It has roll up mesh sides to keep the sun out at anchor (shown in pic) and clears for when it rains.

[WMarineCanvas]

42' center cockpit ketch sounds like a great cruiser to me. Don't listen to the comments about sloops beating you to weather, just laugh because they're planning on sailing to weather then politely head downwind on a long passage and have a chuckle every now and then about that sloop that sailed great to weather. Just kidding sloop owners...but not really. :-)

A center cockpit ketch also can provide a nice layout for a real above-deck sitting/living area with the proper canvas-work ;-)

[Sabbatical II]

Originally Posted by sestina

At this size, the problems include a small saloon. How much time do you really spend in the aft cabin compared to your main living space.? The cockpit is often small and if you have a passage way below, the cockpit is rather perched up aka "the wedding cake".

Again, there is some justification for these comments. My 42'CC is fairly typical of the breed and the saloon is about the length of my friends 34' Beneteau, but it's a lot beamier. But then, the galley is down one side of the motor and the bathroom is on the other side so they are not encroaching on saloon space as in the Bene. It's true, we don't spend much time in the back bedroom, but when we do it's in a full sized queen bed and there is room for both of us to be getting changed in the bedroom at the same time without squabbling. Sure, centre cockpits have their detractors, but my wife isn't one of them and nor am I.

[jackdale]

One issue with island queen in aft cabins is that they tend to be unsleepable under way without leecloths. Ideally you should have a split mattress with a leecloth down the middle. Along each side is also beneficial.

[Jimbo485]

Originally Posted by jackdale

One issue with island queen in aft cabins is that they tend to be unsleepable under way without leecloths. Ideally you should have a split mattress with a leecloth down the middle. Along each side is also beneficial.

Yes!

We recently moved ashore,call it house minding mixed with checking our anchor..... It is certainly an interesting mix.

My son and my wife both fell out of a land bed and ended up on the floor. I thought that was extreme, and humorous, irony taking into account a few years living aboard.

They both noted that our bunks were constrained by walls on both sides whereas land beds have nothing, no lee cloths, nothing, just a vacant bit of air to fall through......

[charliehows]

Lots of pros, most of which already mentioned. One quite annoying con - self steering windvanes - its quite challenging trying to get a windvane unit connected to the wheel, even worse if steering is hydraulic.