pros and cons for a 42' center cockpit ketch

[paulandharm]

we are new to the sailboat world and looking for input

[Hoohaa]

The main problem I have found is getting shade over the cockpit. Its difficult to get something that is high enough to stand under and still looks in proprtion to the rest of the boat.
Apart from that, I really like the center cockpit and the amount of room you get aft.

[boatman61]

Pro's.
Potentially dryer sail in weather..
Less effect of pitching on watchkeepers..
Easy coming alongside.. lead fore and aft lines to centre.. have another on the centre cleat... as you kiss her to a stop on the pontoon just step out grab the centre line and cleat it off.. then take your choice..
and then there's the completely private masters cabin... away from the bustle..
Usually have better engine access..

Cons.
Can't really think of any... its a boat..

[paulandharm]

thanks we were wondering if you could cover the cockpit

[tookish1]

Have lived aboard and cruised in a 47' center cockpit cutter. Next boat will be center cockpit 42-45'. Don't think you need a ketch in that sized boat but other than aesthetics, if the boat is a sound design you will be happy. Tayana 42 Center Cockpit Ketch?? - you could do worse

[kbudd]

We have a 43 CC ketch and love the design. We had a canvas cockpit cover made that is almost like a pilothouse.

[paulandharm]

Thanks again for all the replies

[Hoohaa]

I am in the process of building a canopy and dodger over my cockpit, by far the hardest thing has been designing it so that it is in proportion with the boat. It gets easier the larger the boat. Ours is 40ft. I will be posting pics in another week.
It will also give us allot more hand holds to grab onto while moving around the deck.

[CaptFrankM]

My wife and I have lived aboard a Morgan 452 ketch since 2005. It's a beefy boat and, in our opinion, a perfect boat to liveaboard. This is NOT the Morgan Out Island 41.

The pros are as already mentioned. I have a full engine room, with a walkway with full head room. We have a full berth aft, separate from the rest of the boat, so that being on watch or just relaxing in the salon does not disturb someone sleeping. The ketch sail arrangement really increases the possible sail combinations. The cockpit is small and very dry. We had a hard dodger installed, with a bimini and full canvas.

There are a few cons. Although the cockpit is small, it drains through hoses in the engine room and into thru hulls. Because the engine is under the cockpit, when it is running, the cockpit can be very noisy. Although there are a lot of sail combinations, the main mast is stepped a bit further forward, so a lot of the power is forward of the mid point of the boat. Because of this, you have to use more rudder to balance.

Frank

[Bash]

I'm not a ketch person, and never will be, so keep in mind that religious convictions may factor into this conversation. (On both sides.)

The two biggest cons for me are that the boat will never sail as well as a comparable sloop, especially going to weather, and that the cockpit will never be as commodious as a sloop's lovely aft cockpit. Nor as dry.

Are you tall people? If so, you may find it difficult to install a proper bimini. I've been inside cc ketch dodger+bimini enclosures where I could barely breathe, in part because I'm 6'3" and a lover of the great outdoors.

That said, ketch people seem to love their goofy boats, and I'm glad that they are happy. It makes me happy to be able to pass a ketch, out on the water, without really having to strain. For this simple pleasure, I owe them all a debt of thanks.

[Curmudgeon]

Which 42 foot CC ketch? It would be helpful to know.

[jackdale]

Being able to steer a ketch with the mizzen has always been a cool feature for me. They are easier to balance the helm. With a cutter rigged ketch the C of E is much lower, resulting in less heel.

As to Bash's concern, remember that gentlemen never sail to weather.

Offshore they are a dream. For coastal cruising they are more work.

[s/v Jedi]

Pro's:

Don't forget the steering through reefs. You're so high up from the water with a center cockpit that you can clearly see all the coral like from an airplane. No need for crows nest

Do wear a safety harness at all times and make sure it is not the type with bungee-cords. The motion of the rolling is worse because of the higher center of effort of CC designs and you are located on top of it all: the height of your position amplifies the motion and without harness you might well go overboard. The bungee-cord type harnesses will amplify the flying through the air with the rolling even more, resulting in cartoon-like adventures which are better prevented!

Now for the cons: With a ketch vs sloop for a boat smaller than say 55', the ketch gets a formidable performance penalty. Ease of extra sail combinations don't make up enough to compensate. I would recommend a cutter rig for the 40-55' range.

The cartoon-like adventures in a center cockpit when the boat is rolling are much fun but can make you seasick . Aft cockpits, which are much lower, don't provide this entertainment but also reduce the seasickness problem.

With the owners cabin aft, it mimics the ships from times past. However, those ships had a lot of crew who kept an eye on things incl. a dragging anchor. Boats that have the owners cabin forward allow the occupants to hear the movement of anchor and chain. While that might wake them up during the night, it's better than not hearing this from the aft cabin and finding oneself up on the rocks.

Center-cockpit boats tend to come with in-mast furling which opens a big can of worms

[Kenomac]

To answer your questions: We have a complete cockpit encloser with a bimini, sprayhood/dodger, sides and rear panels Most of the time we sail with the sprayhood and bimini in place and put up the other panels when needed. We stay dry, even though our Oyster center cockpit sloop/cutter sits very low in the water. Our Hunter 450 had the same set up with the cockpit encloser. We were also high and dry in that boat, however, with a center cockpit, I'd say that a sprayhood is a necessity when sailing to weather in a breeze in order to stay dry. Some will argue that the cockpit is larger on a rear cockpit sloop, but I'd counter this argument with the fact that a center cockpit offers two advantages with regards to deck space. You not only have use of the cockpit, but also the rear deck with seats along the stern rails... Basically all the deck space astern of the dodger is usable space for crew making it larger. With a center cockpit, you have some definite advantages with the space below, the first being the large stand up aft cabin. Another advantage is docking, center cockpit is much easier with the helm being near the center of the vessel for better visability and access to the center spring line.

[Randyonr3]

Only sailed one center cockpit in my life, a 65 foot choy lee motor sailor..got sick as a dog being perched up so high.
The cockpit seating in our current boat is just a couple feet above water level and aft.. a very.comfortable ride.
As for the ketch rig, always figured that if the boat needed a second stick in the air for balance. Someone F#$%ed up in the design.