Sailing with cockpit tent up?

[GTom]

I was wondering how many are sailing with full cockpit tent up? It is indeed a relief in pouring rain but also limits visibility.

Personally I am a bit reluctant, as it complicates things when tacking, reefing, etc. (The ones I've seen hindered winching).

I am about to decide what kind of enclosure I should choose: if I want to use one for real sailing, that should be a really well customized one. However, on a mooring/dock a lot cheaper habitent could do the job:

[s/v Moondancer]

We have a full enclosure which is rolled up most of the time. If it rains we will close the weather side leaving the active lee winches available.

In the last storm we were in, a F9 gusting F10 off New Zealand it was all rolled up to reduce windage.

We crewed on a boat from the US to St Thomas and they lived inside the cockpit tent 24/7 at sea, not my idea of how to sail.

[GTom]

...they lived inside the cockpit tent 24/7 at sea, not my idea of how to sail.

Good point, once it's up, one tends to leave it and forget it

[Pete7]

A yacht near me and about 500 yrds from were that photo was taken has a habitent as a winter cover. Its torn.

The problem is a custom cockpit tent will be the thick end of £2800 in the UK. That quote did come as a bit of a shock and warrants some effort to shop around.

Pete

[GTom]

Originally Posted by Pete7

A yacht near me and about 500 yrds from were that photo was taken has a habitent as a winter cover. Its torn.

The problem is a custom cockpit tent will be the thick end of £2800 in the UK. That quote did come as a bit of a shock and warrants some effort to shop around.

I got an offer of 2k£, still, that's quite high for something I'd use only when it's pouring. Were they sailing with that habitent?

[Pete7]

I think a seam or a zip burst over the winter. I will have another look tomorrow.

Pete

[TrentePieds]

I thot that's what oilies are for :-)??

TP

[Hobiehobie]

I hate, hate , hate cockpit tents. You are on a sailboat, not in a Camper van. If you don't want to get your fancy upholstery and tasseled cushions wet, then don't have them. If you are cold, get some better clothes and a fleece hat. If you don't like getting splashed, move to a desert.

Of course, we have never taken our boat to Maine or the Pacific North West, so I may be an ignorant fair weather sailor! But ask me about my sun awning...cant live without it!

[Flod]

Well If you like me are sailing above lat 57N you tend to like your cockpit tent a lot. I rarely sail with it up though because I think like above posts that it is in the way when handling the boat in different situations. But st dock or anchor I instantly put it up and it’s the last thing that’s packed down before leaving again.

[alansmith]

There is a trimaran sailing video on YouTube that they fly their tent all the time. But they have three hills and stays that they attach to. Name of the trimaran is Spirit. They are down in Australia and sail the adjoining seas. It is more of a sun screen. But worth looking at since it is flown under the boom.

[Sojourner]

I just sailed across the western med in winter to bring my new-to-me boat home to northern italy.... i'm quite happy there was a full (center) cockpit enclosure. I was in a light jacket in 8 degree 30 knot wind and rain half the trip, sipping coffee and smoking cigs, with my partners playing cards or on their computers or napping alongside me. Wouldn't trade it for the world

[Pete7]

Sorry, no photos today. Wtihin minutes of arrival in the marina storm force winds were pushing waves over the jetties and then a snow storm started.

Of course there will be some who will say "man up" and put some socks on as they sit under their sun shades drinking cheap lager. Real sailors of course drink G&T or Pimms at happy hour

Meanwhile for those of us who sail the European NW, cockpit tents will remain on the wish list.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Sojourner

I just sailed across the western med in winter to bring my new-to-me boat home to northern italy.... i'm quite happy there was a full (center) cockpit enclosure. I was in a light jacket in 8 degree 30 knot wind and rain half the trip, sipping coffee and smoking cigs, with my partners playing cards or on their computers or napping alongside me. Wouldn't trade it for the world

You guys make we want to try mine again.

I used to put it up before leaving the boat. I eventually realized there was no point. I had covers made for helm and instruments and stopped putting it up.

I used it maximum three or four times while underway. That's in 9 years and tens of thousands of miles. Once single handed in the North Sea on a 100 mile passage sailing downwind in a gale with rain, where it definitely saved me a good soaking. Once sailing from Torquay to Dartmouth in a downpour with a bunch of guests.

I can definitely handle the sails with it up, but I can't really see much, which is a really big drawback. Especially in the rain -- my windscreen fogs up and I have no wipers. So it's a really poor substitute for a pilot house, which you really want up here.

So I haven't used it at all in a few years by now. Mostly I cower under my very long (and nice) sprayhood if I need shelter.

Whether such a thing will be any good or not for the OP, I have no idea. Just one data point FWIW.

[GTom]

Originally Posted by Flod

Well If you like me are sailing above lat 57N you tend to like your cockpit tent a lot. I rarely sail with it up though because I think like above posts that it is in the way when handling the boat in different situations. But st dock or anchor I instantly put it up and it’s the last thing that’s packed down before leaving again.

That's the 2500£ question. If I wouldn't use it while sailing, the much cheaper (and transferable to other boats - if the Discus doesn't say long with us!) habitent or any kind of boat-fitted tent would be a perfect solution.

Dockhead: thanks for sharing! I think a bit of sprayhood extension (which I have some material for anyway) will be the way I go. It's not bad now, but a few more inches could keep the other shoulder dry

[atmartin]

Where I used to sail, Southern California, they were almost universally despised and pretty rare. Dodgers, sure, but I don't think I saw a full enclosure until Florida.

When you sail in a region with perennially light winds, no rain and no bugs, they really don't make a lot of sense. That said, I've been on customer's boats out east where you couldn't turn a winch handle or do much of anything because of all the canvas and isinglass.

My preference is for hard dodgers, but that's probably because I'm a lot better working in resin than canvas.