The Offshore Voyaging Reference Site

A Sailor’s Cockpit Enclosure—Part 2

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In Part 1 I wrote about my conversion from a dyed-in-the-wool cockpit enclosure hater, to an enthusiastic convert, albeit with reservations.

But not to just any cockpit enclosure. Phyllis and I wanted a sailor’s cockpit enclosure. Achieving that end was, as always with voyaging boats, all about compromises, mind set and details…lots of details.

And that’s what this post’s about, with lots of pictures of what we got right, and one or two of things that still need work.


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More Articles From Cockpit Enclosures and Dodgers:

  1. Cockpit Dodger For an Offshore Sailboat
  2. How To Home Build a Hard Dodger For an Offshore Sailboat
  3. A Sailor’s Cockpit Enclosure—Part 1
  4. A Sailor’s Cockpit Enclosure—Part 2
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Marc Dacey

I think this illustrates that habits of mind and of sailing are as important as construction and materials. Your willingness (and readiness) to take the enclosure apart in a blow is obvious to me, but not obvious to the many boats with enclosures I’ve seen where they’ve been buttoned up in bad weather…until they leave at an angle.

Dick Stevenson

Hi John,
Sounds and looks good.
For those who are designing enclosures (or already have one), a suggestion: The panels around where one exits and enters always seem to take a beating, especially the zippers. We hold ours down (see 1st part for description) with shock/bungy cord which allows for a our clumsiness exiting and entering when bouncing around under sail to be absorbed by shock cord rather than the panel fabric/plastic or, more likely, the vulnerable zippers.
And, a couple of questions: Any thoughts on how an enclosure on a smaller boat might work, say the Adventure 40 size? It seems that smaller boats are less likely to have a robust hard bimini aft or other strong tie downs to use.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Drew Frye

A few thoughts, based on my experience, and also on a bunch of testing I have been doing for Practical Sailor (I’ve had test panels with ~ 30 windows up for 5 years).
1. Fold up is better than rolling or fold down (my forward windows fold down). Less scratching. Mine fold or roll down: hard to roll when cold and always a scratching risk; Forward the wind can catch them (I should add hold-down snaps–it would only take 2 each–just thought of it!) and I can step on them if careless; in they can rub on the slider.
2. Colder it gets the more chance of breaking, particularly after 5 years. I try not to move them below 50. I’ve had them shatter below freezing just from cleaning.
3. For more flexible vinyl try O-Sea. Coated like Strataglass, but better in every way. Just less used in the marine sector, but big in the high-end convertible business.
4. I like View Guard better for cleaning. Sheets the water better. I use the Imar cream.
5. You can make extenders for most fasteners. Yup, they swear the materials don’t shrink, but…. Take Sunbrella or similar, laminate 3 layers with Sika 295, 3M 5200 or similar, and then put a male in one end and a female in the other. The 3-ply laminate is easy to make and tough as nails.

RDE

Hi John,
I spent a couple of weeks on this boat bringing it up from Panama. The hardtop design worked out really well as a basis for removable panels that allowed full breezes in the heat and weather protection when needed. No reason why the same concept couldn’t be expanded to form a basis for the complete enclosure you have worked out for colder climates.

http://www.sailmagazine.com/boat-reviews/perry-59/

RDE

It may not be immediately apparent, but this design is a “super hardtop” strong enough that the traveler for a 1,000 ft mainsail is mounted on top. So no worries about it being destroyed by wave or wind impact.

Rene

Nice job John.
Just 3 points.
When we roll up the side curtains, we put a towel material in between, which prevents any scratching.
We store the rolled up curtains in a vertical position in order to prevent sagging .
We use the 3″ diam cardboard tubes to facilitate the rolling up and pull it outbefore storing,
as some curtains are 3ft or more wide.