Subject: Deciding on full cockpit enclosure or not?
Many of us presumably have definite opinions on the necessity or the luxury of having a full cockpit enclosure installed.
There are many factors that people will be considering... some considered positive and some negative...
1) Cost
2) Ease of erecting and removing the enclosure's panels
3) Where to store the enclosure panels when they're removed
4) Long term maintenance: keeping zippers clean and operative, cleaning the plastic panels, canvas fading, etc
5) Possible interference when wanting to fish, troll, etc
6) Does it help with resale opportunities
7) Added bracing may be needed
8) The need for netting in bug-infested areas
9) Spoiling the view from the cockpit seating areas
10) Visual look/style
11) Added difficulty when docking with enclosure panels possibly in the way
Apart from my very first RT (R25 Classic) here in the PNW area I've elected to have full cockpit enclosures for my boats.
Why? ....
1) Adds extra real estate for passengers when weather such as rain, sunless days, wind, is prevalent.
2) More privacy when docked.
3) Provides extra safety for small children and pets from going overboard when panels are secured. My Fox Terrier 'Jake' is a 'jumper' and has no fear leaping from the cockpit if a seagull swoops down near to the boat. He can look and stare, but not jump out of the boat, as he would do so if the enclosure panels were not there. For me, this is 'peace of mind' when I'm solo with Jake, less likely to cause me to leave the helm to service his needs, no heart-attack situations for me, and can have the cabin door open... for more room for Jake to roam.
4) Can be used for extra sleeping quarters using fold-up cots in cockpit.
5) Provides for a warmer environment at times when underway.
6) Provides full protection for keeping the cockpit dry in inclement weather conditions and when in rough seas. I recall one time in my R21 EC negotiating a 4-6 feet stern wave kicked up by a commercial tug. The whole of the R21 EC nosed into the first wave and then crested and dove down into the next wave and was completely immersed in the water for long enough to fill the whole cockpit area with water had I not had the full cockpit enclosure for protection.
7) Helps people who might be having 'cabin fever'. 😱
8) Added security when docked and boat left unattended.
9) Beneficial if boat not kept in a covered slip at the home port.
10) Avoids the inevitable unwanted shower one can get when stepping onto the boat with water puddled on the Bimini. You simply do not want your invited passengers to get a water swamping moment as they step onto the boat from dockside... 'tis a bad start for the cruise event. I use my boat at times for charity and the invited people typically aren't boater types, could be celebrity types with fancy hair dos, so I don't want them having to have an unwanted water shower.
11) Can be used as an extra heated area when docked - using portable electric heater using shore power.
12) Individual panels can be unzipped and rolled up out of the way and secured easily to the top of the Bimini.
13) In addition, storing the panels is best done rolling them up tightly and sliding them down into the cave. In this way they take up very little room when stowed in this manner. Later, when being unrolled they will resist being straightened but this is only temporary as they will quickly hang straight when the plastic panels warm up.
14) When I fish, troll for salmon, I rolled up one side where I have my down rigger, and all is well.
15) I've developed a means to have my stern fenders deployed such that they are not kept in the cockpit. I swing them up outside the boat's side and use a rubber bungee tied to the bottom of the fender with the other end secured to the swim step hand rail. So when docking I simply detach the stern fenders from the swim step handrail, and they drop down to the desired position. Thus no need for cutouts in the panels to slide fenders in or out. There can be very small cutouts to allow dock lines from the gunnel cleats to the dockside cleats, etc.
16) I use 40 mil plastic panels as they are sturdy enough, and can be rolled more easily than thicker mil plastic panels.
17) The plastic panels are easily cleaned with the proper solution from spray bottle periodically to keep them looking pristine and clear.
18) Having the enclosure fully used when docked also protects the cockpit area from bird dropping and avoids other sea creatures thinking they've found a bed for the night. 😀
I had a full cockpit enclosure for my 2019 R29 CB and I can tell you, it took less than 10 mins to fully assemble the enclosure panels and not much longer to completely remove it and stow it away in the cave... and it was a strong selling point for me when I sold the boat.
One last piece of advice: Number the panels - 1, 2, 3, 4, etc with a Sharpie pen so that it's easy to know the order for where the panels go. I start on starboard side with #1 and proceed all the way round to the last one on port side. This numbering is important for the R29s as the panels slide into the pipe channel on the edge of the hard top Bimini.
Don't let the cost of a full cockpit enclosure deter you from all the benefits the enclosure can provide.
For me, I have no doubts..... and I will be having my new 2023 R25/OB equipped with a full cockpit enclosure.
Have now changed my R25/OB order from 'Hero Red' hull to the 'Light Gray' hull color and my enclosure canvas color will be a contrasting (slightly darker shade) Sunbrella Charcoal color. 😀
Many of us presumably have definite opinions on the necessity or the luxury of having a full cockpit enclosure installed.
There are many factors that people will be considering... some considered positive and some negative...
1) Cost
2) Ease of erecting and removing the enclosure's panels
3) Where to store the enclosure panels when they're removed
4) Long term maintenance: keeping zippers clean and operative, cleaning the plastic panels, canvas fading, etc
5) Possible interference when wanting to fish, troll, etc
6) Does it help with resale opportunities
7) Added bracing may be needed
8) The need for netting in bug-infested areas
9) Spoiling the view from the cockpit seating areas
10) Visual look/style
11) Added difficulty when docking with enclosure panels possibly in the way
Apart from my very first RT (R25 Classic) here in the PNW area I've elected to have full cockpit enclosures for my boats.
Why? ....
1) Adds extra real estate for passengers when weather such as rain, sunless days, wind, is prevalent.
2) More privacy when docked.
3) Provides extra safety for small children and pets from going overboard when panels are secured. My Fox Terrier 'Jake' is a 'jumper' and has no fear leaping from the cockpit if a seagull swoops down near to the boat. He can look and stare, but not jump out of the boat, as he would do so if the enclosure panels were not there. For me, this is 'peace of mind' when I'm solo with Jake, less likely to cause me to leave the helm to service his needs, no heart-attack situations for me, and can have the cabin door open... for more room for Jake to roam.
4) Can be used for extra sleeping quarters using fold-up cots in cockpit.
5) Provides for a warmer environment at times when underway.
6) Provides full protection for keeping the cockpit dry in inclement weather conditions and when in rough seas. I recall one time in my R21 EC negotiating a 4-6 feet stern wave kicked up by a commercial tug. The whole of the R21 EC nosed into the first wave and then crested and dove down into the next wave and was completely immersed in the water for long enough to fill the whole cockpit area with water had I not had the full cockpit enclosure for protection.
7) Helps people who might be having 'cabin fever'. 😱
8) Added security when docked and boat left unattended.
9) Beneficial if boat not kept in a covered slip at the home port.
10) Avoids the inevitable unwanted shower one can get when stepping onto the boat with water puddled on the Bimini. You simply do not want your invited passengers to get a water swamping moment as they step onto the boat from dockside... 'tis a bad start for the cruise event. I use my boat at times for charity and the invited people typically aren't boater types, could be celebrity types with fancy hair dos, so I don't want them having to have an unwanted water shower.
11) Can be used as an extra heated area when docked - using portable electric heater using shore power.
12) Individual panels can be unzipped and rolled up out of the way and secured easily to the top of the Bimini.
13) In addition, storing the panels is best done rolling them up tightly and sliding them down into the cave. In this way they take up very little room when stowed in this manner. Later, when being unrolled they will resist being straightened but this is only temporary as they will quickly hang straight when the plastic panels warm up.
14) When I fish, troll for salmon, I rolled up one side where I have my down rigger, and all is well.
15) I've developed a means to have my stern fenders deployed such that they are not kept in the cockpit. I swing them up outside the boat's side and use a rubber bungee tied to the bottom of the fender with the other end secured to the swim step hand rail. So when docking I simply detach the stern fenders from the swim step handrail, and they drop down to the desired position. Thus no need for cutouts in the panels to slide fenders in or out. There can be very small cutouts to allow dock lines from the gunnel cleats to the dockside cleats, etc.
16) I use 40 mil plastic panels as they are sturdy enough, and can be rolled more easily than thicker mil plastic panels.
17) The plastic panels are easily cleaned with the proper solution from spray bottle periodically to keep them looking pristine and clear.
18) Having the enclosure fully used when docked also protects the cockpit area from bird dropping and avoids other sea creatures thinking they've found a bed for the night. 😀
I had a full cockpit enclosure for my 2019 R29 CB and I can tell you, it took less than 10 mins to fully assemble the enclosure panels and not much longer to completely remove it and stow it away in the cave... and it was a strong selling point for me when I sold the boat.
One last piece of advice: Number the panels - 1, 2, 3, 4, etc with a Sharpie pen so that it's easy to know the order for where the panels go. I start on starboard side with #1 and proceed all the way round to the last one on port side. This numbering is important for the R29s as the panels slide into the pipe channel on the edge of the hard top Bimini.
Don't let the cost of a full cockpit enclosure deter you from all the benefits the enclosure can provide.
For me, I have no doubts..... and I will be having my new 2023 R25/OB equipped with a full cockpit enclosure.
Have now changed my R25/OB order from 'Hero Red' hull to the 'Light Gray' hull color and my enclosure canvas color will be a contrasting (slightly darker shade) Sunbrella Charcoal color. 😀