I


will admit to being a skeptic for many years – I viewed full enclosures as counter to the true


spirit of sailing. If you’re not braving the elements you are missing the point of sailing, or so I thought. Now maybe it’s age or, heaven forbid, I might be widening my views, but last fall I started to change my thinking. Part of this change started while


planning our trip to Alaska. For those who have looked at this trip closely, it is a long trip requiring many 8 to 12 hour days underway strung together. To aide our planning we had been re- reading the journal/log of friends who had made the trip a couple years earlier. They had a boat similar to ours but had only a dodger for protection. The log described several days of frequently changing soggy gloves, hats, and other gear in wet, cold conditions. This really did not sound like fun. One factor that helped was our boat


already had a Bimini with a connector to the dodger. Therefore, all we needed to purchase to complete the enclosure were the side and back panels. This probably cut the price in half when compared with having to start with a dodger only. So, as a Christmas present to ourselves, we ordered the panels. Since we had never sailed with an


enclosure, we didn’t really know what to expect. But it did not take long to be pleasantly surprised by the results. We left on April 30th


and, as you may


remember, last spring was not exactly warm or dry – but we were pretty comfortable inside the enclosure. We spent much of the trip wearing jeans and sweatshirts or T-shirts. My friends who own trawlers frequently rub it in that they can stand at the wheel in bad weather and be warm – now we were able to do the same. They were right, it was quite enjoyable. Now, I don’t want to over sell


this. The enclosure did make a huge difference – it kept the wind off of us and heat did come up the companionway. It was probably 10 degrees warmer inside the cockpit but on cold, nasty days we still needed a coat or some layers. Now, if you do want it even warmer, it is practical to add heater vents in the cockpit. And regardless of temperature, the enclosure did keep us dry – and this can be a big deal when it is wet outside.


Full Cockpit Enclosures Warm and Dry Winter Sailing


We are fortunate here in the Northwest because we can


sail year-round. And while winter sailing may not seem as appealing as a mid-July jaunt, it has some advantages. For example, if you decide to do a weekend cruise, the anchorages are likely to be wide open and local harbors have reduced rates. But getting there does require braving the cool weather. This month we will discuss one way to stay warm and dry on these winter forays – a full enclosure for the cockpit.


By Mike Huston 48° NORTH, FEBRUARY 2012 PAGE 37


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