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Final Trade · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 29 Location: Ingleside, Texas

We plan to fully enclose our center cockpit. We are struggling with do we really need an all glass enclosure as well as an all screen encloure. Perhaps just glass on the front panels and screens on the side and rear panels. We realize that where you are located determines glass vs screen but perhaps there's more use of the glass in the tropics due to rain. Our initial cruising will be the south & east coast of the US; then we will head south to the tropics. Is it worth spending the extra money for strata glass on the sides and rear panels? Is it better to have the glass and the screen each as a removable panel or glass and screen on one panel so it only gets rolled up? Is the new Sunbrella Supreme better for the top or Stamoid? We heard that Stamoid mildews easily but the Sunbrella still has to be sprayed with fabic protector so may not be waterproof. We plan on having the enclosure built on a rigid frame. We have a 42'. Would appreciate any comments or suggestions. Thanks, Jan

High Cotton · Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 7:01 pm Post subject:

I recently had a "Sunbrella" top installed and now considering a dodger ONLY......... I'm not sure I want a complete enclose, I might just extend the dodger 1/3 of the way down the sides.
Have you decided what to do? and, personally, I'm not doing screens, lived in FLORIDA all my life and never really had a bug problem on the water.

Final Trade · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 29 Location: Ingleside, Texas

We decided to go with a full enclosure with the strata glass and will consider screens at a later date.

Star of Siam · Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

We had a Total enclosure built by Fortune Co. Camden Me for our CC E-42.....because we cruz Penobscot Bay, we like the Idea of having another weather proof Room...we had screens made for a few of the side panels for those buggy times of early evening when there is no wind to drive them away...Its really nice to have that above decks roomy space on a rainy or foggy day Down East. ...or for sleeping on deck.....
My Parents E-42 had a Cockpit enclosure for 25 years and they loved theirs and we love ours

RTIME · Joined: 29 Jul 2007 Posts: 15 Location: Pasadena, Maryland

We have a full enclosed cockpit on our 43, came with the boat, so still has a few years left, its old but servicable, The winter before last I did have a couple of the windows on the bimini replaced with the new Strata-type. The existing ones are the old 'hard' version and very susceptible to cracking and breaking in colder climate.
It has worked excellent for the cooler months with all the windows down, also in the heavier rain albeit on the water or at the dock or hook.
The one modification we're planning is to add netting for the warmer summer evenings.
When the usable life of this one has reached its limit - I'd have the same configuration made with only a few exceptions.
1. The windows on the bimini - sides and aft should be removable - ours currently are not - they roll up nicely out of the way, but again if the weather turns colder later in the season and you don't unroll them soon enough - the chill hardens them to the point i'm always afraid of cracking or breaking them.
2. We have a small zip down opening in then center window of the dodger, this needs to be bigger - right now it works but its rather small when sailing in fog or that misty rain and need to get a clearer view then thru the plastic windows. also - a little larger would help a lot for the evening breezes to pass thru the enclosure.
3. Although the frame is in excellant shape and can readily be reused - I'd like to see about modifying it so it's easier and more compact to take down for being out without the bimini up.
4. Lastly - almost forgot - Definitely add a glass above the helm area to be able to get a better view of the mainsail when underway - although i can lean out the back of the enclosure and check my sails, the "admiral" is too short and can't see a thing above. Be the 1st thing I'd recommend to anyone having a new one made. ( If i have to replace another window before the end of the useful life - I will likely also add this window panel at the same time.
Hope this helps
Bob
RTIME; E43Ketch
Pasadena, MD
"y'all come visit anytime"

bsoulier · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:27 am Post subject: Cockpit enclosure

I have cruised the Caribbean the past 2 years and wouldn't have wanted an enclosure that I couldn't take down the sides. One thing I would find important with building a new cockput enclosure is how easy can I take off the sides to keep cool.
_________________
Bill Soulier
s/v Second Wind

bobfnbw · Joined: 10 Aug 2008 Posts: 75

Our boat currently has a bimini top that has zip on side screens in sunbrella, and the dodger is built in with zip in acrylic panels. Its color is blue.

One of my many projects in the next year it to totally redo it.
I want to First change colors to a off white, as it should be a little bit cooler under it. I want a seperate dodger, with side rails for support going foreward., with zip our front window in center. A seperate bimini top that will be higher than the dodger with a zip in piece for bad weather to seal the top, between the dodger and bimini, that can be left open for ventilation. The bimini will extend out to cover the aft cabin space above the hatch in the aft cabin. Zip in side curtains with zip in out windows to fully enclose the space.

I hope to make this ourselves using a sailrite machine.

http://www.sailrite.com/

Now I just have to learn how to sew.....

pwmullins · Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 10

I have a bimini top with a separate windshield. The windshield is 20 yrs old and has been rebuilt several times. I've replaced the 3 large plastic windows and zippers. On the inside of the bimini top I installed velcro arrow hook tape on the 3 sides away from the windshield side. I made curtains for mosquito netting and sewed the reverse velcro tape along the top. I put some lead weights in the bottom to hold the netting down in a breeze. It works quite well and I live in Charleston, SC and it's quite buggy. You will have to replace the velcro tape every 2 yrs. It won't stand up to the salt air environment.

The windshield wraps about 1/4 around the sides and the center window unzips and rolls up, leaving a breeze thru the middle of the cockpit when it's hot.