if you have bought the cockpit enclosure ? was it worth it ?

[Highlander]

love my full enclosure
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee20 ... 0038-1.jpg

The boom clears the bimini so no issues sailing with it up
http://vid235.photobucket.com/albums/ee ... 010101.mp4

http://vid235.photobucket.com/albums/ee ... 010100.mp4

http://vid235.photobucket.com/albums/ee ... 010093.mp4

J

[bahama bound]

Seems we are on parallel paths.
I upgraded to a second axle, just added air conditioning, and this past week bought the Honda EU-2000 generator.
What AC system did you install? I posted my install recently - a dual hose unit. Have yet to test out officially (maybe this weekend).

You do have me beat with the ETEC90, I am one of the underprivileged ETEC60 crowd

I have stayed away from the full enclosure. It would be nice to have protection from spray when motoring in rough conditions but it seems this enclosure would really limit access. When camping overnight on the boat, I usually rig a nylon tarp aft of the mast and over the bimini.

Have you considered a Dometic cooler/refrigerator (I have the CF50)?

I scored a really nice Engel at a local pawn shop ! I did the one where I put a swinging door in place of the drop panel in the companion way .the unit is mounted in the door so we don't have to step over it and the 5500 btu unit is so light and small its out of the way .in August it can make the out side of the boat condensate and bead up with sweat it gets so cold !but I have a Honda EU 1000 and it pulls it fine I like the 1000 cause it only weighs like 29 lbs .i think our RV a,c takes a min. Of 3500-4000

[Catigale]

I can't imagine having 6 terms in board for a week without our enclosure.

I bought it from the old Havencraft back in 2002 for 1700 USD.

[Russ]

YES.

The number one passenger comfort modification.

Extends your season, pleases the spouse, keeps you drier.

Went from the BWY narrow dodger to BWY wide dodger and full enclosure. Highly recommend it.

hey WnW. Good to hear from you. How are you doing? Hope you are still sailing.

[Chinook]

For cruising on Northwest waters, the enclosure is definitely worthwhile, for all the reasons already listed. Still a good idea in the Southeast, but I'd rate good bug net enclosures right up there with the enclosure. We've probably used our netting more than our enclosure when cruising down south.

[RGF]

I would love to get a Dowser enclosure for my X but unfortunately they no longer have the patterns.(burned I think) Being tall, theirs would've been the best for me.
Only choice now is custom.

[Dennis]

Have had the BWY full enclosure since the boat was new. Love it! Makes the boat user friendly during the winter months.

[dlandersson]

If I read this correctly - you love your full enclosure?

love my full enclosure
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee20 ... 0038-1.jpg

The boom clears the bimini so no issues sailing with it up
http://vid235.photobucket.com/albums/ee ... 010101.mp4

http://vid235.photobucket.com/albums/ee ... 010100.mp4

http://vid235.photobucket.com/albums/ee ... 010093.mp4

J

[seahouse]

We have the Dowsar full enclosure. The dodger and bimini stay up all season, the connector piece goes in whenever we leave the boat (at the slip), and comes out whenever we are sailing or motoring. The side panels are normally stored below rolled up with layers of landscape cloth-type material that stops the window plastic from touching itself.

Around here it's protection from the heat of the sun that's important, and the bimini provides that.

The full enclosure panels make the Admiral more comfortable when overnighting, as they go in when we are sleeping or staying on the boat, and provide dry, waterproof shelter even in heavy rain, and can give some extra privacy when staying at a busy marina.

The disadvantage? Don't plan on launching in anything like 20 minutes. You'll burn up time just erecting the framework even before the canvas goes on.

- B.

[Highlander]

I would love to get a Dowser enclosure for my X but unfortunately they no longer have the patterns.(burned I think) Being tall, theirs would've been the best for me.
Only choice now is custom.

Check out Genco Marine they have patterns for the

J

[Herschel]

I am pretty sure I am "preaching to the choir" here, but I have enjoyed and used the cockpit enclosure more than any other option than, perhaps, the jib furler and boomkicker! So, I just had to add my own experience about this topic. Like previous posters, I have used the bimini, dodger and connecting piece to keep sun and refuse from creating problems for me. I keep my boat at a slip in a marina in Florida. The dodger and bimini are essential for sunny days in the late spring through early fall. The connecting piece really helps keep the boat, especially the cockpit area, stay clean and relatively free of the odd refuse and undesired "guano"! That helps when you want to go out and don't want to take 30 minutes to go through "sweepers, man your brooms, get a clean sweep down fore aft"! I do take the connecting piece down for sailing and motoring to make room for the main sheet and to enable easy access to the boat. I use the full enclosure whenever I spend a night aboard. That is nearly always when on trips, of course, but it really adds to the useable room. I convert the table to a bed for my "Cleopatra", and we eat on a little collapsible table attached to the pedestal in the cockpit. My enclosure has screening with plastic windows that roll up, so there is plenty of ventilation unless it is raining hard. The cockpit enclosure makes it feel so much more open when sleeping and living aboard. I can't imagine doing what I have done without it. I do not know the original cost; the PO had purchased it when I bought the boat in 2003. I would like to say that with all the use I have given it in the last 11 years, the Sunbrella fabric has held up well. I have had to patch places where the backstay rubbed on the bimini and one place where the stitching for one of the overhead frames loosened up on me, but that was minor.

[bartmac]

We found that a dodger (one that overlaps the door sorry hatchway) is a necessity and with the addition of 2 biminis (front sliding one and fixed rear) it creates a reasonable covered space....easy to put up and down,able to be up when sailing/motoring,sun protection but with no sides you end up with a wet bottom and or cushions.

[Hugh]

We sprung for the full BWY enclosure this year. As has been mentioned all the positives.
Installed it myself with trepidation. (Having not seen one installed on a boat)I shouldn't have worried. Easy to follow instructions. a little common sense and it was done.
The hardest part was drilling holes in the boat itself.
Hugh

[richter372001]

On the Adriatic, I do not typically use in the main season (June to end of August), but it comes in handy when overnighting in May or September, because of the dew. Of course, helps with the privacy, wards off cold, lowers the outside noise, etc.
I would not use it in any serious wind, because it creates a huge area of wind resistance, be it while sailing, motoring or at anchor.
I have a 6-piece full enclosure that takes cca 15 min to put up and dismantle. The only one I use constantly is the bimini. The side pieces plus the back piece go up as sun protection. All of them also have roll up windows...

[Herschel]

I would like to say that with all the use I have given it in the last 11 years, the Sunbrella fabric has held up well.

On a recent trip to the boat when I got caught in the rain, i discovered that the bimini was leaking like a sieve in the 2 or 3 low points over the cockpit. I contacted Sailrite, a purveyor of Sunbrella and similar products, and they related that there is a product that restores the water shedding attributes to Sunbrella. So while the Sunbrella doesn't have any holes in it, it looks like it does need its water shedding properties updated at least after 16 years! I bought some and will be trying it out in the next few days.

http://www.sailrite.com/Protectants#!Protectants