Why doesn't Tom Cunliffe Like Centre Cockpits?

[jonic]

Another advantage of many centre cockpit yachts is that the mainsheet is on a traveler behind the after cockpit

A major advantage if children or inexperienced crew are on board.

[affinite]

It's hard to generalise about cc verses ac designs. cc work better as crusing boats and are mor e practical in the larger sizes, but to address the issues you raised.

1. The cockpit is much less likely to be swamped in a cc design. In 5 years of full time sailing I have only had drops and i mean drops of water in the cockpit . If the cockpit does get swamped the weight near the centre of gravity of the boat is likely to cause few problems. I do agree cockpit drains are inadequate in many boats both cc and ac. An open transom design is not great for offshore sailing, but is great at anchor.

2. cc provide a great view of the boats extremities which is helps when docking, particaurly for larger yachts. A spring line is easier to get on in a cc design, but i do agree stern lines are harder.

3. Many cc boats I have seen have much greater deck storage than ac designs, reflecting their design as crusing boats, but this will obviously vary considerably with different models. In my cc boat I could probably fit a football team in the outside lockers.

There are no problems stretching out my 6 foot 2 inch frame in the cockpit.

"In my cc boat I could probably fit a football team in the outside lockers"

..... and they could probably park their minibus on your driveway at the stern

[Sybarite]

I like the idea of a cc boat but rather one without a walkthrough. In the length of boat I'm considering this would mean unduly raising the cockpit height, reducing both storage and privacy. Obviously I'm looking at older designs such as a Salar 40 or a Moody Halberdier 36 or a Rasmus/Nab 35. All of these have fixed doghouses for weather protection.

[Marsupial]

It's hard to generalise about cc verses ac designs. cc work better as crusing boats and are mor e practical in the larger sizes, but to address the issues you raised.

1. In 5 years of full time sailing I have only had drops and i mean drops of water in the cockpit . If the cockpit does get swamped the weight near the centre of gravity of the boat is likely to cause few problems. I do agree cockpit drains are inadequate in many boats both cc and ac. An open transom design is not great for offshore sailing, but is great at anchor.

Its not about mines bigger than yours but I have 52 years sailing and a CC full water really upsets your day, it hasn't happened to you yet but think about it - under what conditions do you think you would have a cockpit full of water? now think about how long it takes to drain while you now have a boat thats a couple of tons heavier above the water line in those conditions. 6 mtr breaking waves did it for me.

I have achieved this unhappy state twice in a Victor 40 and a Mirage 30 not nice but both survived and I would sail another without hesitation.

the walk through transom of my current boat has a seat that slides up and down, when up there is a 18" x 12" hole for water to escape, it does in seconds tested it once (and it wasn't weather that caused the problem it was a Dunkirk Dover ferry passing to fast to close).

[noelex]

Its not about mines bigger than yours but I have 52 years sailing and a CC full water really upsets your day, it hasn't happened to you yet but think about it - under what conditions do you think you would have a cockpit full of water? now think about how long it takes to drain while you now have a boat thats a couple of tons heavier above the water line in those conditions. 6 mtr breaking waves did it for me.

I have achieved this unhappy state twice in a Victor 40 and a Mirage 30 not nice but both survived and I would sail another without hesitation.

the walk through transom of my current boat has a seat that slides up and down, when up there is a 18" x 12" hole for water to escape, it does in seconds tested it once (and it wasn't weather that caused the problem it was a Dunkirk Dover ferry passing to fast to close).

I do agree cockpit drains are inadequate in some boats.
My cockpit well holds about 0.75 tons of water. There are two 2 1/2 inch drains that would drain it reasonably quickly.
One way of looking at the weight would be thinking of 10 or 12 crew all sitting or lying down in the cockpit, not a great problem for 47 foot boat. Unlike AC boat the weight is near the pitch centre so there is no risk of sinking the stern down.

I think there would be other things of much more concern like how I would stand up to a ton of water landing on top of me.

[Lakesailor]

I read in Yachting monthly that Tom Cunliffe does not like centre cockpit yachts

He likes to piss over the stern out of the back of the cockpit

[Marsupial]

I think there would be other things of much more concern like how I would stand up to a ton of water landing on top of me.

yes agreed thats the one thats gets you, a ton of water is only a cubic metre, a big wave has many cubic metres

[ianat182]

Though I like centre cockpit yachts, Moodys and Westerlys particularly, disadvantages show up when mooring up with family or guests having to jump down the extra height when mooring up, and returning aboard when leaving.
Older crew are more likely to pull joints and muscles at this stage than during any other part of the cruise, and a slippery pontoon adds to the risk.
As regards the boom this is a possibility particularly on the M376 where a friend of mione gained a new painful hair parting during the RTIR with much red stuff flowing about.
All in all the extra in accommodation and general living space below are the things which will persuade the other half that a Centre cockpit arrangement is a 'good thing', hence she will come sailing regularly.
Regretfully I have a small aft cockpit Westerly so seldom have other half aboard-(vertigo).

ianat182

[GrahamM376]

Though I like centre cockpit yachts, Moodys and Westerlys particularly, disadvantages show up when mooring up with family or guests having to jump down the extra height when mooring up, and returning aboard when leaving. Older crew are more likely to pull joints and muscles at this stage than during any other part of the cruise, and a slippery pontoon adds to the risk.

As regards the boom this is a possibility particularly on the M376 where a friend of mione gained a new painful hair parting during the RTIR with much red stuff flowing about.

We're "older" but still very active and these problems are easily overcome.

We use a step fender for boarding and also when coming alongside so it's an easy step down for SWMBO. Boom not a problem (famous last words!) as bimini comes between our heads and the boom.

[VADROUILLE]

We're "older" but still very active and these problems are easily overcome.

We use a step fender for boarding and also when coming alongside so it's an easy step down for SWMBO. Boom not a problem (famous last words!) as bimini comes between our heads and the boom.

+1 Our 38 is the same, bimini stops you getting knocked over board. And having 2 women on board i have to have a fender step for them to get there leg over. The guardrails before anyone pulls me on that..........