Cockpit enclosures

[tckearney]

 I have been looking at cockpit enclosures.  I note that C&J Marine make an "off the shelf" spray hood and cockpit enclosure for most Bavaria's.  Has anybody used these and can offer any feedback. 

[Odysseus]

I will stay C&J are very good, go out if their way to to help, and they have the templates for your boat.

Phone them and ask to speak to Wayne Strickland, he will sort you out.

He helped me in my design and made it great.

Say Odysseus recommended him.

Odysseus
Bav38

[Yngmar]

My 40 Ocean came with a cockpit tent from C&J (and a Bimini, and a cover for the Bimini). Certainly good work overall. Few points of critique: They've used plastic zips (good) with aluminium sliders (bad), so the sliders have gone crumbly with exposure to saltwater - make sure you get plastic sliders instead. Also none of the stainless pieces were marked, giving me a fun day of puzzling (between Bimini and cockpit tent I had rather a lot of variously shaped tubes to stick together). On the Centre Cockpit models it's important to take care that these things do not interfere with the main sheet - the cockpit tent just about gets this right, while the Bimini totally interferes and I haven't come up with a good solution for that yet. Tubes fitting should be riveted on and not just attached with grub screws.

The tent also attaches to the top of the sprayhood, and since my sprayhood has been replaced under previous ownership and nobody told the guy that made it that there was a cockpit tent, this is now missing the zip to attach the tent. Getting that done by a local canvas maker is taking ages, so make sure you get that done together (you'll probably have to send in your sprayhood).

[MarkTheBike]

...and keep it all sprayed with waterproofer. I didn't know so my C&J got wet and has shrunk like buggery. New sprayhood this year and probably new tent next year. Waterproofer is expensive (I think) but a damned sight cheaper than replacement of canvas.

[Salty]

C&J made a cockpit enclosure for my B36(2002) from a pattern they held in stock and without any visit to the boat (my request) to check those measurements. It duly arrived and I fitted it myself from their detailed instructions. The stainless tubular supports they provided with the enclosure were marked with plastic tape, red for port side, green for starboard, 1 strip for the forward arch and two strips for the after arch. It fitted a treat back in 2011, and still fits well, though there has been some wear in way of the winches for the Genoa sheets, and the bungee cords securing the bottom edges to the cockpit coaming are showing some signs of needing renewal. During the season the enclosure remains in place except when I go sailing, so it's up at least 90% of the time, and for three of the winters it has remained in place continuously. It still looks good, though I haven't used any waterproofer on it yet (thanks Mark, I'll take a look at doing that). All in all I can thoroughly recommend C&J Marine.

[dawntreader]

I also have a C&J full enclosure - but they fitted it for me  Thoroughly recommended  I do use it fully 'up' on longer passages (especially at night) and with the side panels out as sun protection, makes the shift much more comfortable. For waterproofing I use a product called 'Fabsil'.

[Symphony]

Suggest you look at Tec Sew in Gosport. They now do all the canvas work for Clipper (and Sea Ventures for Jeanneau) You may well find their custom design service will allow you to get what you want rather than using an existing pattern. Did all the canvas work on my new 33 and very pleased with it.

[blue-max]

C & J made the original enclosure and spray hood and maybe bimini. Enclosure is well made and survived 10 years in the lazarette with zips still working! But if they were responsible for frame design then they goofed and the bimini is not good - needs to be independent of spray hood with a frame near the vang -or have zipped windows in the spray hood as you need shade and airflow. In order for the mainsheet to  clear  the structure (centre cockpit) I am opting for a longer boom or extension and have a hardtop  with canvas sides. Need also to  consider headroom within the enclosure - mine does not have fully standing height.

[Ripster]

C&J did my spray hood and aft closure - not cheap, but came recommended.  Overall the products are OK although in 4 years 3 zips have failed - easily repaired, but very expensive if you ask them.  Two main complaints: 1 - the sprayhood windows have now gone completely milky and need replacing in less than 5 years.  2 - the design of the aft closure/bimini is poor as it does not allow the bimini to remain up under sail as it is too high and hits the boom.  Fine when you are moored up (although a pain to mess about keep rainsing the boom). In addition,  it has been made in too many separate parts with too many zips compared with others I have seen.  I will live with it for now with any repairs as needed, which I do myself, but any replacement will be a new improved design probably by someone else.