For cruising in the Pacific NW, we are fortunate to have a full enclosure on our boat. It means that it can be pouring down rain outside and we can be in our cockpit and stay essentially dry. This makes passages in the rain (which can be numerous in the Pacific NW) much, much more enjoyable.
View from inside the dodger
The upside of the enclosure is that it keeps our cockpit drier, while keeping the crew warmer & generally happier. There are also a couple of downsides – it makes sailing more difficult because it is harder to handle the lines on the winches when the enclosure is up and reduces visibility because of the side panels.
Wiping fog to help visibility
Using binoculars to improve visibility- looking for logs, kelp, boats, obstructions, etc.
The nice thing about our enclosure is that all of the side panels zip off and we can stow them in a locker below. This way we can have full access to all our winches and lines and we still have a windshield/sprayshield, the dodger, and a cover over our heads, the bimini.
Rainy Day in Finlayson Channel
Today we were super thankful for our enclosure because it rained steadily all day long and we were still warm & cozy while on passage and while anchored.
