No more sun and water in your face: journey into the world of cockpit covers. PHOTOS

Rigid, soft, carbon, aluminum, fabric, plastic, resealable, you name it. If one of your goals in sailing is comfort, understood this time as the ability to shelter from the sun and salt water, having the right covers on board is critical. Integrated into the boat already by design or added later, today’s solutions are varied and one is spoiled for choice also because the boat builders themselves often suggest the most original solutions. Going on a cruise and getting sunburned or “washed out” if we sail in even minimally challenging conditions is something no boater enjoys. This is why canopies and awnings, now renamed in a more modern key as “bimini” and “sprayhood,” have existed for decades, but their shapes and ergonomic solutions are increasingly evolving. Obviously, a part of the sailing public hardly digests them, considering these solutions as unsightly, which is partly true in some cases, but because of this, the companies that produce these accessories have been ingenious in finding structures that are less and less bulky or with an aesthetic that is somewhat homogeneous with the characteristics of sailing boats.

THE SPRAYHOOD.

Let’s start with the definition: the sprayhood is what is vulgarly referred to as a “canopy,” which is that semi-rigid structure that attaches to the deckhouse and shelters the cockpit from water spray coming from the bow. Introduced by Nordic boats, it has become in common use on all cruising boats. It is constructed with a frame, a rigid structure usually made of aluminum, a fabric part, and transparent windows usually made of PVC. The soft parts, namely fabric and windows, are the weak point of the canopy as they tend to deteriorate due to weathering, so it is important to always choose first-rate materials even at the cost of spending a little more, but we will return to this point shortly. However, the sprayhood does not protect the helmsman, or does so only minimally, and in some cases can partially obstruct the view toward the bow. For this reason, it is crucial not to overdo it in its sizing, glutted by the pursuit of comfort.

THE BIMINI

“Vulgarly” understood as a canopy, it is meant to protect the crew from the sun, providing a shaded area in the cockpit and up to the deckhouse. It can be made in a variety of ways, but the most classic one is along the lines of the canopy, that is, aluminum frame and fabric for the cover, again there can be transparent windows. Normally it can be fixed/reclosable, positioned at the far aft end, or detachable altogether with attachment points on the deck mid-cockpit. In case a roll barr is present, use this structure as an advanced attachment point.

MATERIALS.

In the case of both bimini and sprayhood, it can be easy to give in to the temptation of a self-built solution. With a little ingenuity and the right dexterity, a good result can be achieved, but be careful with the materials. The choice of these is critical, starting with a rigid structure made of stainless material. The real Achilles’ heel, however, is the soft part, the fabric and PVC window parts: sun and weathering can deteriorate it in a matter of very few seasons, but choosing the right material is important for other reasons as well: Waterproofness, breathability and water repellency. In practice, the fabric component must under no circumstances absorb water, on pain of devastating mold growth, but at the same time it must obviously be waterproof and breathable. Therefore, not just any fabric is needed, but one suitable for outdoor use and especially in the nautical field. Additional critical points are accessories: zippers, Velcro straps, metal buttons. If you don’t want to turn all these items into piles of rust make sure the materials are stainless, otherwise the surprises will be really unpleasant. As an alternative to the classic solutions we have described, carbon fiber structures, a material widely used in the nautical field that is ultra-light and weather-resistant, have also been developed in recent years.

BEYOND BIMINI AND SPRAYHOOD

As we also describe in the photo focuses of this article, there are a variety of other solutions that cover the functions of bimini and sprayhood, the choice is ultimately a matter of taste and budget. The hard top is the solution of the more “extreme” cruiser. It is a fixed rigid structure, a kind of canopy, that shelters the cockpit from the sun. It can be equipped with an opening fabric window; its major disadvantage is that it offers its surface to the wind when the breeze becomes tense. Alternatively, as we mentioned above, there is the hybrid solution, that is, of a folding awning that rests on the roll bar. Rollbar, which in turn, toward the bow, can also provide support for the sprayhood. If, on the other hand, you do not like this type of superstructure, there is the light solution proposed by some shipyards: the rigid and fixed sprayhood, made of transparent plastic material, aesthetically very eye-catching and low impact, generally very effective, on average much more expensive.

PROTECTED EVEN IN REGATTAS

Those who race also have a need to protect themselves, particularly if we are talking about ocean racing. The best known case is that of Andrea Mura on his Open 50 Vento di Sardegna, an older generation boat lacking cockpit protection. “Mindful of the polar temperatures of the 2013 Ostar, I opted to make a “geodesic” shaped canopy that would allow me to stay in the cockpit even in the cold and gale. I wanted it glazed (steel and strataglass) so I could always look around. It weighs roughly 25 pounds, but it allows me to experience the boat 100 percent,” as he tells us in the focus on the following two pages. This is not an isolated case; the IMOCA 60 class has led the way on this point: the new generation of boats have a rigid, transparent, extendable cover that protects the cockpit entirely. Even for days, skippers can keep their noses out and have perfect control over every maneuver of the boat without suffering the slightest pain. In fact, all maneuvers are designed to remain within the shelter of the structure, except of course for sail changes.

ANDREA MURA TEACHES US

“It all came about after Ostar 2013,” Andrea Mura tells us. “A hell of a thing, inside the boat the temperature was never more than 11 degrees, outside water and wind in my face perpetually, always upwind, and I must admit that I also suffered from the windchill when sheltering inside. I said to myself, never again to the Ostar, but then I reconsidered, as long as I do it my way“. Thus was born the idea and the need to transform the Open 50 Vento di Sardegna, with an accessory ostensibly for cruising but actually proving to be essential in racing as well: a cockpit cover. “I like to go beyond convention, and so I tried to imagine something to the point of thinking of this actual cockpit, entirely transparent, as if it were a greenhouse. It has a dual function, shielding me from splashing and simultaneously allowing the temperature in the cockpit to rise. I designed it and it was made by the Andrea Mura Veleria team, constructed of steel tubes and a special, ultra-transparent plastic material, a kind of soft glass that is also used by the Bertram shipyard. Fixed on deck with through pins and bolts, can be opened sideways when I sail in warmer areas or there is little wind. After an early version that left the steering wheel winches uncovered, I improved it by increasing the coverage and improving the waterproofing at the base“. And comfort on board benefited. “Comfort but also performance. I could stay in the cockpit perfectly dry all the time even without wearing a oilskin, I was fine, I did not suffer the sea because I was not obliged to spend long periods inside the boat. But at the same time I could constantly adjust the sails, make micro corrections to continuously gain speed. When you are exhausted and you know you have to go out and caulk a few inches of sheet knowing you have to get wet at certain times you may decide not to and then you lose speed. On the other hand, if you are well, you are dry, you can constantly work on the boat, and the result in the end will be remarkable.” What result are we talking about? “At the 2017 Ostar I held a 3-knot higher average speed, and credit is also due to this coverage, which allowed me to be much more efficient and active on adjustments, as well as feeling significantly better and comfortable throughout the race“.

Mauro Giuffrè

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