In the future I'll make sure to design to stock cockpit sizes...though I generally prefer large cockpits for my own boats. This cockpit is very large because of the intended use...and arthritic knees. I have a specific marathon race (262 miles, and a few shorter ones over the first 16 miles) where I run a chute in a dam...about a 6' drop, and the last 8 or 10 miles across a bay. I will need the spray skirt there for sure.