: Hey Thanks Guys.

: Ya the outide line is the recess. But the cockpit is still 30"
: long. I guess in the end I can make it any shape I want right.

: Mike

Thirty inches seems to be a fairly normal cockpit size. Some some plans show 30 as the small and 33 as the large.

Depending on the design and intended use I usually make my cockpits between 22 and 26 inches long. If the rear deck is low and the foredeck high one can go smaller and still get into the boat easily enough. Also if the boat is big and deep it is easier to get into a small opening than a flat low decked boat.

It is worth checking how much space is intended to be left behind the seating position. Some designers leave quite a lot of space behind the back band to allow for layback rolls and also possibly for seat adjustment. I've seen up to five or six inches.

So if you decide to reduce the cockpit size you may want to take some off the back too. On the one I am building at the moment I will probably take two or three inches off the rear and leave it 25 inches long

If your cockpit is small it needs to be very well placed for trim as you will have little room for adjusting your seat fore or aft.

The benefits of a small cockpit are felt while under way. I really like having the deck space close for maps, camera water, paddlepark etc. I also prefer a small spray deck. The liability of a small cockpit is felt when trying to get back in after a capsize, when you can't sit in and bring your feet in afterwards, the feet have to go in first.

The Boat in the photo has a cockpit 24 inches in length. Seated comfortably one is nearly touching the coaming at the back.

Some things to think about maybe.

Et