The sun, the rain and the bugs.
You can slather on sunscreen, wear a wide hat, don a raincoat, and apply DEET, but wouldn't it be nice to be able to utilize the cockpit in inclement weather? Wouldn't it be nice to sleep out there?
I fashioned a set of pine boards that span the foot well in the cockpit, giving a big flat surface for sleeping. The boards are fastened together with nylon webbing such that they hinge accordion-style. A strip of vinyl trim glued to the side of the foot well provides a lip for the boards to rest on, yet is very unobtrusive when not in use.
The next step was a bimini. I found one on Craigslist which came off a bigger sailboat, giving me lots of parts and material to work with. There were lots of challenges here, including how to handle the back stay, which goes right through it. This addition to Eclipse necessitated raising the mast crutch, so the mast could be lowered without completely disassembling the bimini. Raising the forward mast support (used when trailering or canaling) got the mast out of the way of us moving about the cockpit and foredeck, and allowed us to raise the pop-top while in canaling mode. The bimini is wholly aft of the boom, so it only gives shade to the aft third of the cockpit.
Now the boom tent. This is supported by the bimini, the mast, and the side stanchions. Nylon webbing straps provide a foundation, with quick-release buckles, hooks and snaps. A blue plastic tarp is custom cut and sewn to these straps. I also added tie ups so that the sides can be rolled up for visibility.
