Motion on center cockpit?

[massnspace]

Hello

I am considering the purchase of a center cockpit sailboat. Have never owned anything other than aft cockpits.

My wife gets in a (real) bad mood when the boat is rolling around too much….

I have read that being up higher in a CC boat can cause more motion. Is this true? If so, how much?

Also. We would be doing the great loop on this boat, so the mast would not be stepped for parts of it. I am also concerned the motion of the boat will be more extreme on that portion…although it will mostly be wakes, not open sea motion….

Anyone with experience in this is welcome to comment.

Thanks,

David
Seattle

[S/V Illusion]

My experience with both aft and CC is the difference is trivial with respect to motion. And as the mast will be stepped for part of your trip, that too will be a trivial matter.

[HankOnthewater]

Hi David, I sailed both aft and centre cockpit boats, had myself one of each.
I don't think there that much difference in motion. The difference is more in boat/hull design and displacement rather than in cockpit location.

There are 3 types of motion: pitch, yaw and roll.
In theory a more centered located cockpit will have less pitching motion, but more of a rolling motion, particular if the cockpit is high above the waterline. Here are 2 pics i borrowed off the net, showing a cockpit above the waterline, and one much lower.

For reduced windage, and for less rolling motion, I would pick the boat with a deep/low cockpit. Although that means often less room inside the boat.
For aesthetics I would pick an aft-cockpit, or, if a centre cockpit, one that is very low. Just some opinions here .

When the boat size is getting rather large, ie over 50 ft, these motion issues in regards to cockpit location become less important, and maybe over 65 ft, these are non-isues