Glossary · Hull & structure
Cockpit
Also called: cockpit fermé, enclosed cockpit
The space set into the deck from which the boat is steered and trimmed.
The cockpit gathers the controls: helm, winches, sheets, halyards. Single-handed, it is also where the sailor lives.
Since the early 2020s, IMOCAs have fully enclosed cockpits: the skipper works under cover, behind windows, without going outside. The boats have become so fast and wet that an open cockpit would be dangerous.
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No source yet · updated 30 Sept 2026