Finally got my new Cooper in the water today - this is a GREAT boat!
Conditions were very windy (25 knots with gusts to 35 knots!) and still quite cool (only about 12 C), so not the most ideal conditions, but the boat was great and exceeded my expectations. She handled the wind and chop with ease and felt very stable (and fast!!).
I put a closed-cell foam mat on the floor of the cockpit and let it run up over the seat bottom. This provided good insulation from the still very cold water and also gave some extra padding to the seat, making the cockpit very comfortable. I also used a "Seal Skin" spray deck, which covers about the front half of the cockpit. This also worked very well in keeping the cockpit dry without having to use a full skirt. It worked well even when I was trying it with my GP.
Despite the less than ideal conditions, it was a good first outing - and did I say I love the boat!
