I beg patience if the below is ignorant of sailing. I am making my best guesses.

It makes sense for Australians to design boats without enclosed cockpits, but what excuse does Steinar have?

I look at these beautiful renderings, and I wonder if he never sails in his homeland? Frost giant blood? That 60' racer looks cold!

Or, perhaps I am mistaken, and there is no need for a warm enclosed cockpit?

|​There are numerous solutions. Whipstaffs, tillers, wheel(s) are all feasible. As the rudders can be moved fore and aft for balance, tillers are possible in much longer boats than normal.

Are the rudders moved for and aft to get balance while sailing, or beforehand? I am slightly familiar with a small cat tiller and kick up. But I was not aware of a tiller adjustment for balance while under way.

|​They are the simplest (assuming bidirectional rudders, so minimal movement), but the extensions are fragile. ​

The tiller extensions are fragile? Like, they can break in use? Or if someone trips over them? I remember reading Richard Woods suggesting keeping some 3/8" socket wrench universal joints for fixing tillers.

Tiller extensions seem like a warm weather multihull standard. But I am having trouble see them as great in a cold weather sudden squall or with guests walking about enjoying a ride, like the blind date video.

But what are the options? Strings to whipstaffs? Autopilot control remotes?

|​Whipstaffs are a single spoke wheel, with varying leverage possible. Also simple.

I was thinking of the reduced square footage needed to be dedicated to control for a small HP. I imagine the loads are light, so wont need leverage, just a small amount of friction? Perhaps both could be placed almost directly beside each other? But would they also need for aft movement to adjust rudder balance?

|​An Ex 40 does not have the space for a wheel flip, but it would be easy enough to sit in the cabin and steer with the tiller extension.

And close the door, to keep the saloon warm?

|​You would need to venture outside to adjust the sheets and shunt, but that is only one step.

This is probably the simplest option. I would probably have a hard top anyway, for sun/rain protection. Bimini adds even more protection. It is a blast of cold in the saloon each time the door is opened.

| You could also arrange cleats inside the cabin, which would limit your exposure even more. A pram hood over the entrance is another option if you sail a lot in the rain.

Second set of cleats inside? Lines through holes in the saloon?

I have been advised by a couple of sailors on this list of the value of an enclosed cockpit. My ignorance of the domain makes me loath to disregard that advice. Us crazy Northerners are know to venture out in the cold. Even swim in icewater. Perhaps the stupid cold to some. Many a fall and spring day start in frost, and peak warm. So I think my day sail cabin needs to be able to be both sealed up warm and breezy cooled.

Planning to sail in the rain means I probably never will.