Dodger Considerations

[Dean Abramson]

We would like to buy a dodger for our CD31.

I would appreciate any general suggestions on what to look for in dodgers. We have never had a dodger on any of our boats.

It seems to me that I want to look OVER the dodger when standing at the wheel, no? Are there rules of thumb re height? John V's book recommends nose height; that, or a little lower, seems right to me, but like I say, I have never had one. Also, if I go with nose height for my wife, not me, will that be too short for sitting underneath it. Some dodgers I see in the anchorages appear to be of a height that would make it necessary to always look thru the dodger, not over.

Also, when viewed from fore or aft, I like, aesthetically, those that are fairly curved; that is, more rounded, less boxy. It seems also the the rounded ones would make going forward a little less constricted. But I am also wondering if anyone with such a dodger finds it too claustrophobic while underneath it. In particular, if I am reclining on the cockpit seat, with my back against the cabin, reading, is the dodger going to bug me? That is, too severely limit my elbow room or head room?

I am leaning towards the configuration that has a large front window, but just one downward-facing-triangle window aft of that on each side. And then having the section of canvas aft of that be removable. But I wonder, if I have a removable section, am I going to remove it once or twice and then just say the heck with it and always leave it attached anyway? It seems that with the boarding gate being where it is, the ability to remove that section on the starboard side would facilitate easier loading and unloading of people and stuff from the launch.

Anyway, we are new to dodgers, so any input would be much appreciated.

Dean

[Neil Gordon]

Dean,

I've had my dodger for as long as I've owned the boat (12 years) and am just replacing it, so I've thought through what I like about it what I don't.

>>It seems to me that I want to look OVER the dodger when standing at the wheel, no?<<

Yes, standing, you want to be able to see over the dodger without obstruction. That's difficult if your crew ranges in height, which it usually does. (The worst is to have the frame fall at eye level where you can't easily see over or under.) A possible compromise is to increase the curve of the bow so that the sides are a bit lower than the center.

>>John V's book recommends nose height; ...<<

Sure, but whose nose?

>>Some dodgers I see in the anchorages ...<<

I'd make friends and see what's out there on boats that are about the same size. Look over, sit under, look through, etc., and talk to the owners. Measure and make a record of what you like and vice versa.

>>I am leaning towards the configuration that has a large front window, ...<<

My center window zips. The old one rolled up and blocked both view and air flow; the new one flips over the top of the dodger and has small tie downs to keep it in place. I'd say that about 40% of the front section is between the zippers.

>>And then having the section of canvas aft of that be removable.<<

My old one had removable sides. The new one eliminated that feature but I have wrap around windows instead of the zippers. I never used the dodger without the sides.

>>... the ability to remove that section on the starboard side would facilitate easier loading and unloading of people and stuff from the launch.<<

True except you'll probably never do that. In any case, it's not that difficult to remove the dodger, or at least unsnap the starboard side if you want to clear a path.

[Stan W.]

If I was looking for a dodger for a CD 31, I would want an exact copy of the one the Kyaskys had on their CD 31 Kyky when I saw it two summers ago in Maine. Without a doubt the best looking dodger I have ever seen on a CD.

[Carter Brey]

I had one made for Delphine last year. I went with Island Nautical, mostly to keep the cost down and because they are literally next door to my boatyard on City Island.

Once we'd gotten past the first hurdle-- the fact that they made a mistake and made one for a Sabre 38 instead of a Sabre 28-- things went relatively smoothly. One of the ways in which they reduce costs, in addition to using on-file measurements for standard production boats like ours, is to expect owners to do the installation themselves. Unlike many of my projects, this went fine the first time around. The challenge was planning for an elegant way to allow fair passage of my aft-led control lines. I dry-fit the dodger and marked the places where the lines needed to pass; then they made reinforced openings.

The only really irksome problem was the fact that the standard pattern led the side wings as far aft as the primary winches, with the tips actually overlapping the winch drums. This made headsail trimming tedious, and 360-degree grinding impossible. The reason for this was Island Nautical's desire to provide significant athwartships shelter. They made a conscious decision to compromise winch access.

After a month's experience with this configuration, I'd had enough and simply moved my primaries (and their attendant cleats) 12 inches aft. That solved the problem, and actually made singlehanded sail trimming from the wheel much easier. I feel that this is the major issue to deal with in setting up a dodger with side wings. Being able to see over the top when standing at the helm is also critical.

I love having a dodger. It makes beating into chop less onerous, provides shade on hot windless days, and allows you to keep the companionway open on rainy ones.

Herewith, a few blurry cellphone snapshots.

[img]http://pws.prserv.net/cbrey/Photo_070408_003.jpg[/img]

[img]http://pws.prserv.net/cbrey/dodger5.jpg[/img]

[img]http://pws.prserv.net/cbrey/dodger6.jpg[/img]

[img]http://pws.prserv.net/cbrey/dodger9.jpg[/img]

[img]http://pws.prserv.net/cbrey/dodger11.jpg[/img]

[img]http://pws.prserv.net/cbrey/dodger13.jpg[/img]

[img]http://pws.prserv.net/cbrey/dodger15.jpg[/img]

[img]http://pws.prserv.net/cbrey/dodger16.jpg[/img]

[img]http://pws.prserv.net/cbrey/dodger20.jpg[/img]

[Steve Laume]

Error on the lower side.

My dodger effectively turns my two speed winches into some funky duel action single alternating speed winches. You can brace the dodger back to the cabin top so you can release the tie downs to get the handle swing.

Moving the winches aft is a great idea.

What I did this year was to add a second pair along with another set of cleats. I can now use the two speed function of the secondaries. They are also right in line with the binnacle so they can be worked from either side of the wheel. This arrangement should make single handing really sweet as well as giving another set of winches to play with.

The dodger is one of the most comfortable additions you could possibly make to your boat. It will keep you dryer, warmer and provide cool shade when you need it.

I do wish I had better handholds, Steve.

[Warren Kaplan]

I couldn't agree more with the comments about "viewability". My boat came with a dodger but most of the time (usually fair weather) I sail with it collapsed. The windows on my dodger are on the small side and forward visibility stinks when I'm sitting in the cockpit at the tiller. So, before you order that dodger get an idea of how large the windows are.

I put a cabintop winch on my boat in order to bring lines aft to the cockpit. For once in my life I thought ahead and before I installed the winch I checked to see if I could crank it with the dodger up. The orginal site I picked would not have allowed me to make full turns on the winch, even with a little 8" winch handle. Moving the proposed installation site a few inches towards the centerline, and also laying out the sites for the triple rope clutches (also under the dodger) to make sure they could be opened and closed unimpeded, and more forward spotting the deck organizer a little more towards the center made the lines run fair.

Also...make sure the top of the dodger does not interfere with your boom. If its built too high it will. A good canvas shop should know all this but it never hurts to double check these things.

You should think about all these things before ordering and installing anything having to do with the dodger.

[Neil Gordon]

My dodger effectively turns my two speed winches into some funky duel action single alternating speed winches.

The smaller winch handle fits. For more leverage, I have a ratcheting winch handle... three settings allow for ratchet either clockwise, counter-clockwise or fixed.

[seadog6532]

Keep in mind that you will need enough clearance to get in and out of the companion way with the dodger in place.
We just had a dodger made for Arianna our CD30K and the mizzen adds another thing to think about. Also, will you be having a bimini made too. We opted for an awning that zipped into the dodger and runs to the end of the mizzen boom. We can't use it while sailing unless we don't use the mizzen, but it sure is nice at anchor or in the slip. And the last thing I will add is to have the best frame you can get, We ordered heavy wall stainless steel for the frame. It will be pushed, pulled and bumped into and when you grab it when in heavy seas you want it to be solid as it can be. I can do chin ups on mine... Well probably only a chin up, but that has nothing to do with the dodger...

[mahalocd36]

It seems to me that I want to look OVER the dodger when standing at the wheel, no? Are there rules of thumb re height? John V's book recommends nose height; that, or a little lower, seems right to me, but like I say, I have never had one.

Yes ideally you can look over it while standing at the
wheel.

I am leaning towards the configuration that has a large front window, but just one downward-facing-triangle window aft of that on each side. And then having the section of canvas aft of that be removable. But I wonder, if I have a removable section, am I going to remove it once or twice and then just say the heck with it and always leave it attached anyway?

We don't usually remove ours but we used to more when sailing in warmer weather - Maine doesn't have a lot of days where it's blistering hot. (Removing the sides gives better airflow to the cockpit). We just fold/roll the front section up. (it zips) I would
highly recommend that, we do that often. The sides zipping off - I don't know if I would bother with.

Personally I would make the sides all glass (not canvas) but I guess that's me - I like visibility. I've sailed on boats with a porthole type window on the side and I didn't like it. It's cheaper to make them that way (subrella is cheaper than strataglass) so that's why most are that way. Our sides just have a sunbrella frame around the glass window.

It seems that with the boarding gate being where it is, the ability to remove that section on the starboard side would facilitate easier loading and unloading of people and stuff from the launch.

Maybe, but we've never taken ours off for that reason.
Even when we were going out for 6 weeks and had basically the whole launch full of our stuff

[Dean Abramson]

Thanks to everyone for the input. Please keep it coming; it's all very useful to us.

Stan, I found a photo of Kyky. I also think that is a particularly nice dodger. I have written the Kyaskys for more info.

Carter, your is very nice also. I appreciate your posting all of the photos. I hear what Melissa is saying about max visibility, but I tend to like the look of dodgers with somewhat less side window area.

Dean

[Cathy Monaghan]

If I was looking for a dodger for a CD 31, I would want an exact copy of the one the Kyaskys had on their CD 31 Kyky when I saw it two summers ago in Maine. Without a doubt the best looking dodger I have ever seen on a CD.

<a href="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/C ... .jpg"><img width="600" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/C ... 153400.jpg">
Click on the photo for an enlargement.</a>

And Realization's dodger:

<a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c349/ ... .jpg"><img width="600" src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c349/ ... 033952.jpg">
Click on the photo for an enlargement.</a>
Note the handles on the sides of the dodger.

Cathy
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

[Dean Abramson]

Thanks, Kathy.

That is the photo of Kyky that I found yesterday. It shows the dodger nicely. Thanks, Bruce!

Your dodger is very nice also. Is there anything you would do differently if you were doing it again? The grab rail above the porthole looks like a great feature. Who made yours? (I am kinda expecting you to say that you and Bruce did.)

Since we have never had one, and I am not sitting on our boat right now, it is a little hard to imagine all of the ramifications.

If you have a current email address for the Kyaskys, could you email it to me. I used one on the Registry, but don't know if it is current. It's possible they tried to reply to me already, but I seem to be having major email issues now.

D

[mahalocd36]

I would definitely second the side handrails.

Also, you want something on the aft end of the top, like KyKys that's not just plain sunbrella, but some stronger fabric as you tend to grab there as well (I've seen some with a seperate railing there) and that's reinforced. I've seen leather used for instance.

I just looked at Realization and KyKy's pictures and saw that the cockpit configuration is quite different from ours....with theirs the dodger can go straight back, on 36's (Mahalo at least) the cockpit curves out and our dodger follows that curve - (and also goes further aft than those) hence the glass works better. The larger dodger is great when it's raining. If you are going to make a short dodger the full glass probably isn't necessary, and, like you said, looks nice.

[Solmar]

Dean,

Solmar's Dodger, sorry it's not the greatest picture. I agree with Melissa, the more visability the better and the ability to open the front panel saves us from ever thinking about folding down the dodger. Also agree with the leather reinforcement, aft edge takes the most abuse. We also have a grab rail in addition to the reinforcement. Side grab rail is an added bonus, wish we had one. The connecter for the bimini is laying on top of the Dodger, just in case someoned is wondering what that is.



Debbie

[Judith]

I think I've seen those from Sailrite. . .

A big part of the reason I went looking for them was Melissa's (I think?) picture of the grab rail they installed and the great coach-whipping she did on it. Do you still have that picture, Melissa?

And no, we don't have a dodger. Yet

Judith