Hard top dodger

[Russell]

Russel, you are doing a fine job of this. I will be watching very carefully to see how you address the transition area from the cabin top to the cockpit combing. That little detail makes designing a dodger very difficult. My canvas cover kind of flubbed it's way around the curve and went to the outside of the combing. A cap plate on top of the combing would be one solution but it might mess up the angle of the back rest while sitting under the dodger. You wouldn't believe how much time I have spent starring at that area and trying to envision the best way to handle it.

The teak trim is both practical and classy, Steve.

I spent a lot of time thinking about that area as well, it really does make things a pain. Origonally I wanted to make a full hard dodger, but that coaming just make any design I came up with not look right. The canvas on this dodger will just do what my old dodger and nearly ever CD dodger I have seen does and simply come down from the coach roof and attach to the outside of the coaming. This leaves a gap just forward of the coaming where it transisions to the cabintop, but I really do not think there is a better way short of modifying the coaming.

[Steve Laume]

Russel, how's that dodger comin along? I just brought Raven into the dock today and hard to look at a duct taped dodger that definitely needs to be replace now.

I will say one thing, that Gorilla duct tape will stick to anything, Steve.

[Russell]

Russel, how's that dodger comin along? I just brought Raven into the dock today and hard to look at a duct taped dodger that definitely needs to be replace now.

I will say one thing, that Gorilla duct tape will stick to anything, Steve.

I have a roll of Gorilla duct tape on the boat, the stuff is almost too good!

The dodger canvas is mostly done, I just need to do the binding on the edges, but its all in place. I have been doing the finishing touches on it as I move south and stop for a few days here and there. Will try to get some photos of it up soon, after this gale blows through. I got lucky and managed to just barely make it south of the snow line for this storm, seems everyone north is getting snow, I am currently in Oriental NC.

[pete faga]

Russell
I heard primadonna just left after 1 year!!
Are you at the anchorage
I will have to check the web cam in the morning.
Pete

[Russell]

Russell
I heard primadonna just left after 1 year!!
Are you at the anchorage
I will have to check the web cam in the morning.
Pete

I just moved to Oriental marina this morning, you should be able to see me on the webcam.

[Russell]

Russell
I heard primadonna just left after 1 year!!
Are you at the anchorage
I will have to check the web cam in the morning.
Pete

I just looked and you can't see on the web cam, the coffee shop building blocks me.

[Russell]

Well, finally done, cruising and higher priority projects/repairs took priority and delayed it.

Not a great photo, dink isnt launched so I cant get a decent angle, will try to get more from other views when I can.

[pete faga]

Nice job. like the hand holds.
Been watching your progress south on Marine Traffic. Looks like you stayed awhile in Charleston!
Pete

[Steve Laume]

Well done, Russel. Cape Dory definitely didn't make this job easy. Offset companion way, hand holds, mid boom sheeting and those pesky combing boards create quite a challenge. You did a great job, Steve.

[David van den Burgh]

Looks great, Russell. It's especially nice to have something so stable and secure.

[Russell]

Well done, Russel. Cape Dory definitely didn't make this job easy. Offset companion way, hand holds, mid boom sheeting and those pesky combing boards create quite a challenge. You did a great job, Steve.

Yeah, its definately a pain on these boats, especially if you want to do something less then half asses. Eventually I will modify it when I have time, by installing a sort of coaming on the cabin top for it to attach to, that goes over the seahood and all. Which will make it more waterproof and much cleaner. It will be easy to remove the bottom fabric panels and make new ones once that is done. But, limited time made me do it this way for now.

The cockpit coaming unfortunately is nearly impossible to do much of anything about, I origonally wanted to do a full hard dodger, but after trying several cardboard mockups, that coaming just made it impossible to do anything decent (except a dodger that just stayed the width of the coach roof, but while that would look ok, it would be very limited funcationality doing what a dodger is supposed to do). There is a gap between the coachroof and the dodger where the fabric makes the transition to the coaming, my old dodger was like that and every CD dodger I have seen is like that, but fortunately, with the forward slant in the coaming, even when shipping a lot of green water on deck, I have never actually had water slosh UP through that gap, so I am going to live with it (a peice of teak to fill that gap, attached to the side of the coach roof was and still is being considered).