Awning or Bimini or Dodger?

[beth Helms]

What works better with the Cape Dory 25' Sailboat? I don't even know what a Dodger is. Which one is easiest to install and use? Thank you! I was looking at the Sailrite online catalouge. The pictures weren't enough for an amateur such as myself!!!



pookpook@crosslink.net

[Bob B.]

Beth,
A dodger is a canvas shield that extends from just forward of the cockpit on the cabin roof with a small frame underneath. It is great for keeping deckwash and spray off of the people in the cockpit. The awning is primarily used just at the dock. A bimini can be used while undersail if rigged correctly but I have found them too restrictive to sail with on a smaller boat. It really depends on what you want from this device as to which you should make. If you are making it yourself, make a trial one out of muslin before you dive in with the expensive fabric. There are some good books on canvas work. Check them out at your library or try International Marine. Their book selection is good. Westmarine and other catalogues have some also.
Best of luck with it and tell us how it goes. I am trying to see if a dodger would fit on a Typhoon. It may just be a little small.

Bob B
BundyR@aol.com



BundyR@aol.com

[Matt Cawthorne]

Beth,
A dodger covers the compnionway. It attaches to the deck just forward of the companionway sliding hatch and wraps over the sides of the cabin top in the sideways direction. They extend over the companionway often less than a foot beyond the hatch. They usually have a frame which can be folded out of the way. Every one that I have seen uses clear plastic for the front so that you can see while sitting at the helm. They are meant to leave up at all times, even in very heavy weather. They allow you to open the companionway hatch in a rain storm while at anchor or headed to windward and not worry about getting water below. A crew member can scrunch up behind one and stay reasonably dry. They do absolutely no good for the helmsman in rough seas. My cd-36 has one with a removable extension (the extension is not good in much wind). The original extension was brown and re-radiated the heat in the summer. When I re-made the dodger I made the extension out of white sunbrella which keeps the cockpit cooler than the brown one. The extension can not be used under sail as it restricts visibility too much. My dodger is low so that I can see over it while standing at the helm, but that makes getting in and out of the boat a crouching exercise. The clear plastic can eventually go opaque and I consider the visibility through the clear stuff marginal even when new so being able to see over it a must. My personal opinion of a dodger is that they are a pain in the neck except when it raining or when the spray is flying, at which point they are worth their weight in gold.

Dana Arenius has a picture of his CD-26 with a dodger. You can see it if you go to the "where to look" and the 'cd 25 and cd 26 pictures'


Awnings are usually much bigger and often hang from yards temporarily spread across the boom. Sometimes they are held up by halyards. They are much better on a hot summer day at anchor or when motoring in no wind. Designs vary greatly.

What many people call a bimini is not really one, but a cover on a strong frame which covers the aft portion of the cockpit. It can be left up in all weather and is good for keeping the helmsman out of the sun. I find on the CD-36 that the boom is so low and extends so far aft that this kind of cover is too low for me to stand in the cockpit.

Good Luck.
Matt

What works better with the Cape Dory 25' Sailboat? I don't even know what a Dodger is. Which one is easiest to install and use? Thank you! I was looking at the Sailrite online catalouge. The pictures weren't enough for an amateur such as myself!!!

mcawthor@bellatlantic.net

[Darin Bartram]

With a 25, I would recommend a dodger. The boom is fairly low, and a bimini top will be fairly restrictive. If you want to see how the Sailrite kits for the dodger and bimini top come out, check out <http://www.vsa.cape.com/~bhershey/catalina_27/> These are obviously on different boats (Catalinas), and the differing clearance below the boom will be readily apparent. As you will see from other postings here, a much cheaper source for materials is www.atrim.com. Sailrite is quite expensive.



dbartram@hunton.com

[kevin aubuchon]

What works better with the Cape Dory 25' Sailboat

I installed a bimini (from Overton) 2 years ago on our CD25. We wanted some shade from the August sun. I sail in central Illinois and it gets very hot in July and August. We didn't need a dodger since we seldom take water over the bow (inland lake), and we don't sail in the winter. The bimini is fitted so it can be up while sailing, and the boom clears it when tacking. Note, I don't have a boom vang. But if you do, applying vang might make the boom hit the bimini top. I fold-up the bimini when entering/leaving the slip so I can stand-up, throw docklines, and handle the usual docking tensions. The only drawback I've found is its a little more difficult to go forward with the bimini up.

kevin



kaubuchon@primary.net

[Dana Arenius]

What works better with the Cape Dory 25' Sailboat? I don't even know what a Dodger is. Which one is easiest to install and use? Thank you! I was looking at the Sailrite online catalouge. The pictures weren't enough for an amateur such as myself!!!

_________________________________________________________________

Just a couple of extra notes for you. You have already seen from the other descriptions that:

1. A dodger is somewhat like a semi canvas enclosure over the companion way. There can be various sizes of this type of cover. Some just barely cover the companion way itself but does not extend into the cockpit area at all. This is a companion way dodger and generally stops at the cabin bulkhead. A full size dodger will generally cover a bit more over into the forward edge of the cockpit.
This allow a place for folks to duck under for shade or keep out of the weather. There are quite a few different available features to the dodger from "removal sides", "front opening window panel for allowing air to move thru", and "zipper fly top attachment". Ours has the fly top attachment option which allows us to zip on a fly top to the aft top endge of the dodge. This fly top covers the entire cockpit area under anchor or dock. Our fly top also has zippered sides so we can totally inclose the cockpit in foul weather. All of these, of course, cost more $$$$.

2. A sun awning is something light(generally nylon) which can be put up with spreader poles to shade the cockpit or any other part of the boat from sun. This is used generally at the dock or at anchor.

3. A bimini is like a dodger except its frame and coverage is generally over just the cockpit or aft end of the cockpit. Many times the bimini is designed to link up with the aft top edge of the dodger but if the boat is equipped with a dodger. But this is not a necessary.


So which one? It depends what you want to be protected from. If it is a raw wind or weather during sailing and some modest protection from the sun....then you want a dodger.

If you are looking for more extended cockpit sun/weather protection under sail, then you are looking at a bimini. But this depends on if the boom will clear the bimini under sail, etc.

For just sun protection at the dock or anchor, then the light weight sun awning is your choice. These are not generally weather proof.

The sun awning is by far the most inexpensive. Dodgers and bimini are not.

Dana



darenius@aol.com

[beth helms]

Thank you so much! That helps a great deal!

What works better with the Cape Dory 25' Sailboat? I don't even know what a Dodger is. Which one is easiest to install and use? Thank you! I was looking at the Sailrite online catalouge. The pictures weren't enough for an amateur such as myself!!!

_________________________________________________________________

Just a couple of extra notes for you. You have already seen from the other descriptions that:

1. A dodger is somewhat like a semi canvas enclosure over the companion way. There can be various sizes of this type of cover. Some just barely cover the companion way itself but does not extend into the cockpit area at all. This is a companion way dodger and generally stops at the cabin bulkhead. A full size dodger will generally cover a bit more over into the forward edge of the cockpit.
This allow a place for folks to duck under for shade or keep out of the weather. There are quite a few different available features to the dodger from "removal sides", "front opening window panel for allowing air to move thru", and "zipper fly top attachment". Ours has the fly top attachment option which allows us to zip on a fly top to the aft top endge of the dodge. This fly top covers the entire cockpit area under anchor or dock. Our fly top also has zippered sides so we can totally inclose the cockpit in foul weather. All of these, of course, cost more $$$$.

2. A sun awning is something light(generally nylon) which can be put up with spreader poles to shade the cockpit or any other part of the boat from sun. This is used generally at the dock or at anchor.

3. A bimini is like a dodger except its frame and coverage is generally over just the cockpit or aft end of the cockpit. Many times the bimini is designed to link up with the aft top edge of the dodger but if the boat is equipped with a dodger. But this is not a necessary.


So which one? It depends what you want to be protected from. If it is a raw wind or weather during sailing and some modest protection from the sun....then you want a dodger.

If you are looking for more extended cockpit sun/weather protection under sail, then you are looking at a bimini. But this depends on if the boom will clear the bimini under sail, etc.

For just sun protection at the dock or anchor, then the light weight sun awning is your choice. These are not generally weather proof.

The sun awning is by far the most inexpensive. Dodgers and bimini are not.

Dana

pookpook@crosslink.net

[gates_cliff]

Have been searching for info about adding a Bimini to a CD 27, and ran across this thread. Wow, back in 1998!

So, in reality it doesn't seem like adding one to a 27 is a great idea since the height of the boom could be a problem. Just curious to see if anyone else has in fact, added a Bimini to a 27. If so, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

Thanks

[mgphl52]

While she's a CD28 instead of CD27, KAYLA came with a bimini but I rarely use it except for at anchor when cruising. We always had to mess with boom and vang to put it up or take it down. Now it lives on a rack off the boat because we haven't been cruising at all since we got KAYLA back.

[Paul D.]

For smaller boats I think an awning is a good solution. Usually you can rig it over the boom so you can get more headroom and air underneath it. You can also usually adjust it to better meet the sun or rain needs depending on where the weather is coming from and how the boat is lying to it. You generally cannot sail with them though but that depends on the rig. I can't with mine and when I have been lazy and sailed under genoa alone with it rigged, the gods have not smiled.

Biminis are great things but I think they are difficult to move around on boats with smaller cockpit areas. Below is a shot of our awning which came with the boat. I refitted it with PVC poles and sewed velcro attachments for a bug netting. It takes 5 minutes to rig and does a great job keeping the rain and sun out, and now the bugs. I have had it up in 45kts of wind, but that's another story. It survived. We had a nice little one on our old Typhoon which also worked well for such a small cockpit area.

[Jim Walsh]

Here's another variation on the theme. My awning zips onto my dodger. It has one awning pole in the rear. It has one lanyard in the center which attaches under the boom, one which secures the center of the awning pole to the backstay, and two shock cords from either end of the awning pole to the stern rail. I've had it up in 30+ knot winds but will take it down if the winds hit 35 knots. It offers little resistance to strong winds at anchor and only take a few minutes to set up or remove.

[John Stone]

Wow! This is an old thread. Interesting topic. Just to further it along though. . . .
Most people seem to want a dodger. We had one on the Far Reach when I got her. And way back when I was a kid, our family boat--an Allied 39--had one.

But I chose not to put one on the Far Reach. I have never really missed it. Maybe a few times when their was some wet upwind work, but not enough to change my mind. I think they are hot as they cut the breeze down in the cockpit. They can make it hard to get up and down the companionway. And if they are not really designed to fit the profile of the boat they can be ugly--though I have see a few that were lovely.

I went with a self built pram hood made from flexible black irrigation pipe and "stamoid" waterproof fabric. Cost a couple hundred dollars to make. The hoop is secured with elastic and it folds down and springs up when entering and exiting. It has worked great. I copied the design from Taleisin and Lin Pardey sent me some photos of the details. Has worked great. Takes about 10 min to remove and stow or you can leave it up permanently if desired.

When needed, I use a 5x6' square of sunbrella for a sun awning. Works fine. Doubles as a rain catcher. Cost about $50 to make. Also have a big sun awning for use at anchor. I have been very happy with all three.

[Tom Keevil]

Here's a second to John's suggestion to forget the dodger. We don't have one, and have very rarely regretted it. We spent three years in wet SE Alaska with no problem. The cockpit is only really wet when motoring straight upwind into large waves. So we don't do that. We have a small pvc/sunbrella device to keep rain out of the cabin if we don't want to install the boards. We have two 3' x 4' canvas squares which can be arranged to provide shade while underway. We have a large awning for use at anchor, held out with bamboo poles. A dodger blocks the breeze, blocks your sight, blocks easy access to the companionway, and is ugly. A bimini just compounds all of this. I doubt that a search of the archives will uncover Carl Alberg's dodger design.

[Jim Walsh]

Here's a second to John's suggestion to forget the dodger. We don't have one, and have very rarely regretted it. We spent three years in wet SE Alaska with no problem. The cockpit is only really wet when motoring straight upwind into large waves. So we don't do that. We have a small pvc/sunbrella device to keep rain out of the cabin if we don't want to install the boards. We have two 3' x 4' canvas squares which can be arranged to provide shade while underway. We have a large awning for use at anchor, held out with bamboo poles. A dodger blocks the breeze, blocks your sight, blocks easy access to the companionway, and is ugly. A bimini just compounds all of this. I doubt that a search of the archives will uncover Carl Alberg's dodger design.

Tell us what you really think.
One of the benefits of ownership is the ability to chose which components satisfy your individual needs. As long as you are happy with your decisions that's all that counts.

[John Stone]

I absolutely agree with Jim Walsh. So munch of what we do is driven by our personal taste in aesthetics and preferences for utility and ease of use. The whole sport is a compromise from start to finish. As a whole I have been very happy with my choices but they all require compromise--some more than others. There have been days when I thought wouldn't it be nice to have this or that. I think that's normal though. In the long run I have been delighted with our choices regarding the design, modification, layout, and equipping of the FR. And I think that is a worthy goal.

Here is to each of us finding satisfaction and happiness with our own way.

Happy Sailing.