I've always had a policy to never criticize another man's dodger, but there's nothing to criticize here! A proper hard dodger may be a distant second when it comes to reasons for building boats from metal, for many owners, but I put it almost even with hull strength myself. I understand not wanting to complicate the sleek beauty of a pure sailing craft, but up here, north of 50 lat in Canada, if you don't have wind protection you won't wont long have eyes to see her beauty with. She's shaping up to be all-latitude, custom draught, straight-upwind magic-machine! I love it!
Thanks for your comment. The dodger was essential and I love it, No sticking my head to a face full of salt spray. Sun shade and I am planning to soon have roll down sides and one across the back for strong downwind conditions
If you add red and white led light strips under the dodger and hide the wire down the posts, if you ever build and another or modify it put 3/4 dams to direct water that is forced thru the sheet holes backout the sides, and if you put same on roof and direct the water down you can fill fresh water from rains in to tanks. I like hand holds on corners where I’m turning in to or out of smaller spaces. The windows end up stronger if you run a t bar down the center like a nascar or race car. Put snaps on your window hard ware so you can snap a shade on the window and save the acrylic over time and the temp under the cover. Looks like you have room for a Jeep windshield wiper. Good work, enjoy.
I really like that design you came up with. It doesn't look "tacked on" and those back "legs" give it a bit of a sleek & classy super yacht look. You could add little perspex "windows" under the grab rails for looking at the mainsail, but I don't think its enough of a problem to worry about cutting more holes. It also wouldn't be hard to add some canvas sides to enclose it a bit more, but I really like this design.
The slope of the front section of the dodger saves it from being ugly and in fact adds to the sleek siloette from my perspective. Well done, the change is all "gain" in both presentation and practicality.
Theres an amazing amount of work put in there, well done! Definitely hard to balance form and function, but those aft supports look really good. Might want to consider a gas strut vang next, in case you ever accidentally erased the topping lift too much!
Excellent job And very good documentary video Certainly will be strong enough - well done - will make sailing a drier experience and increase the inside area - looks great too
Watched your video Blue, all the way through.........That's a lovely design and enhances the boat's lines. Also thats going to make long offshore hauls a real joy, there's something really fascinating in a man's heart about being in the great outdoors and snug at the same time with something you've crafted yourself.
Top notch from a greenhorn perspective, practical lines, looking forward to a sailing video with the new look out where she belongs. Thank you for getting online again. From -30 Saskatchewan, Canada.
You've done a great job here, took your time and did it properly. Sometimes these things look awful but this I think adds to the look of the boat. Nice!
Excellent work. I reckon it looks pretty good, so as long as you are happy that is the main thing. We can fully enclose our cockpit and even in Queensland summer we leave it closed up. It keeps the cockpit very clean. Of course it is a bit toasty until you open it up. Your costs were pretty reasonable. A bloke near us had only the canvas dodger replaced on his Top Hat. It cost (wait for it) A$4600. Just for the canvas and clears and it was tiny. On the tube bending, I made a jig using pine and by putting a hole saw on my bench drill. Just drilled about 20 holes, cut them in half and screwed them to a hardwood sleeper. Then used ratchet straps on each end of the tube to bend it down. Worked pretty well. 4 hours to build and did the job in 4 minutes.
Thanks. That canvas wouldn't cost much in material. I guess the sailmaker cost ads up.yes the side roll downs will be change the whole boat and give a good outside area
hehehe faring, what a job, building my kayak and boat out of ply glass epoxy, when I got to the faring stage I said to everyone who mentioned my faring work "mate this isn't a show boat, this is having the work boat finish" I admire those dudes who can fare it to a gel coat looking finish, I just haven't the patience for that
I agree. When I built my last boat yes I had more patience for bog and sanding. Now it's more about getting it going. I can come back to it some time down the track if it needs repainting.
Wow, I love it. You did an incredible first class job. You could turn a 360 and that dodger would still be fine. I made the comment in your last video sailing to Fiji. I made a comment about no dodger/bimini. Well you sure took care of that! Wonderful. It will change your life underway.
Thanks I did make it big and it has changed the boat. Unfortunately I injured myself. So will have to wait a bit before going out to try it out properly
For the tools you had to work with you did a great job ! Plus I think it fits the boats lines well…. In the Sates to have that made would be around 25K
