sabre dorade vents

B

bobmorhard

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Aug 11, 2018
1
Sabre 32 Tri-Cabin Southport NC
I need advice on dorade vents and I’ve lost all four overboard. They were vinyl and shabby. I need to either replace them or find an alternative. Any ideas?

Bob Morhard
1984 Sabre 32 Tri-Cabin
Southport, NC
Bobmorhard@gmail.com
 
SG

SG

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Feb 11, 2017
1,670
J/Boat J/160 Annapolis
I had a Sabre 42, Hull #4 which we bought-new in '87, or so. I recall they were Vetus dorade vents -- but I might not be correct. I would suspect that a Vetus kit would work.
 
jviss

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
When I bought my Catalina 36 one of the frist things I bought were replacement Vetus cowls, as the originals were deteriorated, apparently by the sun, to the point of being quite ugly. In very short order the new ones were just as bad. I replaced those with inexpensive stainless steel cowls, which still look perfect 10+ years hence.
 
SG

SG

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Feb 11, 2017
1,670
J/Boat J/160 Annapolis
If you wax them (when they're clean), they will do much better.
You can also use "Fender" or "Shorepower" cleaning produces (like by MDR) which will often perk the up.

On our Sabre, we had canvas "socks" with an opening to let air in made. We have them on our J/Boat too. Offshore, if you notice you're taking a lot of heavy rain, spray, (or green water), you can turn the sock around so the opening is blocked and block the water ingress.

The SS dorades seem to work -- but you need to keep metal polish on them, or...
 
jviss

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
SG said:
The SS dorades seem to work -- but you need to keep metal polish on them, or...
Click to expand
That hasn't been my experience. I just keep them clean and they look like new after 10+ years.

BTW, the cowl is not the dorade. The dorade is the box to which they mount which is designed to let air in, and keep water out. They were designed by Olin Stephens and are named after the first yacht he put them on, Dorade, an ocean racing boat from 1929.
 
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SG

SG

.
Feb 11, 2017
1,670
J/Boat J/160 Annapolis
The SS dorades seem to work -- but you need to keep metal polish on them, or... [Misspoke by SG]
BTW, the cowl is not the dorade. The dorade is the box to which they mount which is designed to let air in, and keep water out. They were designed by Olin Stephens and are named after the first yacht he put them on, Dorade, an ocean racing boat from 1929. [Clarified by JViss]

http://dorade.org/history/ Yes that clarification about dorades (probably more properly referred to as dorade boxes) and Dorade was both correct and neat :^))).

BTW, a Dorade is also a fish. It's a relatively small fish. For instance, if you're slumming from the Boston Globe and reading the NY Times ;^))... https://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/26/...aste-the-dorade-royale-lands-in-new-york.html
 
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shemandr

shemandr

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Jan 1, 2006
7,074
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
On a Tartan 33 I used to sail on we would take the cowls off for races so as to not get a line around them and lose them overboard - and that did happen. I think there was a flat cap we would put in. The boat didn't miss the reduced ventilation for the duration of the race. Then we would replace them after the race and airflow was restored.
 
SG

SG

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Feb 11, 2017
1,670
J/Boat J/160 Annapolis
Cowl guards (which I might have called "dorade guards" improperly) can protect the cowls on top of dorade boxes.

upload_2018-8-11_21-6-29.png


The ones behind the raft are protected by the strapped down liferaft.
You can see the Sunbrella canvas hoods over the Vetus cowl covers.
 
M

mm2347

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Oct 21, 2008
241
oday 222 niagara
Good Old Boat had two build article on a low profile "dorade" vent box. A different look that you might like.
 
All U Get

All U Get

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Oct 2, 2008
3,807
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
We have a supply of deck caps to replace ours in cold or foul weather or just turn them aft so we can still have some ventilation. Ours happen to screw in not snap in like most I see available. Polish and clean them every season and they still look like a seagull just crapped on them.
 
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