Dodger or Bimini?
- Thread starter bcollis
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On San Francisco Bay a dodger - here it is almost colder in summer than in winter when the winds are milder. Shelter from wind and spray is great.
In a real hot area e.g San Joaquin delta, a bimini - with shelter from the sun and a bit of a breeze it is way more bearable.
By the way, a dodger is much more expensive and a passable substitute for a bimini can be rigged quite cheaply, so I would get the dodger first if I had to make a choice.
In a real hot area e.g San Joaquin delta, a bimini - with shelter from the sun and a bit of a breeze it is way more bearable.
By the way, a dodger is much more expensive and a passable substitute for a bimini can be rigged quite cheaply, so I would get the dodger first if I had to make a choice.
After looking at your hailing port, definitely the Bimini. The dodger is more for cold weather and brisk weather conditions. Wind and spray that is the name of the game. Having sailed in the Chesapeake during spring and summer I much rather have a bimini to shelter me from the sun while allowing air to flow and fight the heat and high humidity. It's all about sun and air for this item.
Definitely a Dodger.
Have them sew a zipper into the trailing edge. For a temporary bimini you can just have a fly made that will zip to the dodger and secure it to your back stay with a pole.
When you have the money you can have a real bimini made with a connector for the two pieces.
Make sure you order a "California" dodger built. This is commonly referred to as a dodger with ALL of the panels that are removable.
Our dodger becomes a small bimini when all of the windows are stored.
You also want to be sure that the dodger is self supporting (no straps). The frame should have side handles and a rear one is nice to have. If you can have the design made to clear your winch handles all the better.
Have them sew a zipper into the trailing edge. For a temporary bimini you can just have a fly made that will zip to the dodger and secure it to your back stay with a pole.
When you have the money you can have a real bimini made with a connector for the two pieces.
Make sure you order a "California" dodger built. This is commonly referred to as a dodger with ALL of the panels that are removable.
Our dodger becomes a small bimini when all of the windows are stored.
You also want to be sure that the dodger is self supporting (no straps). The frame should have side handles and a rear one is nice to have. If you can have the design made to clear your winch handles all the better.
Where you sail should dictate ...
For Lake Michgan, the dodger is worth its weight in gold. Whatever you do, begin with the end in mind.
A dodger should have a zipper sewen in the trailing edge, a bimini should have a zipper sewen in the leading edge. When you have both, a connector is easy to fabricate to give you full sun coverage.
For Lake Michgan, the dodger is worth its weight in gold. Whatever you do, begin with the end in mind.
A dodger should have a zipper sewen in the trailing edge, a bimini should have a zipper sewen in the leading edge. When you have both, a connector is easy to fabricate to give you full sun coverage.
When we bought our new boat, we chose a bimini, mostly bcause it is a no brainer on a new Hunter with an arch. I immediately wished for the dodger on our delivery trip home. Then summer came and we never missed it. When we lived in Virginia Beach, I would have preferred the bimini. The real question is what works best with your cockpit layout.
I sailed Lake Michigan for 35 years and on that water I would have chosen a dodger over a bimimi. Great Lakes chop, which is pretty much what we sail in, often comes into the cockpit and it is often cold. I don't know about the Chesapeake. Do those sailors get a lot cold spray into the cockpit or is the heat of the sun more of a problem? That is really the issue.
Dodger for cold spray, bimini for sun
I'd do a bimini if I were planning summers on the Chesapeake.
Our boat is quite dry if we sit forward against the cabin. We have weathered really chilly days without a dodger, but it is a big help going into the wind on a cold day.
Our 9 charter boats have all had dodgers. One issue no one has yet mentioned is that the dodger discourages going forward. Often the best place on the boat is forward on a long day of cruising. Dodgers discouraging taking advantage of this, and a dodger with a bimini can make it dog-gone difficult to go forward for fun, or to set a sail or anchor. Good design and handholds can ease this problem, but our boat positively invites us to go forward, and it is really easy to get up on the deck.
I'd do a bimini if I were planning summers on the Chesapeake.
Our boat is quite dry if we sit forward against the cabin. We have weathered really chilly days without a dodger, but it is a big help going into the wind on a cold day.
Our 9 charter boats have all had dodgers. One issue no one has yet mentioned is that the dodger discourages going forward. Often the best place on the boat is forward on a long day of cruising. Dodgers discouraging taking advantage of this, and a dodger with a bimini can make it dog-gone difficult to go forward for fun, or to set a sail or anchor. Good design and handholds can ease this problem, but our boat positively invites us to go forward, and it is really easy to get up on the deck.
Summers on the Chesapeake can be light wind, and I'm hard pressed to get the family out on a hot and humid no wind day. Having a Bimini would make it more comfortable when the wind shuts down though.. Having a frame to put up bug netting would also be helpful in the evenings. My gut was saying to go with that first, but the dodger would really help cut the wind in the face. I've found that some of the friends we take on the boat really dislike getting hit by spray.
How easy would it be to set up a temp Bimini off of the dodger while light wind sailing?
How easy is it to adjust the traveler and the main sheet when the lines need to run inside the dodger?
Thanks,
Brian
How easy would it be to set up a temp Bimini off of the dodger while light wind sailing?
How easy is it to adjust the traveler and the main sheet when the lines need to run inside the dodger?
Thanks,
Brian
It has been interesting to watch this discussion. There are two camps, "absolutely a dodger" and "no, a bimini first". I am with the bimini bunch. Maybe for a different reason. I hate being enclosed. Maybe it is claustrophobia. I want a clear view and wind in my face. No matter how many zip out or roll up panels the dodger is still in your eye line and distrupting the air flow. The bimini is an absolute must for sun shade for me. But I was never a hat person.
On our journey from Lake Erie to Tampa we only used the dodger offshore at night. The rest of the time it was folded down.
On our journey from Lake Erie to Tampa we only used the dodger offshore at night. The rest of the time it was folded down.
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I' start with a larger Bimini that covers the dog house slider for the hot summer sun, then get zip in curtians for the dodger as the weather turns cool, then go for the rest of the zippered in curtians to make a full enclosure to extend the season to Nov and start early next year in March. I'd brief it just like that in three sessions to the first mate.
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