70% of responding Catalina owners have either a dodger or bimini installed, according to last week's Quick Quiz. Are you pleased with your installation and design? Who makes a good unit? And have you foumnd any special tricks to make their protection even more valuable?
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Hayden Watson
restoring an old dodger
When I got my boat the blue dodger was kinda green, the glazing was kinda white and it stoped as much water as cheese cloth. My wife cleaned it with Clean & Bright (10 times) in the bath tub. She then put in new glazing. After all this work the dodger looked great! But a cheese cloth dodger isn't very good in the rain. We fixed that by spraying on "Thompson's Water Seal" That's right, the stuff for your wood deck at home. It works great! We were sailing Saterday in a down pour and nothing came though. Hayden Watson S/V Papillon C30 Spokane, WA
When I got my boat the blue dodger was kinda green, the glazing was kinda white and it stoped as much water as cheese cloth. My wife cleaned it with Clean & Bright (10 times) in the bath tub. She then put in new glazing. After all this work the dodger looked great! But a cheese cloth dodger isn't very good in the rain. We fixed that by spraying on "Thompson's Water Seal" That's right, the stuff for your wood deck at home. It works great! We were sailing Saterday in a down pour and nothing came though. Hayden Watson S/V Papillon C30 Spokane, WA
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Brad Elbein
Who's To Blame?
Hayden: I'm in the market for a bimini dodger and I'd like to avoid the cheesecloth effect. Who made yours?
Hayden: I'm in the market for a bimini dodger and I'd like to avoid the cheesecloth effect. Who made yours?
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Hayden Watson
Its the Sun, son
My dodger is 11 yrs. old. The previous owners had always kept it in great shape. Overall the boat is in excellent condition, but 11 yrs. in the sun really is tough on sunbrella and glazing. What amazed me about the whole deal was that I could bring it back at all. After these minor ($50 total cost & 2 days of labor) repairs, I figure the dodger is good to go for another 5 to 10 yrs. Averyone at the docks thinks I got a new dodger! Hayden Watson S/V Papillon Spokane, WA
My dodger is 11 yrs. old. The previous owners had always kept it in great shape. Overall the boat is in excellent condition, but 11 yrs. in the sun really is tough on sunbrella and glazing. What amazed me about the whole deal was that I could bring it back at all. After these minor ($50 total cost & 2 days of labor) repairs, I figure the dodger is good to go for another 5 to 10 yrs. Averyone at the docks thinks I got a new dodger! Hayden Watson S/V Papillon Spokane, WA
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Joe
Can someone tell me what is the difference between a dodger and a bimini?? I am new to the boating scene. Thanks
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Bill Garland - Ventura, Catalina 42
Differences between dodger and bimini
A dodger is a canvas house mounted over the companionway hatch. It has windows in front, and is held rigid by a framework one one inch stainless steel tubing. A bimini is a top, usually over the cockpit, but under the boom with all sides open. It is also held in place by stainless tubing. On Catalinas, no firm has more experience building dodgers and biminis than Maires Marine in Ventura. They will do what you want and their work is supurb. I wish I had used them for my canvas. Avoid Anacapa Canvas! A great company 6 years ago, but the owner had cancer and was cheated out of the company by his partner, Lippert. Since Lippert took over the quality dropped dramatically and he refuses to compromise. You get it his way or no way! Further, his prices are out of line and his attitude is "Screw you--give me the money and shut up!" I'll never darken his door again and many are following that same path. My dodger was crooked and lippert refused to correct it. He would not even discuss it claiming it was as good as can be done. Wrong, and a bad attitude as well. See Tom Maires for your canvas and avoid the problems and the bad attitude.
A dodger is a canvas house mounted over the companionway hatch. It has windows in front, and is held rigid by a framework one one inch stainless steel tubing. A bimini is a top, usually over the cockpit, but under the boom with all sides open. It is also held in place by stainless tubing. On Catalinas, no firm has more experience building dodgers and biminis than Maires Marine in Ventura. They will do what you want and their work is supurb. I wish I had used them for my canvas. Avoid Anacapa Canvas! A great company 6 years ago, but the owner had cancer and was cheated out of the company by his partner, Lippert. Since Lippert took over the quality dropped dramatically and he refuses to compromise. You get it his way or no way! Further, his prices are out of line and his attitude is "Screw you--give me the money and shut up!" I'll never darken his door again and many are following that same path. My dodger was crooked and lippert refused to correct it. He would not even discuss it claiming it was as good as can be done. Wrong, and a bad attitude as well. See Tom Maires for your canvas and avoid the problems and the bad attitude.
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Peter Loomis
Factory dodger
I am unhappy with the factory supplied dodger for my C 380 (146). It is made by JSI and is of medicore or less quality. It had no leather chafing strips and has already torn on the forward and aft edges where the boom rubbed it. It is also too tall and has no side handrails. Had I know it was like this I would not have ordered it. Get your dodge made by a good local canvas maker.
I am unhappy with the factory supplied dodger for my C 380 (146). It is made by JSI and is of medicore or less quality. It had no leather chafing strips and has already torn on the forward and aft edges where the boom rubbed it. It is also too tall and has no side handrails. Had I know it was like this I would not have ordered it. Get your dodge made by a good local canvas maker.
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Ed Gold
ANACAPA CANVAS O.K.
I don't know what ax Bill Garland has to grind but I have had three very good experiences with Anancapa Canvas . Our first job was a new Dodger for our catalina 30 in 1991. It was well built and after instalation needed some adjustment which were redone very nicely. Our second job was when we bought in 1994 our '89 Catalina 42 which needed much additional canvas and some restiching on most of the existing canvas. Finally this Spring we had our old Dodger completly rebuilt. Anacapa did a great job and came in with the lowest of three bids that I checked before authorizing the job. If anyone would like to come and view their work my boat is located in anacapa isle marina in Channel Isands Calif. Email begold@worldnet.attt.net
I don't know what ax Bill Garland has to grind but I have had three very good experiences with Anancapa Canvas . Our first job was a new Dodger for our catalina 30 in 1991. It was well built and after instalation needed some adjustment which were redone very nicely. Our second job was when we bought in 1994 our '89 Catalina 42 which needed much additional canvas and some restiching on most of the existing canvas. Finally this Spring we had our old Dodger completly rebuilt. Anacapa did a great job and came in with the lowest of three bids that I checked before authorizing the job. If anyone would like to come and view their work my boat is located in anacapa isle marina in Channel Isands Calif. Email begold@worldnet.attt.net
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Ken Cave
Covers are a must!!
Nothing worse than walking through a marina and looking at dodgers with their "windows" all fogged up and discolored!! I had one built approximately four years ago and had covers made that snap on that keeps the sun off as well as the crud from a nearby oil refinery. Windows are clear as the day I purchased them. Also, be sure to add a solid structure to your dodger-and grab bars on the outside of the dodger. Saved my cookie more than once!! Ken Cave Dragon Tail #789 Catalina 25
Nothing worse than walking through a marina and looking at dodgers with their "windows" all fogged up and discolored!! I had one built approximately four years ago and had covers made that snap on that keeps the sun off as well as the crud from a nearby oil refinery. Windows are clear as the day I purchased them. Also, be sure to add a solid structure to your dodger-and grab bars on the outside of the dodger. Saved my cookie more than once!! Ken Cave Dragon Tail #789 Catalina 25
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