We are considering a hard dodger for our 1980 37 cutter. Any experience out there with this?? Thanks
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Not a hard, hard dodger.
Jim: The hard dodgers that I have seen are only hard on the top. The down side is that they cannot be easily removed. There are 4 legs that hold up the "roof" section and then you end up with the regular soft parts for the wrap around section for the windows. I looked at hard dodgers on some very nice boats in the last couple of year. One thing is when you bang you head you are banging on a hard piece of plastic mounted on a stainless steel bar. When you have a "sunbrella dodger" there is a piece of material on that stainless steel bar. I am not tooting my horn but I did a lot of research on doing a dodger (custom). We ended up with a unit that has zip in summer screens and zip in winter windows. The winter windows have covers that are removed for sailing but still keeps up warm and dry when the weather is not the best. We also added a zipper on the trailing edge of the dodger. We can then zip on a "fly" for a little more shade. This was in lew of going with a bimini. Our entire dodger can be zipped off of the frame too. So to answer your question, I saw hard dodgers and really did not like them very much. If you have to redo the window sections, it is not going to cost that much more to do the "roof". Have you priced out the difference? I paid $2000 for the entire thing with winter windows, summer screens and the fly. The other thing is I would only consider a stainless steel frame.
Jim: The hard dodgers that I have seen are only hard on the top. The down side is that they cannot be easily removed. There are 4 legs that hold up the "roof" section and then you end up with the regular soft parts for the wrap around section for the windows. I looked at hard dodgers on some very nice boats in the last couple of year. One thing is when you bang you head you are banging on a hard piece of plastic mounted on a stainless steel bar. When you have a "sunbrella dodger" there is a piece of material on that stainless steel bar. I am not tooting my horn but I did a lot of research on doing a dodger (custom). We ended up with a unit that has zip in summer screens and zip in winter windows. The winter windows have covers that are removed for sailing but still keeps up warm and dry when the weather is not the best. We also added a zipper on the trailing edge of the dodger. We can then zip on a "fly" for a little more shade. This was in lew of going with a bimini. Our entire dodger can be zipped off of the frame too. So to answer your question, I saw hard dodgers and really did not like them very much. If you have to redo the window sections, it is not going to cost that much more to do the "roof". Have you priced out the difference? I paid $2000 for the entire thing with winter windows, summer screens and the fly. The other thing is I would only consider a stainless steel frame.
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David Undewood
how handy are U?
I was just wondering, how handy are you? The dodger described in the first reply sounds really great. I did not have 2000 bucks to put into a dodger, however, I did not mind spending 800 on a sewing machine from Sailrite, plus another 600 on materials. All thread, sunbrella material, zippers, window plastic, etc. I purchased from Sailrite also. The Stainless Steel I purchased in town from West Marine and Boaters World, but all totaled to just less than 600, so 600 plus 800 put me at a total investment of 1400 or there about. Piont is, I have material left over, have built other projects such as wheel cover, instrument pod cover, cockpit cushions and many other this and thats for Freebird. My wife says I make a great boat husband. Don't get much done around the house though. Check out Sailrite's website, check out my dodger on this site "The Dodger Project". Freebird is a 1982 Hunter 33. Good luck.
I was just wondering, how handy are you? The dodger described in the first reply sounds really great. I did not have 2000 bucks to put into a dodger, however, I did not mind spending 800 on a sewing machine from Sailrite, plus another 600 on materials. All thread, sunbrella material, zippers, window plastic, etc. I purchased from Sailrite also. The Stainless Steel I purchased in town from West Marine and Boaters World, but all totaled to just less than 600, so 600 plus 800 put me at a total investment of 1400 or there about. Piont is, I have material left over, have built other projects such as wheel cover, instrument pod cover, cockpit cushions and many other this and thats for Freebird. My wife says I make a great boat husband. Don't get much done around the house though. Check out Sailrite's website, check out my dodger on this site "The Dodger Project". Freebird is a 1982 Hunter 33. Good luck.
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Ed Schenck
Under consideration.
Have studied this issue also. And have examined many up close, but no H37Cs. A fairly recent magazine issue(CW or Sailing) had a how-to, laid up in 'glass. I thought if done right the trailing edge could mount a traveller(mine is still on the bridgedeck). But there really would not be enough room between the boom and the top for the necessary 4:1 or 6:1 purchase. I have put off this project because I have an old dodger that I almost never use. I just like sailing with the wind in my face and good visibility. Many of my dockmates have full enclosures and sail year 'round that way. Maybe I am claustrophobic? But I will have to improve the weather protection before we leave Lake Erie. I do use my bimini for protection from the sun.
Have studied this issue also. And have examined many up close, but no H37Cs. A fairly recent magazine issue(CW or Sailing) had a how-to, laid up in 'glass. I thought if done right the trailing edge could mount a traveller(mine is still on the bridgedeck). But there really would not be enough room between the boom and the top for the necessary 4:1 or 6:1 purchase. I have put off this project because I have an old dodger that I almost never use. I just like sailing with the wind in my face and good visibility. Many of my dockmates have full enclosures and sail year 'round that way. Maybe I am claustrophobic? But I will have to improve the weather protection before we leave Lake Erie. I do use my bimini for protection from the sun.
J
Jim Ory
We have put a zip in flap between the bimini and the soft dodger. It works very well and in bad weather we do not use our main so it just zips back in and we stay dry and comfortable. We also made our own bimini and dodger and we have zip in plastic enclosures as well as screen in the dodger and the bimini. We bought a sewing machine from Sail rite and like the others ended covering just about everything for less than the price of a new one built by some one else. It's not rocket science to make but does need a little attention to detail. A walk down the dock and some notes on the different applications on other boats will help tremendously. Have a fun time making it and you will enjoy the benifits for a long time.
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