I've spent an excessive amount of time on this same thing, trying to
figure out how to build an extra 'room', since I live aboard.
My theory is this:
Dodger:
Hardtop dogder, basically GRP-rimmed polycarbonate (so you can
actually see what's going on above you, which I understand is
important in a sailboat
), and HINGED at the front with two
'settings,' namely 1) underway and 2) moored. Mode 1, the dodger top
is essentially flat, and would look like a normal dodger, with a
'normal' amount of room underneath, and room for the boom to swing
above. In mode 2, the dodger would slope up from front to back. The
back rim of the dodger would have gallows for the boom, and the slope
would add headroom at the rear of the dodger. The fabric would be
built so that it is tight in the 'mode 2' position, and include a
zipper the whole way around that would take up the extra fabric and
'tighten it up' for mode 1.
...Since it's 'hard,' it can't really be stowed, other than to have it
pivot down level with the cabintop, but since it's basically just a
solid, handhold-equipped frame full of windows, I'm not sure why you'd
ever want to take it down. I would not add this functionality if it
meant any cost in strength.
Bimini:
Framed off the pulpit using a double bow design, it would run from
forward of the backstay with just enough room to allow the boom and
main to pass by while underway, and would extend back either to a
point directly above the pulpit, or back behind it to a point that
causes the rear 'windows' to hang at an angle that matches the angle
of the stern (I'm still deciding). The main bow would head from the
front of the pulpit aft, and the 'sub-bow' heading forward. The
'sub-bow' will have some kind of joint/breakable-section in the middle
so as to allow the bow to fold back past the backstay when necessary,
and the fabric top will have a zippered slot for the same purpose.
For stowage, the main bow would fold down and sit well back of the end
of the pulpit, and the 'sub-bow' would ideally sit directly on it when
stowed. Fabric would stay in place.
'Integrator:'
The fun part of this whole thought process was to figure out how to
cover the area between the bimini and dodger, but still allowing the
mainsheet to pass through fabric - as far as I know they don't have
mainsheet-permeable waterproof Sunbrella.
My thought was this:
with dodger in mode 2, 'live-aboard mode,' it's a simple matter of a
flat-ish piece of material, as the rear end of the dodger will be at
the same level as the bimini to maximize headroom (thus the hinging
top
), and with the boom gallows at the aft end of the hardtop, you
can strap the boom down to that and simply remove the mainsheet. When
underway, I will make an 'integrator' piece that zips between the
front of the bimini and the aft end of the dodger and runs down to the
cockpit coaming, and includes some 'slack' or sretchy fabric and a
massive zipper that follows the 'path' of the mainsheet from port to
starboard (or obviously vice versa), which would include a large
rounded diamond-shaped 'grommet' piece with a zipper tab at either
end, and a solid hawse/chock/fairlead with a neoprene 'skirt,' thus
allowing the grommeted mainsheet to 'ride the zipper', with one zipper
opening the zippertrack in front of the sheet and the other closing it
behind it, keeping me nice and dry and warm.
...In theory, anyways.
Now I just need to find some money, some
time and my grandma's sewing machine and get them all together.
Cheers,
Jonathan
2221
