HANDS-ON SAILOR104
june/july 2016cruisingworld.comwith the greatest longevity.
Thread is also important.
Normally the somewhat
UV-protected standard thread
that canvas shops use to sew
a dodger will deteriorate in
four to fi ve years due to UV
damage. Whether building
the dodger yourself or com-
missioning one from a canvas
shop, it’s well worth the cost to
use a very sturdy PTFE thread,
like Gore Tenara.
There are also ways to keep
the costs of a dodger reason-able. The owners of some
popular production boats can
save money by ordering pre-cut
dodger kits from outfi ts like
Sailrite (sailrite.com). Sailors
handy with sewing machines
can buy the Make Your Own
Dodger DVD from Sailrite and
have a go at it themselves. We
followed that path, and while
the fabric on our dodger isn’t as
drum-tight as on others built
by professionals, it has stood
up to some nasty weather for
the last fi ve years. We did haveto restitch it, which we did
with Tenara thread. To build
up courage for a DIY dodger
project, one can also turn to
YouTube and learn the tricks
of the trade from experts, as
well as how to avoid various
mistakes other amateurs have
made. There are lots of little
custom items you can add
to personalize your dodger:
a secret pocket for keys, for
instance, or compartments
for sunglasses, a fl ashlight or a
sharp knife for emergencies.A dodger is your friend, so
when the fabric starts leaking,
give it a face-lift with one of the
available waterproofi ng com-
pounds. Starbrite PTFE com-
pound gave our Sunbrella dodg-
er about a year of protection
from leaking.This summer, Tom and Nancy
Zydler plan to sail their Mason 44,
Frances B, through Baffi n Bay up
the west coast of Greenland. They
will head as far north as the ice
will allow. TOM ZYDLER1) Clear PVC window panels don’t last long when fully exposed to UV light, especially in tropical latitudes. Protect them
with removable canvas covers during prolonged layups. It’ll be a good investment that may double the useful life of the
PVC. 2) The combination of tube supports and fi berglass dome contributes strength to this fi xed dodger. Based in British
Columbia, the owner decided on permanent windows, which in this case provide visibility in all directions. As with all good
dodgers, this one has secure side handholds. 3) This fi xed dodger, an integral part of the cockpit area, creates an eff ective
yet unobtrusive pilothouse. Since the aluminum cutter Polaris sails in arctic waters, all the windows stay permanently
closed. The soft curtain at the back of the dodger adds protection for watchkeepers, especially when running downwind in
foul conditions. 4) This DIY version of a fi xed dodger looks extremely strong because no opening windows can weaken the
integrity of the structure. Home-ported in cool British Columbia, the yacht doesn’t really need more ways for the wind to
chill the crew. Rain is another matter, and then the movable canvas extension helps.1324