Hard dodger

I saw some posts here recently on this topic, and managed to get some pics of the one I built recently.

Construction is 12mm marine ply frame, with a 6mm marine ply skin. All joints are glued with epoxy resin.
Over that are two layers of chopped glass mat and epoxy, plus a few coats of paint.
Windows are 4.5mm polycarbonate, the side ones being one piece.

I made it to cover the cabin hatch as extra protection, and because I didn't want a cut out for the hatch.
On the cockpit side there is a lip across the top as a hand grip which I like a lot.

The SS hand rails are great.

It's strong enough to stand on and I feel quite snug in there.







Just launched, before the handles were fitted



The flange at the front was glassed on with the frame in place.
I put sellotape across the cabin top to stop the epoxy sticking to it.

I keep looking at this one to be honest and wonder if it could handle and main sheet sail track attached to the end of the boom
Even if it had a soft top or half soft top

Great Job.
A hard dodger is on my to do list as well. One of the first jobs I did when I first got my boat was to replace the soft dodger.
A lot to be said about not doing anything to a new boat untill you have used it for a while and really figure out what you want.

manitulak, that is impressive!

This was my first attempt at such a thing, but the sentiment is the same - "Stay dry on the passage"

I found another photo of it before fitting.

Here my construction HO2 has all my construction pics. It high dencidy 10 and 15 mm pvc foam and carbon uni .....dont get lexan perspecs bent as it fades in the sun.

I would of thought the other way round cisco. More useful in the ocean when you want constant protection from the elements, & most sailing is done downhill.
And less needed on coastal, because you know your going to be tucked into a cosy cove in a day or three.
My main concerns would be windage while anchoring & crazing on the clear sections. But I haven't done much sailing on yachts with hard dodgers.

What would your criteria be from those that have one, should you be able to see over it while standing in the cockpit, large as possible or small so it doesn't block your view of the sails etc?
cheers

One should wonder why the original designs did not include hard or even soft dodgers on most yachts except so called pilot-house cruisers? And if they did, the construct is very strongly built and is structurally part of the surround.

Anything not constructed that way might be swept into the briny at the first knock-down including instruments, ropage, the lot, attached to it may be even before by a large wave.

The holes cut into the front of the dodger on one of the pictures are prime examples of this. One would be safer with half-circle cut outs on the bottom edge of the front wall. If the dodger goes - and it will go sooner than later - at least the ropes and so the sails are going to be saved.
God forbid to attach any boom tracks to it. The first gybe in high winds will damage it or rip it off.

Beside all this it definitely ruins an otherwise beautiful yacht's look.

I am - and this is my personal opinion - strongly biased against most so called 'comfort additions' to a yachts and this includes lazy jacks, cockpit dodgers and any other additions which raise the superstructure, increase windage, raise the centre of gravity of the yacht and so alter the balance of the lot, which is a very important point of the original design.
Every grain of extra weight one adds to the yacht far away from the ballast or keel alters - raises - the centre of gravity and so, increases the forces acting on the hull enormously!

A good set of oilies are better investment after all we are out there to enjoy our natural environment.

I agree some spray dodgers spoil the look of a nice old or new racing yacht.

But if the SV is being used for cruising , semi live-aboard or any ocean sailing down sth ..... in my opinion, good solid spray dodger or even better pilot house is a must.

you blokes up nth that recon, put on a coat ,hahaha,. you obviously have never been out in the wet and cold wind down here for any extended period.

i recon to be able to control the SV from the comfort of a wheelhouse , would be ideal , especially in Victoria and below.

but even up nth the rain [ it rains more in sydney than melb ] and sun would piss me off ....

While I can fully sympathize with the notions of not being cold and wet and being comfortable, it really depends on the yacht.

If I was to fit a hard dodger to my yacht it would ruin it and I should be horse whipped for doing it. My mate built one for his Adams 31 centre cockpit using foam sandwich. It looks pretty good and works well. He got sick of replacing his canvas dodger numerous times and built his solid one based on the canvas dodger shape. I will see if I can get a photo of it and post it for you DrRog.

If you want to be comfortable I reckon go the whole hog which puts you in the motor sailer bracket and there is nothing wrong with them if designed right. I did a delivery trip from Bundy to Sydney years ago on a Salar 40. When we had to punch a southerly blow with 3 metre swells for a day and a bit, the solid dodger became a thing of unsurpassed beauty. But on the Salar it is not a proper pilot house.





Popular in Aus are the Adams 36 motor sailer or the expanded to 40 foot versions. When you are getting into this type of yacht though, you are talking serious money so you need to be retired, wealthy and living onboard.





The very best pilot house yacht I have ever seen was Valhalla which is a Bollard Pilot House 40. She is very much a proper yacht with a low and sturdy looking pilot house fully enclosed with aft doors opening onto a proper aft sailing cockpit.

The whole yacht had a low line to her and not the high slab sides like the two examples above. Unfortunately I am unable to find an image of her.

I believe it's a solarr 40 motor sailer my mate has one ketch rigged. Not sure on the spelling.

My favorite would be the fisher 32

Just a quick note on hard dodgers and wheel houses.

Take a few pics from side on of your boat and then lay over the new dodger so you can see what it looks like. See SOOOOOO many ugly ones that with a bit of tweaking, a bent/straightened line here, a angled back of a window there, would lokk 100% better.

We did this on my old man's boat, big cabin that still looks a bit big but IMHO looks good on the boat