Dodger? Yes or No

[Mattz]

Medical science has made great strides forward, recently. You could enquire about having your legs shortened?
It would make it easier crawling around in confined spaces, too. Do you have medical insurance?

[Schooner Chandlery]

It would be nice if your dodger can be quickly easily removed or folded away.

We have what I consider to be the best situation: a low charthouse that acts as a pilothouse where we can steer inside out of sun and rain and cold, as well as a nice big aft cockpit with clear views of the rig and all around should we want to be outside in the elements. Most the sailing we do on the west coast tends to be in harsher weather that one really wants an enclosed cockpit or a pilothouse for. Since I don't like the way enclosures look (yes, I'm one of those folks who really doesn't like the canvas add-ons whether dodgers, biminis or full enclosures) we made sure to purchase a vessel with the ability to have the inside steering station. We knew we were going to sail in high latitudes so that was best for us.

I don't know how many times I've sat anchor watch--or watch while underway--in the comfort of the charthouse and been so happy with this situation.

Our charthouse has a traditional sliding hatch that I briefly thought would need a dodger but after using the boat in some pretty nasty weather I can say the only time the inside ever got wet was when the wind was from directly astern at 60 kts and the rain was pelting horizontally strait into the companionway door when it was open. A dodger wouldn't have helped matters. And that was a strange situation -- we were steering from the outside station rather than inside because we were heading into an anchorage (before the winds really rose up that is) with both of us on deck ready to anchor. We decided anchoring in 60 kts wasn't wise so turned back out to sea and upon the retreat to the inside steering, in the few minutes the companionway was open, the water just flew inside.

Onto dodgers -- the only ones I find acceptable are those which are easily folded down and stowed away.

This time lapse of a cold overcast day in Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska) shows that we spend a lot of time steering using the INSIDE station. A day in the life...time lapse videos - Sailing Mahdee

Sometimes that outside steering is wet or cold or not so nice without a dodger. Dry Me and Soggy David - Sailing Mahdee

[Sea Dreaming]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

a HUGE yes for having a Dodger. Anyone who "cant see" with a Dodger or Bimini is just too lazy to get off their ass.

or is teeny tiny.....

[model 10]

[QUOTE=Cheechako;2174281. Anyone who "cant see" with a Dodger or Bimini is just too lazy to get off their ass.

I'm sitting there day dreaming, the pilot is driving, and you want me to get up off my ass because I hear a sail make a noise? I thought this was cruising?

[TrentePieds]

Quote: " Dodgers are what are attached to the guard wires running down each side of the cockpit area to protect you from waves slopping over the side and providing protection from the wind across the boat."

England and the US are two nations separated by a common language - so for that matter are England and Canada :-)

Cheers

TrentePieds

[knockabout]

Re: Dodger? Yes or No
yes

[Sailmonkey]

[QUOTE=Guy;2174625][QUOTE=Cheechako;2174281. Anyone who "cant see" with a Dodger or Bimini is just too lazy to get off their ass.



I'm sitting there day dreaming, the pilot is driving, and you want me to get up off my ass because I hear a sail make a noise? I thought this was cruising?[/QUOTE]


I've not seen a dodger yet that prevents viewing the sail. Ours is long and low and I can see around an over it without getting up.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Training Wheels]

No dodger, no bimini. Not gonna get either.

[Nanamuk]

NO!!!! After 38 years, about 80,000 miles and home port in the Pacific North-west we don't have a dodger and are happy not to have one. Like you, I think most destroy the lines of the boat, like someone else said they obstruct clear line of sight and sailing is an outdoor sport - if you dress properly getting wet and cold is a failure in dressing not how you equipped your boat! We do have 3 different sized awnings for various situations when we want a dry cockpit or lots of shade at anchor. We have rigged the small one to keep the helmsman dry when motoring in the rain with no wind but as soon as we can set sail the awning comes down so we can see the sails.

[Training Wheels]

Well, clearly you are inexperienced since you are sans dodger.......

[Lin Pardey]

During about 180,000 miles of sailing and racing - no dodger and liked it that way. Did have two different sized canvas squares we could rig to provide shade while sailing in moderate or light conditions. When we delivered boats with dodgers, didn't like them as made access from cockpit to deck more difficult, made life in the cockpit while at anchor in tropics hot and stiffling. Definitely detracted from look of boat. We did have a flexible hood we put on to protect Taleisin's companion way from spray while at sea. But we did not spend large portions of our time in high latitudes and also did not have an engine so did not spend time motoring into headseas - which can be a very wet endeavour.

Lin & Larry Pardey: Newsletters & Cruising Tips | Sailing Newsletters & Cruising Tips

[Sandero]

I can understand the poor aesthetics of cockpit canvas. I find biminis unattractive and would never have one on my boat. On the other hand... I can't really imagine NOT having a dodger... It's mission critical. Yeah... you gotta bend down a bit to get below... not something which would make me NOT have one.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Martkimwat

I presume from all of your descriptions you are all talking about a spray hood? Dodgers are what are attached to the guard wires running down each side of the cockpit area to protect you from waves slopping over the side and providing protection from the wind across the boat. I have dodgers on my boat but no spray hood as it inhibits the view forward.

Another one of those posts that would have been better preceded with a phrase along the lines of "Where I sail, we call..."

rather than an unequivocal statement that everyone else is using the wrong terminology.

[waterman46]

Reading all the posts is entertaining. I notice two things: Those folks from warmer climates don't favor dodgers as much as us from the cold areas. Guess that's a no brainer. Second, there seem to be lots of folks who just won't have a dodger or bimini for aesthetic reasons. Some of them very famous and talented whom we admire.

Me, I find beauty in functionality and purpose as often as not. I love to see a beautiful vessel with no canvas obstructing its lines, but I'd rather go sailing in my own boat where I can be very comfortable even fully enclosed if it gets that bad. I'm not at all concerned that my boat is not beautiful in many sailor's eyes, and I've had enough cold wind and spray in my face to last a lifetime.

Age has made a difference for me as well as a transition from racing to cruising. Bottom line, to each his or her own!

[SF Bay Dude]

Sailed down to Mexico and back without one. I wished I had a dodger the entire journey. If you are daysailing and can dry out at the end of the day, or deal with the sun for the duration, then go for it. Otherwise…