Cruising without a Sprayhood?

[MarkJ]

Being in trade wind areas one quickly becomes jaded with trying to have drinks on the aft deck in 20 knots YEAR in YEAR out!

I am getting one, finally, this year.

I can't wait! But my bank account can

[xxuxx]

This has got to be the stupidest thread and now I am a part of it.
If you don't want to use a Dodger or "Spray Hood", then don't and suffer the consequences. For those of you who prefer the dodger or "Spray Hood", good for you as you suffer less buffeting and wetness. And for those few who want to install it in reverse, I love ya.
[SIZE="4
CAN WE CLOSE THIS IDIOTIC THREAD NOW??[/SIZE]

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by swan36doe

And my experience on
a sistership that did have a sprayhood, was that it much inhibited going
forward to make sail adjustments.

remember, sailing is a water sport

And how exactly does a sprayhood inhibit going forward...
Also sailing/going to sea was/is a means of transport and a livelihood...
For the part timers maybe it is a sport...
Play awhile and then go home..

[svseachange]

We don't have a dodger/sprayhood. Maybe that means we are not legit cruisers. We don't have any number of other things seen as "essential" by "real" cruisers.

We managed on Lake Superior by wearing every piece of clothing we owned on watch. It was brutally cold but we were OK.

In the warmer climes we just get wet a bit more often m than our friends but dodger/sprayhood doesn't seem to make it up our priority list.

So yes, you can cruise withour a dodger. It is harder. But you will survive.

Sent from my Ideos using Tapatalk 2

[exMaggieDrum]

Nice solar panel setup - tilting up.

[exMaggieDrum]

This is pretty late getting in to the spray - but my two cents: A dodger is a must. We went from Mexico to New Zealand, and from NZ to Fiji and back via Vanuatu/New Caledonia. The first passage was 25 days and mostly trades. Our dodger had real glass and was wonderful. I kept squeegee in the cockpit with a small water spritzer to go out and wash the windows occasionally. Even in the trades we occasionally had water from bow to stern and sometimes from port to starboard. We also had a large permanently mounted bimini. It was so nice. Any boat I get now I will put on a good bimini. I wouldn't buy a boat without a dodger, or willing to pay to get one. A window to unzip or open in the middle would be very nice to let in breezes at anchor or when water is not coming aft by rain or seas. We had a center cockpit so had it even easier. But I still got drenched and a few times with my foulies on with the hood up. And that was not motoring to weather. Just happens. My hat is off to any that sail without a dodger. It would be very wet down below. The bimini is required for sun protection and rain IMHO. But the boat will still sail without one. But the skipper may be in a very tired and foul mood without one.