Dodger Quotation

[david78212]

$6,000 seems extremely high for a "dodger replacement". If (and only if) all the hardware i.e. - bows, mounts and misc hardware is all in good reusable shape, that sounds WAY out to lunch. Bows and other frame tidbits are ridiculous, ESPECIALLY if the old dodger is decent enough to use as a (basic) pattern... I wouldn't plan on using stretched out fabric as a direct pattern though. I bought my boat with a basically brand new dodger and bimini and plan on a hard dodger when this one gives up, but I got some time. I would expect that price for a complete dodger kit if you have to buy all new hardware, good stainless steel dodger bows are silly expensive.

[OneBoatman]

I would expect it to be more like $3-4K but I know I was overcharged for a new dodger and bimini at somewhere near 7.5K on existing frames. Shop around as 6k for a just the dodger when you already have the frame is way high. A bimini takes a lot less labor and fabric than a dodger.

[Scubaseas]

Originally Posted by AJ_n_Audrey

Hi All, not sure exactly where to post this, but here goes: I just got a quote from a reputable canvas shop in the southeast for a new dodger, and I almost fell out of my chair: $6,000!!

Does anyone have recent experience getting a Sunbrella dodger made, and would you be willing to share what you paid? And who did it? I'm looking for a place in NC or SC.

Maybe this is just what dodger cost these days, but Wow!

Try Island Nautical. I've used them for years, Had a template on file for my Pearson 323. You have to install the hardware but that's easily done.

https://www.islandnautical.com/pattern-inventory

[JD-MDR]

I had my dodger built by Iverson in Seattle. They got a lot of dimensions for tubing over the phone with the camera and installed that and made patterns. They finished on the second trip. They only use top of the line materials and everything is at least triple stitched 5x in some places. I’m very happy. $3500 plus I spent about $1000 at LA harbor There was a 1-1:2 yr waiting list for them to bundle a couple of other jobs in LA

[billcrowley]

Sailrite.com may be your best friend. They offer for sale everything you need to make a replacement cover for your dodger, including FREE tutorial videos. If you don’t own an industrial-strength sewing machine, you can often find used machines on the market - or buy one of theirs new for around $1k; sell it for +/-$800 if you have no long-term need for it. No sewing skills? Hone them with smaller projects, like a Sail Pack, helm cover, etc., before tackling the complicated dodger project. Our community college offers a beginning upholstery class where you can learn sewing and other related skills. I took it a few years ago to reupholster a vintage race car, and there was a woman in the class replacing a vinyl dodger for a Freedom 40 sailboat. She had the old one to disassemble for patterns, which made the job much easier. Check your local resources for a similar class. Whatever you do, you will never recover much of your investment in time & money when you sell your boat - so plan on enjoying it long-term before that sale!

[jen1722terry]

We've made/replaced a lot of our own canvas with a Sailrite machine and materials kits. We started making our dodger and finally gave up and took the materials and patterns to a local shop and he finished it for $1600 in 2019. Probably more now. Harmons Upholstery in Ellsworth, Maine. Another local contractor in Maine wanted $2800 for the entire job in 2019.

If you measure the patterns that come with the Sailrite kit very carefully, he may be able to cut and sew the canvas for you. We do not recommend that you have the shop install all the snaps or twist lock fasteners, for they have to line up perfectly or you'll have to recut the canvas for the fastener. Do have them install the the best zippers available for longevity.

Anyhow, we would not recommend making your own dodger. It has to fit well or the wind will wear it out prematurely. The glass will be hard to see thru and the snaps may not line up correctly.

If you use the best Sunbrella, it should last 20 years or longer, so go ahead and invest the money in a pro job.

Lastly, if you have the old dodger, send it into the shop also. It will be a bit stretched and therefore won't be a usefull as a newly measured pattern, but it will give the pro a bit more info about any unusual cuts or fitting placements you need.

Cheers

[SuW]

Originally Posted by billcrowley

Sailrite.com may be your best friend. They offer for sale everything you need to make a replacement cover for your dodger, including FREE tutorial videos. If you don’t own an industrial-strength sewing machine, you can often find used machines on the market - or buy one of theirs new for around $1k; sell it for +/-$800 if you have no long-term need for it. No sewing skills? Hone them with smaller projects, like a Sail Pack, helm cover, etc., before tackling the complicated dodger project. Our community college offers a beginning upholstery class where you can learn sewing and other related skills. I took it a few years ago to reupholster a vintage race car, and there was a woman in the class replacing a vinyl dodger for a Freedom 40 sailboat. She had the old one to disassemble for patterns, which made the job much easier. Check your local resources for a similar class. Whatever you do, you will never recover much of your investment in time & money when you sell your boat - so plan on enjoying it long-term before that sale!

Very good comment.

And the other poster that mentioned that old canvas will have stretched.

If someone is considering making their own, I can only add that taking apart the old dodger to "make a pattern" is time consuming and dirty.

It's far quicker and easier to use Sailrite's tutorial on making a pattern out of heavy see-through polyethylene - they sell one with a fiberglass thread to prevent stretching, but you can manage without. (If you have the bows for the dodger/Bimini, then it's simple.)

You'll then have a pattern that you can use more than once, especially if you decide to change something. We put pockets for solar panels on our dodger, then changed to different panels and it was easy to just re-make that one part.

Another poster said that Sunbrella loses its waterproofing after a few years. This is true - there are waterproofing products that should be used every few years to restore all your exterior canvas. Some claim to protect from UV too, but I have no idea if that's true.

Your quote for a dodger may be reasonable depending on the value you put on your time and the alternatives (take the boat somewhere else). It took us a very long time to make our dodger including making the bows, but it was a fun project and we are retired.

[abroadreachtrvl]

I have made two dodgers by cutting apart the old one and using it as a template for the new one. The last one was around $1000 (2022) in materials and about 40 hrs of time. Not perfect but it looks good and the savings were significant.

[jen1722terry]

A fine point on stitching your dodger, or any other canvas project that has seams:

One poster mentioned pinning seams to sew. Good idea. Another option we've tried is to use sticky, two-side basting tape to temporarily secure the seam for sewing. However, we found that the glue on the basting tape can foul up the needle on the sewing machine. Pins are more time-consuming, but better, IMHO.

Anyhow, making your own canvas can be great fun as a winter or rainy day project, though I would not recommend making a dodger as your first project.

Cheers.

[OneBoatman]

Senior Crowley seems to have answered a different thread about where you may turn to for a DYI dodger. Sew what? You might also consider a GoFundMe site.

[Icarus]

I paid 1900 for a new spray dodger with an opening centre window 2 years ago on my 40ft yacht in Australia.
Things get obviously more expensive if you have side curtains a cockpit shade cover.

[sailcrazy]

We had a california bimini and dodger created for our 43' monohull while in Puerto Rico. The pro that designed and built in used some of the old frames, and had a couple new ones made. With stratglas, and 4 side windows, the project was $6000....in 2020. I think you get what you pay for!

[Smokeys Kitchen]

Originally Posted by wrwakefield

We have over US$3,000 in materials alone in our dodger/bimini/ full enclosure we made 4 years ago. [There is also a link to the materials and supplier list in the above post.]


Above dodger window is 9 feet wide

US$6,000 sounds like a reasonable ballpark…

Cheers, Bill

PS: I highly recommend you consider using Makrolon for the forward facing windows. [Used as small aircraft windows…]. Much better [and cheaper] than Isinglass, etc. [Detail at above link.]

Yeah - but you have Donna there …..

[RaymondR]

A question and a comment:

The canvas and frame style dodgers and biminis are designed to be folded down. How many of us actually ever do so?

My boat came with a fold down bimini which had solar panels mounted on it effectively cancelling out the fold down capability.

[jen1722terry]

We will fold up and secure the Bimini for storms. Our dodger is low and we always leave it up, even in storms. No problems yet but our home cruising grounds (Maine and Nova Scotia) are not known for high-category hurricanes.

Cheers