Has anyone had a hard dodger and bimini made

[nuru05]

I have a moody 425 and I'd like to have a hard dodge with actual glass and a hard bimini made for it. Has anyone had this done? Does anyone have any recommendations of places around the southern east coast that does this kind of thing?

[boatman61]

These guys get good press, not sure of the location tho'... https://tartarooga.com/

[shimari]

These guys are in RI, but they did a pretty nice job with a Hylas 63. I would expect anything they do to be expensive.

https://gmtcomposites.com/custom-marine-products

[Bill O]

Yes, we made are own custom hard dodger w/glass windshield and hard bimini many years ago.
Expanded a power boat windshield w/an extended aluminum frame to form the dodger and bimini.

[nuru05]

What I'm thinking is something like this https://www.pinterest.com/pin/504825439455618451/

Does anyone have a ballpark price that it would cost to get something like this done?

[Cpt Mark]

That is a lot of work. Plus engineering. How is your main sheet controlled? If you have a hard bimini and the lines attach to it you have to calculate that load factor in. That is a big deal. Are you putting solar up there? The bimini also needs to be strong enough to walk on to service the main. I spent a couple of years researching before building mine which I have many many months into. Slow pace is in part weather related as I have to build it on the boat.

I'd think 20K is what you can expect to pay.

[nuru05]

Originally Posted by Cpt Mark

That is a lot of work. Plus engineering. How is your main sheet controlled? If you have a hard bimini and the lines attach to it you have to calculate that load factor in. That is a big deal. Are you putting solar up there? The bimini also needs to be strong enough to walk on to service the main. I spent a couple of years researching before building mine which I have many many months into. Slow pace is in part weather related as I have to build it on the boat.

I'd think 20K is what you can expect to pay.

Actually that isn't too much off from what I was figuring. our main sheet attaches to the deck behind the cockpit (center cockpit) so no issues there. My plan was to only have the bimini go about 1/3 of the way back across the cockpit and then have an arch behind the cockpit this way I could stretch that sun fabric across most of the cockpit. I figure it would keep us from getting baked and still allow us to see the sail (drives me crazy not being able to see it from the helm). I wouldn't mind some solar up there if possible (more is always better) though I already have 1,000 watts on my arch.

I'm not really interested in building it because we live on the boat most of the year and cruise. We put in for 3 months and work each year. We make enough working that we are better off just working a couple extra weeks and paying $20k to have it professionally done than spend 3 months figuring it out ourselves and not being happy with the result.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by nuru05

What I'm thinking is something like this https://www.pinterest.com/pin/504825439455618451/

Does anyone have a ballpark price that it would cost to get something like this done?

That is a nice looking dodger, especially w/the opening windshield sections for good air flow.

Could take that pic and send to fabricators to give you a quote (be ready to see a large figure!!)

Do not know where you live, but would consider a longer hard bimini to keep you out of the sun instead of replacing expensive Sunbrella every few years.

To be able to see the main from the helm put a larger hatch in an appropriate spot to see the trim.

It appears the Moody has a track behind the CC so you don't have to consider any of those loads in the construction of the bimini. One thing to watch for is the main sheet in a broad reach or run that it doesn't hit the bimini corner or the support tubes (especially in a gybe).

[nuru05]

Honestly my plan is to just have the hard part go back about 1/3 of the cockpit and then have an arch mounted at the back that I can then stretch that sun fabric (the stuff you can see through but keeps you from getting fried). This way we can enjoy the sun and still see our sails without getting baked, plus the stuff is super cheap so even if I have to replace it every couple of years I can sew it myself for $50

Originally Posted by Bill O

That is a nice looking dodger, especially w/the opening windshield sections for good air flow.

Could take that pic and send to fabricators to give you a quote (be ready to see a large figure!!)

Do not know where you live, but would consider a longer hard bimini to keep you out of the sun instead of replacing expensive Sunbrella every few years.

To be able to see the main from the helm put a larger hatch in an appropriate spot to see the trim.

It appears the Moody has a track behind the CC so you don't have to consider any of those loads in the construction of the bimini. One thing to watch for is the main sheet in a broad reach or run that it doesn't hit the bimini corner or the support tubes (especially in a gybe).