Attaching a Spray dodger?

[Neal Haarberg]

I plan on putting a spray dodger on a boat this summer and thought I would ask how most people attach it to the hull. Does it just snap to the deck, is there a combing that the snaps attach to. or is there another method without snaps? I have done a search but it is hard to tell from the pictures I have found.

 

[Huntindave McCann]

Neal,

I would say the most used method is snaps either with or with out a combing rail. A really weather proof method is to mount and awning rail to the deck and thread the spay doger curtain into that. The awning rail is an open "C" shape and the curtain has a heam with a rope sewn inside it. The rope/heam threads thru the length of the rail inside the "C" section. Just like what is used for awnings on RVs.

 

[John L]

I went with a more untraditional means of attaching my dodger.
I used PVC awning track. It holds the canvas tight and does not let water or wind get under it. So, no leaks at all. Easy to remove and holds tight when waves come crashing over the bow. If you search my post for the restoration I did last year I have more detailed photos that show you the hole installation. By placing the track far forward of the cockpit combing I also have a nice area for my dog to lay and or additional dry storage. I'll admit, I went overboard but I'm glad I did. This dodger system has work out great and when I have a client out in the boat and the weather turns to crap it is a pleasure to be able to stay warm and dry.

 

[Dave Diefenderfer]

Neal, I installed a coaming, using the Azek plastic trim found at Home Depot. It won't rot, split, and was easy to get a nice bend. I used my stud finder and marked each of the deck beams, and using a string and pencil worked out the arc that I liked. Just drilled and screwed it around, starting in the center. I then took my angle grinder with a wire wheel on it and scored the bottom edge and broke the corners so that the thickened epoxy would get a good bite.

I used SS snaps to attach to the face of it. Plenty of water over the bow, but none got under the canvas...

 

[Gene R.]

I used Dave D's method after exchanging PM's on my AA Broadbill. I like it better than the awning track method I had previuosly and it's just as dry. It makes it easier to remove to wash dry store etc. I choose to use the twist buttons instead of s/s snaps. I found a place out of Texas that sells then dirty cheap and other s.s. screws and stuff etc if ya need a source.

Gene

 

[Dave Diefenderfer]

Gene, please post up your source for the SS hardware, I could not find them reasonabley priced, already had some of the SS snaps so I went that way. But there are other projects on the horizon! Dave

 

[Gene R.]

Gene, please post up your source for the SS hardware, I could not find them reasonabley priced, already had some of the SS snaps so I went that way. But there are other projects on the horizon! Dave

Dave and others, www.duckworksbbs.com the turn buttons are under Sail making/canvas work. They have held up from this past year great, fresh and salt water use.

Gene

 

[John L]

If anyone has a hard time finding stainless hardware shoot me a pm. I stock all of the canvas snaps, studs, eyelets and turn style curtain hangars.

 

[gcs]

Old school with wood decks was just to tack the canvas,on the arc, with copper tacks/brads directly to the deck, of course you can't take the dodger off then. My down and dirty method was a variation of the tack it down method, instead of tacks, I screwed through the canvas with flat head SS screws with a SS washer directly to the FG deck, and you trim off the folded under canvas under the dodger. Fast, cheap, and no leaks.
So easy a Bayman can do it,lol.

 

[Neal Haarberg]

Thanks for the feedback. Once again this site does not disappoint. I have some options to think about now however I am leaning towards the cheap and dirty approach. This is on an old runabout conversion to a sneak box and was done on the cheap so I think I am going to keep that way. But who knows. Its always the next to the last plan until your doing it.