Post up photos of your dodgers and spray shields

John L

John L

Well-known member
Please post photos of your canvas dodgers and spray shields. I'm at the point on my restoration that I need to start thinking canvas. I have an idea of what I'm loooking to do but I'm sure there are plenty of other good ideas out there.
Here is the boat it will be going on. I am leaning towards a dual function sail boat style dodger with two bows, one that can be folded forward and colapse to become a smaller spray shield. I like the soft lines of a rounded top but a squared off top will afford a bit more room and help to keep the height down.
I was also thinking about using a plastic awning type channel instead of a dodger combing and screw it down to the foredeck in a curve to keep with the lines of the boat. It will also be very water and wind resistant. Then have the ends meet 6" or so aft of where the cockpit combing starts and then finish the run with snaps on the sides of the cockpit combing running aft to the end of the combing.
Thanks for your help
awningrail.jpg

topsidebowviewinprimer.jpg

 
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Here is what Dave Clark did on my Estuary. You have a couple of options on this one. One you can unsnap the piece between the 2 grassing straps for more of a left/ right swing or you can unsnap it all the way around above the lower strap to have just a spray shield.
img2006r.jpg

 
Funny you should mention this now, I was debating posting a similar thread for the past few days.

I'm doing one now for a Classic Barnaget . I was going to follow Zack Taylors instruction for a traditional V shape dodger, very easy to do bye the way, The last one I did went with the boat when I sold it.but I have a "hoop" I got from Don Warren and never used that it's going on. I have the canvas hemmed and cut and just treated it today, as soon as it dries, I'll get to it.

This one will be fairly simple, the top of the bow will be even with the front of the cockpit so if you need to row, the dodger won't get in the way when you lean back into the oars, which kinda happens with the traditional style,it will collapse forward. If I can get it finished before this thread runs out I'll try to get a picture posted.

The question I was going to ask was, do you guys actually use the dodger that much? Do you leave it up when your gunning? Also... Do you use the rear decoy rack? I am trying to decide if I want to put them back on again.
The boat will be towed and no decoys will remain in the rack other then picking up before they go under the deck.
 
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Bill - Thats is kind of what I had in mind with the channel in front. I can get the rigid vinyl awning rail in black and it holds the bend well so there will not be much need to make any cuts in it.

Phil and Dave - That is a great looking and functional dodger. I only wish I had the time to run the boat up to you (Dave) to make one for me. That is pretty close to what I had in mind. I had not given any thought to making it in a two part snap together version. Great idea. Guess thats why I posted this thread.

George S - I have had the same style dodger you are refering in the past but I would like a bit more cover for those not so nice but great hunting days. I use the dodger almost every time I'm out. The bay around here can get sloppy fast and it helps to keep water from filling up the boat. In addition, by having the sides come all the way back it will not get as much spray into the cockpit from the sides when your running in big water with a lot of wind blown chop. Not to mention it also helps to keep my wet dog warm when she is not out in the wind.
 
Phil,

I am planning on making that very same dodger on my boat. I am almost to that point in my build. Is there anything you would change, or add to yours?

I have been looking at that picture since you first posted it. One thing I cannot tell is what holds up the main pipe for the lower half?

Do you have a picture of the inside?

Dave
 
John, I hear you with the slop when running, This boats design readily allows waves to roll up on deck.
In case you want a partial fix for that,... On my boat I added a spray rail just inboard of the chine screwed up into the bottom. It's 1"x3/4" and is not very visible, but it knocks back a lot of water that wants to join you in the boat, and provides a good grip along the sides if you want to pick up the boat by hand,

It may not be "traditional" but it makes the boat perform better.
 
John,
If you are going to build you own keep in mind that we all hunt these boats wrong. We gun over the stern/motor.
Years ago when they were towing the scooters they had no engine issue. Today we all put the bow into the drainage ditch
pull the canvas up and gun over the engine.
What if you design you canvas to act as a spray dodger on the way out. Then when you get to the spot it would face the stern. You would now be able to put your boat into the drainage ditch and gun over the bow, no engine issue.
Also on my South bay I made my canvas to look like a canvas on a wagontrain. It looks like crap but it gives you a lot of extra space under the canvas.
 
David,

As you might have seen, I took your advise and removed the skeg and just went with a Mohogany runner.
So I have to ask, why is the combing a must do? What would you suggest?
I was originally going to go that route but thought the awning type rail would be a good idea and a lot faster to install. The reason I was getting away from the combing around the cockpit was because of the time involved in making it. My original idea was to make a template for the combing and transfer it to some 1/4" marine ply. Then cut 6 pieces stack on top of each other and laminate together ending up with a combing around the front of the cockpit that will be 1 1/2" high X 1 1/2" wide and run back 6" from the front of the cockpit then run snaps along the cockpit combing.

I saw that your heading to RI. I get up there on occasion to go out with a friend that runs a boat out of Pt. Judith called "SNAPPA". He has one of the best shark cages on the East Coast. Want to go for a swim with the big fish?
 
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I have it in stock at the shop. We use it to hold valances on the arch of alot of the SeaRay boats for the windscreen, side curtain and aft curtains.
 
I really like Dave's canvas design and probably will have one made for my sneakbox at some point.

Currently I have a box canvas with a bonnet top for it, set up for shooting off the transom. I used to have it set up to shoot off the bow, but hunting by myself without a dog more often than not, it was harder to quickly chase down cripples with the motor up on the sedge. All I had to do to reverse it was reverse the canvas.

What is nice about this design with the bonnet top is I can fold it down when I'm running to have full access to my cockpit, but fold it back to get out of the rain and wind when hunting.

PB260168.jpg


You can see it here folded up when I'm picking up decoys and getting ready to run back.

PB260156.jpg


And here it is set up to hunt. I put a piece of fastgrass over the top with some natural grass over it. It is really nice to have to stay out of the weather and out of sight when birds are circling.
 
John, I hear you with the slop when running, This boats design readily allows waves to roll up on deck.
In case you want a partial fix for that,... On my boat I added a spray rail just inboard of the chine screwed up into the bottom. It's 1"x3/4" and is not very visible, but it knocks back a lot of water that wants to join you in the boat, and provides a good grip along the sides if you want to pick up the boat by hand,

It may not be "traditional" but it makes the boat perform better. Hey George, I just aint gett'n it. Can you post a picture?
Click to expand...
 
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John,

Here is the spray skirt on the BBSB I hunt out of...This picture has none of the grass that I apply when hunting...I made a blanket with four foot sheets of grass attached that unfolds from bow to stern with small hole for me to shoot out of when I get to where I am hunting...This design was a modified design of what Clark makes on his boat and the design that original came with the boat...Doc McCullough had the design completed by a canvas maker around Green Turtle Bay, Barkley Lake, Kentucky....When completely covered it looks like a muskrat hut with a fat little man sticking out of the dodger...It snaps into place...I remove only when taking long trips...

Regards,

Kristan
 
Thanks for the post guys. Keep the photos coming. I'll have to decide by the end of the week what I'm going to do.
 
Dave E, pictures huh, lol
ok, but it may take a few attempts to get it right, I'm no puter whiz but my daughter set up a photo bucket or some such place to host the pics. Now all I got to do is figure out the how to's and MAYBE we'll have some pictures.
 
Since I started this thread I thought I should post some photos of the dodger / spray shield that is now on the boat.
This is in the full up position
canvas5-1.jpg

This is in the spray shield position
canvas3.jpg

SOuthBayboatwithBBSB.jpg

sternviewgrassed.jpg

 
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