Now that my broadbill is under way im starting to think about canvas.Im undecided about which way im gone go.Spray skirt or small blind?Have canvas shop make me one?Or rig up my own.I was thinking about taking the one of my bbsb but plan on selling that rig when I get this one finished.So what do u guys prefer?Any good ideas for making a decent home made one?And where would be a good place to buy one,I was looking at Dave Clark.
spray dodgers
- Thread starter jeff tarr
- Start date
Ron Schuna
Well-known member
Classic Barnegats sells a dodger. Dave Clark has told me in the past that he requires the boat on site to do proper fitting of a dodger (not an off the shelf item, totally custom)
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Jeff~
The key is function - do you want it to just keep spray and headseas out of the cockpit? or do you want use it as part of your hide?
I use mine only when under way. It lays down flat on the deck when I'm gunning. Depending upon where I'm gunning - and the stage of the tide - I may or may not have any tall cover near me. So, I'm almost always down on my back. In a pinch, I can use it as part of my hide near tall cover if I want.
View attachment SSWA August 2011 - SJS in Sneakbox - vs.jpg View attachment Sanford BBSB - vs.jpg
I made mine out of thinwall conduit for the bow and a piece of pine or cypress for the strut that holds it up; The upper end of the strut has a U-shaped notch to engage the bow - I leave about 2" of the hem on the dodger's upper edge (centerline) unsewn to receive the strut. The lower end is notched to engage a chock on the inside of the forward coaming. The fit of the strut is critical. It's long enough so that I have to tug up on the bow/dodger when setting the strut in place (and also when removing it), but it's snug enough so that it never has come out when under way. The lower edge of the dodger is screwed (with finishing washers) tight to the coaming so no water can get beneath if a sea overwashes the foredeck.
I use Sunbrella canvas. Any decent sewing machine will do as long as you have the right thread (a waxed nylon) and the right needle. I buy from Sailmakers Supply. The pre-wound bobbins are worth their weight in gold. (Note that Chuck is not the only gunner who sews on this site - maybe we should start a Seamsters Union....)
I fit and mark the canvas right on the boat, once I have the bow and the strut installed. I sew a 2" "hem" along the top edge to run the bow through. Once that is sewn, I install it and then mark (chalk is best) along the bottom for a snug fit.
The Tan Sunbrella Marine Fabric is a fine color for saltmarsh - but I usually wind up painting the dodger with a thinned coat of my duckboat paint - Parker Marsh Grass is what I like.
BTW: To cover the cockpit when not in use, I sew a Sunbrella cover that is draped over my pushpole (to serve as a ridgepole). It has brass grommets every 2' along its outer edges and short pieces of braided nylon line fastened to my thatch rails lash it down with slipped square knots. This approach has served well in gales and on the Ocean Parkway.
Hope this helps! (I'll have more pics later this summer when I rehab my Sneakbox - it'll be getting all new decks and needs a new dodger anyhow.)
SJS
The key is function - do you want it to just keep spray and headseas out of the cockpit? or do you want use it as part of your hide?
I use mine only when under way. It lays down flat on the deck when I'm gunning. Depending upon where I'm gunning - and the stage of the tide - I may or may not have any tall cover near me. So, I'm almost always down on my back. In a pinch, I can use it as part of my hide near tall cover if I want.
View attachment SSWA August 2011 - SJS in Sneakbox - vs.jpg View attachment Sanford BBSB - vs.jpg
I made mine out of thinwall conduit for the bow and a piece of pine or cypress for the strut that holds it up; The upper end of the strut has a U-shaped notch to engage the bow - I leave about 2" of the hem on the dodger's upper edge (centerline) unsewn to receive the strut. The lower end is notched to engage a chock on the inside of the forward coaming. The fit of the strut is critical. It's long enough so that I have to tug up on the bow/dodger when setting the strut in place (and also when removing it), but it's snug enough so that it never has come out when under way. The lower edge of the dodger is screwed (with finishing washers) tight to the coaming so no water can get beneath if a sea overwashes the foredeck.
I use Sunbrella canvas. Any decent sewing machine will do as long as you have the right thread (a waxed nylon) and the right needle. I buy from Sailmakers Supply. The pre-wound bobbins are worth their weight in gold. (Note that Chuck is not the only gunner who sews on this site - maybe we should start a Seamsters Union....)
I fit and mark the canvas right on the boat, once I have the bow and the strut installed. I sew a 2" "hem" along the top edge to run the bow through. Once that is sewn, I install it and then mark (chalk is best) along the bottom for a snug fit.
The Tan Sunbrella Marine Fabric is a fine color for saltmarsh - but I usually wind up painting the dodger with a thinned coat of my duckboat paint - Parker Marsh Grass is what I like.
BTW: To cover the cockpit when not in use, I sew a Sunbrella cover that is draped over my pushpole (to serve as a ridgepole). It has brass grommets every 2' along its outer edges and short pieces of braided nylon line fastened to my thatch rails lash it down with slipped square knots. This approach has served well in gales and on the Ocean Parkway.
Hope this helps! (I'll have more pics later this summer when I rehab my Sneakbox - it'll be getting all new decks and needs a new dodger anyhow.)
SJS
I was thinking about taking my current dodger off and seeing if it fits and if so have it duplicate by the local canvas shop that I just did a job for,or im sure they can modify new one once they c wat im tryin to do.It was actually made by the new classic guys.Im thinking I like to be able to use as a hide.I like the one Dave has that has the top that is set up for of and on use because I occasionally squeeze2 people in the boat.And I guess it depends on how much money I want to spend.heres wat I have on other boat
View attachment IMG_20120803_161629-2.jpg
View attachment IMG_20120803_161629-2.jpg
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Jeff,
If you are looking to have one made, I would try to stay as local as I could get to my home location. My preference would be to build my frame gatting it the way I want it, then take the boat, with frame, to a canvas shop for sewing. Any place making boat covers should be able to handle the task. A picture or two of similar dodgers or blinds would help them understand just what you were wanting done.
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Jeff,
If you are looking to have one made, I would try to stay as local as I could get to my home location. My preference would be to build my frame gatting it the way I want it, then take the boat, with frame, to a canvas shop for sewing. Any place making boat covers should be able to handle the task. A picture or two of similar dodgers or blinds would help them understand just what you were wanting done.
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Dave Mac Eachern
New member
I found two sites for excellant camo material suitable for dodgers or spray shields. Check out "Lura'sfabricshop.com" and their True Timber, flooded timber, cordura (9oz. 100% polyester) 60" wide and sold by the yard at $9.95 p/yd..... OR...the "fabricshop.com" the same camo pattern but heavyier canvas material at $10.98 p/yd. Both fabrics are advertised as waterproof. Thanks to all you guys with ideas on making your own dodgers. Dave Mac Eachern, Cape Cod
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