Use existing dodger as a pattern

[dmksails]

My dodger could use some work - the zippers have all come undone and the clear panels are not really clear anymore.

I was wondering if it's possible to dis-assemble the existing dodger and use it as a pattern. Anyone have any advice on that?

[Capt.Don]

Interested in this -- I used a toe-rail cover as a pattern with success. I made the new cover slightly longer to allow for shrinkage, fitting.

[Winter River]

Check out the videos on sailrite.com. They have detailed instructions on many boat projects, including patterning and sewing a dodger. Their advice is not to use the old dodger as a pattern, as it will have distorted over years of use and will not fit as well as a newly built one should. How-to-Make-a-Dodger 4 1/2 hours of tutorial. There are many videos addressing other specific situations like a 4-bow bimini.

A couple weeks ago I followed their instructions to add an opening window in the front plastic panel of my bimini. How-to-Install-a-Curved-Zipper While we could open the front panel before by completely unzipping the sides and top, the tight fit made it a challenge to get the zippers started again. Now with the curved zipper in the window we can easily open it all the way or only a little. Unlike the video I did a frown window that folds down instead of rolling up. I never would have considered cutting into a perfectly good window without the sailrite video.

[Jordan-Flomad]

Originally Posted by Winter River

I did a frown window

That's the saddest thing I've read all day. :P

[Sailor647]

I made all the canvas for our boat and have rebuilt or repaired all kinds of other projects for both sailing and power boats.

It won't work. The fabric used to make the original dodger (likely Sunbrella or some other acrylic) has stretched and/or shrunk over time and changed shape from when it was first made. When you try to lay it flat to cut out new fabric, it won't be a true shape or size.

Use pattern plastic to make a new pattern and start fresh. And be sure to use lifetime thread like Solafix. It's worth the extra cost.

[Sailnman]

Both my son and I have made new dodgers, using the old dodger as a pattern.
Take lots of closeup pictures of the old dodger, and make note of what they are pictures of. When you take apart the old dodger use a permanent marker to mark all the edges, on the old dodger, that will need to be sewn as well as zipper placement, also mark the old pattern as inside or outside as well as left or right.Transfer these marks to the new material using a tailors pencil.
Good Luck

[Halien]

My oldest son had a canvas shop for several years. People occasionally brought in old canvas thinking it could be used to pattern the replacement. He may have done it once in the beginning, but generally he refused these jobs if he couldn't talk the person into a new pattern. New canvas made from old rarely fits well. If you want to do it yourself and get DIY results--a lot of people do and end up happy with their work--have at it. On the other hand, learning to pattern canvas is a skill worth learning. The patterning material isn't expensive, and by the time you sew the real fabric you'll have made your project twice; using the old canvas as a pattern doesn't teach you much. He had a 250 pound sewing machine and every tool you can imagine. If you don't, you'll be cutting corners. You can still get good results, but it will take far longer than you think and cost more. His biggest source of business was people who had watched the SailRite videos. Only a small number of folks who watch those videos have the patience, tools and skill to finish a satisfying project. You may be one of them, but you'll spend some real money finding out.

[CdS2 Roland]

Hello,
I tried, but it doesn’t work well. The general form is correct, but there are some deformations. When you build the dodger, the fabric is flat. After a few years, it is deformed and the templates are inaccurate. You will see it on the final result. It is much easier to start from the beginning. See Sailrite web page, which gives very good advice.
Good luck.

[sy_gilana]

We replaced our Eisenglass with Makrolon and then painted the canvas with 2 part polyurethane matt enamel.


Very pleased with the results. The sunbrella would have been too stretched to use as a pattern. The dodger was made by Busch Canvas, West Palm Beach in 2006 and has held up very well. It was just looking a little tired.

[dougweibel]

Originally Posted by Sailor647

And be sure to use lifetime thread like Solafix. It's worth the extra cost.

Do this!

I went the SailRite route and am very happy with the result (Dodger and Bimini with solar) other than seeing that V92 thread will start to fail in high stress areas after only a few years of sun exposure.

[Emouchet]

Originally Posted by Sailor647

It won't work. The fabric used to make the original dodger (likely Sunbrella or some other acrylic) has stretched and/or shrunk over time and changed shape from when it was first made. When you try to lay it flat to cut out new fabric, it won't be a true shape or size.

Totally agree on that.

We rebuilt our dodger and bimini using the old one as a template and it did not fit as well as the old one.
The old one was destroyed during the rebuilt process to get al the parts Template.
We had to make a lot of small adjustments.Look ok far away, but not the perfect fit from close by.

[chouliha]

Originally Posted by Sailor647

I made all the canvas for our boat and have rebuilt or repaired all kinds of other projects for both sailing and power boats.

It won't work. The fabric used to make the original dodger (likely Sunbrella or some other acrylic) has stretched and/or shrunk over time and changed shape from when it was first made. When you try to lay it flat to cut out new fabric, it won't be a true shape or size.

Use pattern plastic to make a new pattern and start fresh. And be sure to use lifetime thread like Solafix. It's worth the extra cost.

Totally agree!

We made that mistake. Took the old dodger off and gave it to a canvas guy in French Polynesia. It came back looking like crap. The guy said he would never make a new dodger that that ever again.

For those that have used the old dodger as a template and it came out looking good I tip my hat to you!

[Tillsbury]

It also depends if it was a good design in the first place. My dodger is drum tight, because the final edges wrap over and zip to a flap. When you sew the dodger up you do everything except sew on the final flaps. You then fit the entire thing and mark where the flaps need to be sewn back to get the right tension. That way your zips will take up the correct position to have everything with even tension.

So I'd disagree with some of the negative posts above. If you are competent and patient enough that most things you attempt come out perfectly, then sewing canvas is a pretty simple job that can save you a huge amount and get you much better results that you might otherwise end up with.

Use Tenara thread, nothing else.

[Kestrahl]

I made dodgers for around 10 years and if I had a dollar for every time someone asked me to use their old dodger as a pattern I would be a rich man. No, no no no no...........

[Glenn J]

Originally Posted by dmksails

My dodger could use some work - the zippers have all come undone and the clear panels are not really clear anymore.

I was wondering if it's possible to dis-assemble the existing dodger and use it as a pattern. Anyone have any advice on that?

I had the same dodger woes as you (foggy and bad zippers). Two years ago I finally got up the courage for the remake. I did it as follows: I laid the new plastic DIRECTLY on top of the old dodger (without cutting it up)and sewed it in place that way using "centerfold fabric"(?). I then cut out the old plastic up to the fabric edge. Then I replaced the zippers The new dodger looks GREAT and fits EXACTLY as it did before.