Dodger designs for non-traditional compaionways?

[chowdan]

Boat has a companion way similar to Swans where it's basically just a sliding hatch on deck with a ladder leading inside. One day when all other projects are ramped down and I am in a spot looking for another project, I'll probably redesign the compaionway to be more traditional and enter in the aft cabin.

That said, the existing dodger stitching is blowing out, although the vinyl type fabric seems fine, I'm thinking I may want to switch to sunbrella.

If I'm switching to sunbrella, I may consider a design a bit more 'user' friendly as right now you sort of have to climb on hands and knees to get into the hatch.

I'm thinking of making it rigid where the glass is and making a zipper removable 'top' and side panels. That way I can collapse the frame to make it a bit easier to enter when in port/anchor. I would love to have a full enclosure for the cockpit so I could work in the cockpit during winter as I am a remote worker, but that may not be feasible with my companionway design.

I'm open to ideas on how to make this a better design!

[psk125]

The aft frame arch is going to block your "open top" idea for getting below without crawling unless you do go with some sort of rigid front and sides with a fabric top. Instead of a zipper, if your fabric top had shock cord that was held in place by a lips on the front and sides, you could stitch a wooden bar across the back that would also hook into place - held by the shock cord. You'd then be able to "unhook" the bar and move it forward when you wanted to go below, and then re-hook it in place once you were done. The fabric would bunch up and be out of the way when you needed to go in or out, and would be taut against wind & water when you didn't. You also wouldn't have zippers continuously leaking drips into the cabin.

[psk125]

Another option, if you like working with the fixed panels, would be to make the front and side panels and then build a pivoting top section which would be on the outside of the fixed panels. It would be something like making the flat top section of your current dodger out of plywood, not putting on the sides or front, and letting the frame pivot forward & back. The geometry of this might be tricky, making it so as to lie flat and snug against the fixed side panels when "up" and making sure it cleared the front panel when "open". The dimensions of the hatch, the angle of the front panel and how much room there is below the boom might be involved. Have fun!

[DeValency]

Just wonder what's more urgent for you than getting a chain saw and cut a normal companionway??...

Seriously, it may be an expensive project to rebuild a dodger while the use of it will be limited before setting the cockpit as needed

[chowdan]

That's a very valid point. I may just restitch my existing one to keep it functional.

The biggest thing for me is finishing all my other damn projects, then dealing with designing the new entry and all the details that go after the chopping. The chopping is the easy part, I'm good at that, it's everything after that I need to figure and design before doing it.

Originally Posted by DeValency

Just wonder what's more urgent for you than getting a chain saw and cut a normal companionway??...

Seriously, it may be an expensive project to rebuild a dodger while the use of it will be limited before setting the cockpit as needed

[psk125]

Down at the club just saw a dodger design that might work for you without cutting up the cockpit and rebuilding the companionway. A fabric dodger on a frame where the whole frame pivots on the front edge. SS rails run along the bottom, alongside the hatchway P&S, and others hold up the front and back edges of the dodger. To go below you lift the back top edge and the whole thing lifts up to enable you to get in. The downside might be that spray could get in if you lift it at the wrong time.

[chowdan]

Interesting!!! If you get a chance to post a photo I'd love to see it.

My existing one basically relies on straps to hold it all in shape and structure. I'm halfway thinking maybe adding clam cleats to replace the straps with a rope that is easy to undo yet can be pulled taught. The frame structure collapses forward to the 'window' section, so I guess really the existing design is okay, the biggest problem is just the PITA way the webbing is released(d rings up and over).

I've been out all day and thinking about this. As long as it's easy to undo the tension on the aft section of the strap, that should be all that's needed to do in terms of convince.

As for remaking the dodger, since the stitching is starting to blow out, would it be best to redo the entire thing, or is it possible to just re-stitch seams?

Originally Posted by psk125

Down at the club just saw a dodger design that might work for you without cutting up the cockpit and rebuilding the companionway. A fabric dodger on a frame where the whole frame pivots on the front edge. SS rails run along the bottom, alongside the hatchway P&S, and others hold up the front and back edges of the dodger. To go below you lift the back top edge and the whole thing lifts up to enable you to get in. The downside might be that spray could get in if you lift it at the wrong time.

[guyrj33]

Could you replace the straps with shock cord? Then push the dodger forward when entering. There are probably some attachments along the side that might require work too.

[chowdan]

That's a great idea! Seems like all canvas companies are incredibly busy right now so getting a quote on repairing blown stitches will be a bit.

Originally Posted by guyrj33

Could you replace the straps with shock cord? Then push the dodger forward when entering. There are probably some attachments along the side that might require work too.

[psk125]

Took our dodger to a car upholstery shop. Resewed the whole thing for less than we were quoted by a sailmaker. Pretty quick too.

[Pete7]

What ever design you finally come up with, add a section to the back of the sprayhood. Very useful given your location, for keeping the horizontal rain out, whilst the hatch is open for ventilation. Otherwise the if the rain comes from the aft whilst at anchor or in harbour, the sprayhood acts like a giant funnel

We will have an zip out aft section on our next sprayhood.

Pete

[deltaten]

I just hafta ask.....The only way you have to get below to salon/berths is thru a vertical/drop thru the hole hatch..? Did MadKingLudwig design the boat? Sounds like a bigger project t is on order here than a dodger.

[DeValency]

Seen the full boat pictures including the hatch used as companionway. I think the original design was for a submarine. Wouldn’t be surprised if the mast is equipped with periscope optics.

[RaymondR]

Being 6'7" tall I had a similar problem so when it came time to replace the soft bits I threw the lot away and built a hard dodger with a slot down the middle. I also grabbed the opportunity to install another 300 watts of solar panels and although it looks a bit industrial I would not go back to the conventional "stoop under" style of dodger.There are images at "Another Dodger Project".