Is a dodger a necessity?

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

You might like to know that in Canadian waters you are required to carry paper charts even if you've got electronic gizmos coming out your ears :-)!

TP,
According to the following (from the CCG), up-to-date electronic charts from CHS are acceptable in place of paper charts:
https://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/publicatio...age09-eng.html

[El Pinguino]

What I have.
A low dodger with sitting room under it for two - out of the wind and rain. A low enough profile to see over the top when on the helm. Good shelter for the watch when on windvane or autopilot and it also stops most rain getting below.

Can not imagine having one of those enormous things you can stand under. Nor do i understand biminis - thats what sun hats for.
In port or at anchor in a hot and sunny spot I just sling my $5 worth of shade cloth over the boom. Job done.

[DMF Sailing]

I often find myself sailing in the rainy/foggy/chilly/conditions we get here in spring, fall, and most of last July.

The dodger makes for a great place to take a break, warm up, dry out, have a hot drink or a snack that doesn't get waterlogged, without going below.

It's also nice in the morning to have a place to sit that doesn't need to be dried off first.

A dodger is not a necessity, but for anything longer than a daysail, it sure is a nice little luxury.

[ADD: The picture in my signature is me attempting to pilot a Hanse 415 in a squall in a narrow channel. The rain is pelting me like little darts, and I am miserable. The guy shooting the picture is sitting under the dodger in a t-shirt, laughing and enjoying the scene.]

[TrentePieds]

Pelagia:

Quite so, and yes, I stand corrected - sort of :-)

To quote from you link: "Appropriate back-up is needed to ensure continuous availability of data in the event of computer system failure."

But what could be a more unassailable "back-up" than the paper charts - as long as we continue to be able to get them? I baby mine!

One of my objections to the electronic gizmos is that before you can turn around they've become a flock of oozly-woozly birds :-)!

Cheers

TP

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

One of my objections to the electronic gizmos is that before you can turn around they've become a flock of oozly-woozly birds :-)!

[emoji106][emoji848]

[chowdan]

Personally i like dodgers and bimini's. My dodger is over my companion way but the layout of my boat doesn't allow the dodger to fully work to protect the cockpit like traditional dodgers locations do. Something i've been pondering on how the hell do i modify this thing to do better.

I'm on Bainbridge Island(PNW) on a mooring ball living aboard full time, and find that when its cold/wet/rainy/nasty out, being able to open up my companion way and sip a cup of coffee/journal/work, and look out is incredibly nice and where my dodger shines - its not just on anchor that this spot cna be used this way, btu the wife loves hanging out in it when sailing in rougher weather - I often get to be the one stuck in the weather.

That said, you can always add one to a boat, especially fi your willing to either spend the money or spend the time with a machine to make it. I wouldn't want to never have one, but it'd be high on the list.

[Lake-Effect]

Our 19' microcruiser came with a Genco dodger! That's like putting leather seats on a riding lawnmower, and not something we would have paid for ourselves... but we're happy to have it. Most of the time the frame is folded down, and the sunbrella is stored below, but we can raise it in under 5 min now. It's great for nighttime at anchor; we can leave the companionway open (screened) and still stay dry in the rain. Or shade for an afternoon of reading/dozing on a mooring or a lunchhook.

[slap]

My previous boat didn't have a dodger or bimini. My current boat has both. It's nice having shade on the hot Chesapeake summer days or protection on days that have rain. With a dodger the companionway can stay open even if it is raining. The dodger is low enough that I can see over it if I am standing at the wheel and since there is no bridge deck (but raised sill) the low height of the dodger really doesn't intrude on the entrance/egress from below.

While dodgers and biminis can be expensive covers can greatly extend their lives. Both the dodger and bimini on my boat have covers and both are 15 years old, with the "glass" still in pretty good shape.

[CyKlop]

Originally Posted by Capt Andy

I ask because I've been looking for a sailboat for a while now and I've been excluding boats without dodgers which limits my search numbers. Do you "need" a dodger in a boat under 30'? And a bimini? (In posting I think I just answered my question because there's obviously a lot of boats w/o dodgers that sail perfectly well!) So is it personal preference and consideration of cost to have one or not? I live in the PNW and will be sailing the north Puget Sound

Another PNW racer/cruiser here...

For racing, the dodger comes off. At all other times, I keep the dodger on. For cruising, given our rainy weather, I think you'll find that a dodger and a bimini make a huge difference in comfort. For racing, I want as little topside that

1. interferes with deck operations
2. Increases windage (or, alternately, decreases aerodynamics) as possible
3. Might break or otherwise cause difficulties

Having said that, you can add a dodger or bimini to pretty much any boat, though some take an "interesting" engineering solution!

[Tail Wind]

I built my own dodger for my Cal 27 Mklll. It was nice to keep the rain out of the boat when opening the companionway, either entering or exiting the cabin. Sitting on the bridgedeck under cover while the autopilot steered the boat when it was rainy or just cold on long passages was appreciated by me. Smaller boats like mine seldom have a dodger as they are mostly used as daysailers.

[Happ]

Originally Posted by Capt Andy

I ask because I've been looking for a sailboat for a while now and I've been excluding boats without dodgers which limits my search numbers. Do you "need" a dodger in a boat under 30'? And a bimini? (In posting I think I just answered my question because there's obviously a lot of boats w/o dodgers that sail perfectly well!) So is it personal preference and consideration of cost to have one or not? I live in the PNW and will be sailing the north Puget Sound

It all depends what kind of sailing are you going to do. Many days at sea at a time or just weekend sailing. Going to be anchoring a lot. Maybe you want one. You can always buy a boat without it and if you want one to get out of the wind put one on.

[TPG]

Not necessary but nice. I delivered a boat from GA to FL without one, it was late Nov one year and about 35 degrees. Dodger would have been very nice.

[Amapola]

It's a requirement for me.

[Drek4]

I'm no expert, but I would prefer having one in the tropics and would only sail north or south of them with one.

[j.g.evans]

I sail in NJ and have made 12 trips to the Bahamas. I leave a Bimini up most of the time except early spring and late fall when I want the sun. I want the breeze and good visibility. I added a zipper to the front of the Bimini and snaps to the cabin top. This allows me to add what I call a windshield in bad weather. This has no structure and can be rolled up. It is almost 8' wide and provides great visibility, wind and rain protection.
I have observed many poor dodgers on boats where my visibility is restricted overall and especially bad while standing at the helm. Many have metal zipper pulls that are quickly frozen.