Full Enclosures ? ? ? ?

[Frank C]

... Frank, you are making me think here. With the traveller mounted on top, doesnt that make the traveller difficult to access and adjust? Would take a very neat custom traveller to make that work. ...

I just figure that Hunter does it on nearly every sailboat, so we could too.

• A double-ended mainsheet can lead to cleats on each coaming.
  There are two traveler control lines, again one cleated to each coaming.
  Not sure how the track would mount atop the arch ....

Yes, it would require a rising boom, but I don't think that's disasterous for the sailplan. (The Sailmaker at Pineapple in SF thought it would be a non-issue, but then he's selling sails ...) That small wedge of bottom-aft canvas has the least impact on the boat's attitude ... and in higher winds, she's already over-canvassed aft - that's what induces the rounding up.
For handling heavier air, seems all good.

My SWAG is to shorten the mainsail leech by 24 inches, switch to loose-footed at same time. It also means moving both reefing cringles at clew ... might as well change to full top battens ... might as well buy a new mainsail~!? Actually, I'd just have them move the clew up by 24 inches for a seatrial - then make a new mainsail after some testing.

[Jeff Ritsema]

Duane,
I noticed that differently from most others that I have seen, the SS
structure of your bimini enclosure is on the outside of the canvas. What is
your reason for this, and would you repeat that to do it again?

Thanks, Jeff.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

That's the standard Dowsar design. I can only guess at why they did it that way. The bimini mounts to the aft pulpit, not the fiberglass deck as most do. I suspect it was much easier to create an enclosure inside this frame than to enclose the frame and the aft pulpits.

In practice I find it very useful. It lets me have stuff mounted to the pulpits outside of the enclosure. It also puts the rear standups for the bimini outside of the enclosure. Putting up or down the side panels is also simpler as they do not have to hung outside the frame. All the zippers are easily accessible inside. It's better for the plastic windows as well as they do not touch the metal frame. Over time the abrasion from the frames and the heat they generate can cloud the windows on bimini's with internal frames that touch the plastic. (In the dodger they designed the windows so everyplace the frame touches the dodger is fabric, not a plastic window.)

Another difference in the Dowsar design that is hard to see from outside pictures is it's freestanding nature. The dodger has internal standups that keep the frame up without any hold open straps. Likewise the bimini has rear standups that hold the aft bow in place without straps. There is a spreader tube in the centerline that runs from the aft bow to the front bow. This pulls the bimini roof fabric tight without a forward strap making the complete enclosure strap free. This makes it much easier to get into and out of the cockpit without any of these straps criscrossing the opening.

Other subtle things are the pockets inside the dodger, the handhold straps on the roof of the dodger. The vinyl strip on the aft edge of the dodger where people tend to grab it. Leather wrapped openings for lines from the cabintop jib tracks. A zip out front dodger window. Inside snaps that let you fold the sides back like doors and secure them inside the enclosure. The snap open flaps at the cleats for dock lines. The very well done watertight openings in the bimini where the backstay passes through the bimini roof and back panel. The fully screened zip opening side and rear windows. The extra panel that closes the opening under the helm seat.

Unfortunately this a collage picture from a trip a few years back, but if you look at a number of the pictures you can see the details of the enclosure. Click on the picture for the bigger view or go to this page on my web site http://www.ddunn.org/LogBook28.htm .

[Jeff Ritsema]

Duane,
Thanks for the thorough description- given me several ideas. My first and biggest decision is whether to try to incorporate a radar arch or to simply go with the rigid bimin approach.

[cuisto]

Dowsar is in fact my local Mac dealer and from what I gather Dowsar copied the Genco design, seems they beefed up the frame but the canvas seems to be the same.

[beene]

Dowsar's enclosure if FREEEEEKIN expensive to say the least

I will be looking around very very hard before I spend that kind of $$.

G

[cuisto]

beene,
I agree about $$$ But am impressed with the quality compared with others i've seen. am oly 1 hour away qnd the boat is now in my driveway, would be happy to have you come have a view. It was new in 99 and I feel it is still in good shape having been up 24/7 from may-oct each year.
drop me a line

[Terry]

Has anyone seen the Genco version of the dodger mounted on an M? I understand it is more reasonably priced.

[beene]

cuisto... sent you an email.

Terry
I think Highlander posted pics of the Genco dodger. He and I saw it at the TO boat show in Jan '07.

I will do a search and see if I can find it for you.

G

[beene]

GOT IT



OR MAYBE THIS ONE

G