Precision 21 Dodger

I took all measurements during the summer and commenced to make the dodger in the fall and throughout the long cold winter.

Uncertain that my project would be successful and not wanting to permanently attach snaps to the fiberglass in the boat, I first constructed a wooden base made from oak strips which I would screw down onto the wooden trim of the boat and to which I could affix the snaps.

I then constructed another wooden frame made of 2X4s to which I attached the dodger base in order to work on it in my cluttered basement.  I bent electrical conduit and constructed the metal frame.  (To bend the conduit, I simply constructed a template made from 2X4s and bent the tubing around it.)

The dodger material is Sunbrella purchased from Sailrite along with the window material.  It was all handsewn during the winter while watching rented movies.  The grommets and snaps were then attached.

Because I would be setting up and removing the dodger each season, I didn't want to attach the base to the wooden trim with wood screws, so I placed thread inserts in the holes in the boat's wood trim so I could use metal screws.  The dodger is held on with six screws.

I decided to use individual panels instead of one piece of material stretched tightly over the frame because I lacked the expertise to make one piece stretched tightly over the frame.  I came up with the idea of individual panels when I was on a cruise ship and noticed that they had made sun shelters on the deck with canvas pieces laced to large hooped tubing.  (I immediately returned home and tore apart my first dodger attempt and preceding with the panel idea.)  For my lacing, I use bungee cord which always keeps everything taut.

(The wires you see are from some LED lights I have thread through the dodger.)

With the left over Sunbrella material, I made some triangular wings for shade in the cockpit.

See also Precision 21 Air Conditioner and Precision 21 Stackpack