Hard dodger

elizabethrosema · #1 (**permalink**) 11-05-2003

Has anyone made a DIY hard dodger? Any tips? I planned to use glass covered douglas fir ply but it does not bend well. Ply that does bend well is not suffiently waterproof although soaking the edges with resin could help.

gershel · #2 (**permalink**) 11-06-2003

I''m thinking of doing the same thing,but I''m looking into foam or balsa core. These are available in 2''x 4'' sheets & have shallow cuts that allow it to be easily shaped to any curve.
Marc

geohan · #3 (**permalink**) 11-06-2003

Several years ago I formed a curved panel of two layers of 1/4" douglas fir plywood bonded with epoxy. The panel is 6''x4''. The curvature is in the direction of the face grain and amounts to a ''draft'' of 8". The panel curvature has remained stable during all this time. Regards, George

h37skipper · #4 (**permalink**) 11-06-2003

There was a DIY project in an old Cruising World if you could find a copy. There is also this site:
http://cruisenews.net/boatbuilding.html
Find "Stitch and Glue Hard Dodger". I do not like his results but you might get some ideas.

Personally I do not like dodgers, mine is folded flat most of the time. I do not understand sailing wrapped in canvas like so many of my dockmates.