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I confess. I don't get it. I don't see why nearly every cruising boat has a dodger. What exactly do they do? My first boat had one, which was the most amazing abomination of car windows, plywood, driftwood and 2x4s which an engineer friend affectionately called "the shed". A master woodworker came to admire my boat and after asking politely if I had built the dodger myself, (to which I said no) he spat out that it was an "abortion!".
Anyway, I digress. I sailed a few voyages with "the shed" and then ripped it off. I've sailed on boats with dodgers and without. I can't really see the point. If it's windy and rainy, you're going to get wet unless you have the right clothes. It's all about the foul weather gear. Even going to windward, you usually sand far enough behind the dodger that you still get full wind and rain on you. They provide a horribly distorted window to try and see though.
So, what am I missing. I mean, "everybody's doing it" so it must be good right?
MedSailor
Anyway, I digress. I sailed a few voyages with "the shed" and then ripped it off. I've sailed on boats with dodgers and without. I can't really see the point. If it's windy and rainy, you're going to get wet unless you have the right clothes. It's all about the foul weather gear. Even going to windward, you usually sand far enough behind the dodger that you still get full wind and rain on you. They provide a horribly distorted window to try and see though.
So, what am I missing. I mean, "everybody's doing it" so it must be good right?
MedSailor