Part 3 - Outfitting

 

Protection from sun, spray, wind and rain must also be provided for the crew of a cruising sailboat. Where Dennis Conner and the boys can just paint zinc on their noses, the cruising live-aboard will want more protection. There are very few cruising sailboats without a good dodger -- we consider it a necessity especially since Sheryl, a fair-skinned redhead, burns easily. The ultimate luxury would be an inside steering station but the real need is a place where the crew can hide from the sun and spray. 

We extended our dodger about a foot past the companionway so you can sit against the back of the cabin trunk, looking aft and be in the shade much of the time. A forward opening window is a necessity to provide ventilation in port. 

In fact, we recently replaced the old canvas dodger with a hard fiberglass one of our own creation. The solid Plexiglas™ windows are much clearer than the old flexible ones so we can actually see out through it! 

A bimini to protect the helmsman is a great idea as well, especially for tropical sailing and motoring through canals such as the Intracoastal Waterway. We cannot rig a bimini on Two Step since it would interfere with the mainsheet. We miss it most in waterways since someone must be at the helm constantly, handling her in close quarters. Offshore the auto-pilot steers all the time and we sit under the dodger and peer out every few minutes. 

Weather cloths are another option to improve crew comfort at sea. These are canvas panels that hang from the lifelines around the cockpit area to protect the crew from spray. Sheryl made these out of Sunbrella™ synthetic canvas and used grommets for attachment points. They are attached onto the lifelines and toe-rail using light cord. 

Weather cloths make sailing much more pleasant on Two Step, which tends to be a wet boat, with her narrow beam and low freeboard. They also give a little more privacy in marinas and at anchor. (Incidentally the British  call these dodgers, and would call our dodger a sprayhood). 

 A sun awning is another great idea for use in port to keep sun off the crew and heat out of the boat. We have rigged ours so it can be easily taken down if the wind gets too boisterous -- more than 20 knots is our limit. It has also been useful as a rain catcher.




A moulded fiberglass dodger replaces our old canvas one. 
A Plexiglas™ front window hinges up for ventilation. 

Features and Gear for Safety on Deck