If I were to have a class on sailboats, it could be a very short class: “Welcome to sailboat class. Remove all snaps, turn fasteners and lift-the-dots^® around the dodger. Replace them with flex-track and zippers. Use polycarbonate glass in windows. Don’t hit your head. Class dismissed.”

Years ago, I decided that using common boat fasteners on the deck of a sailboat was like building an enclosure out of mesh screen. When underway, as waves break onto the deck, the water pours in between the fasteners and under the canvas. 

One way to prevent this from happening is to replace fasteners with flex-track, which allows windows to zip in and out easily. The track stops and diverts all water away from the doghouse. When we began building fiberglass dodger tops in 2005, it only made sense to put polycarbonate glass in the dodgers. Since then, the combination of track systems and semi-rigid glass has become our default method. It’s the method I recommend highly to customers, and they thank me for it later.

A steep learning curve

Canvas experts who are transitioning from powerboats to sailboats may find that the learning curve of sailing can be challenging. Thanks to some great customers I’ve had over the years, I have learned the nuances of sailing, rigging, seating, maneuvering, securing and the many other factors that go into each canvas design. For example, eliminating tie-down straps and stanchions help to unclutter the boat.

One of the first issues when starting a sailboat project is finding a place to start measuring from, as almost every surface is crowned. This makes it difficult to measure the heights of the boat’s varying surfaces. 

I like to place masking tape atop the gunnels from port to starboard near the companion way door. This gives me a level line to measure up/down to locate certain points, such as frame mount locations. 

Be careful when making new dodger or bimini frames. The height of the boom is always lower when the vessel is under sail, versus sitting in the slip. Consult with the owner and ask them to set the boom to sailing height, then measure the height from the floor to the bottom of the boom.

Construction considerations

Will the customer be looking over the dodger or through it? The answer, along with the height of the boom, will determine the height of the dodger’s frame system. Remember: Winches, line chalks and other necessary hardware must be free from stanchions and straps.

I encourage people to use forward stanchions on each side of the companionway with horizontal stanchions between the forward and aft tubes. This eliminates the need for any stanchions at the rear of the dodger and provides an unobstructed area for sheet lines and winch operation. If you install the horizontal stanchions on the outside of the dodger, they become handy grab-bars to assist maneuvering around the boat.

Another factor to consider is where the traveler lines will enter the dodger. While large boats will often enter at deck level, alongside the main sheet lines, smaller sailboats will require the lines to enter through the windshield glass. 

Slots must be provided for the line and allow the line to be raised and lowered by 12 inches top to bottom to catch or release the line chalk. Sometimes, you get lucky and can have the traveler lines pass between the three-panel windshield junctions. 

Another obstacle is the rear stay cables, which come from near the top of the mast through the fabric bimini top. The canvas must be split up to the stay to install or remove the bimini. These splits should be zippered, have flaps over the zippers and the stay openings should have “socks” that seal the opening from rain. 

When making the splits, always have the direction of the split be aft to forward. This will keep the top tight. Install aft stanchions for the bimini with horizontal stanchions from the aft tube to the forward tube. This will eliminate any forward stanchions or straps that are in the way when boarding the vessel. I recommend Gemini Stand-Off Jaw Slides for horizontal stanchions because they allow the stanchions to pass by any mid-bows. 

Get creative with design

After avoiding sailboats for more than a decade, I was pleasantly surprised to find that many sailboat owners are creative in nature. They’re out-of-the-box thinkers and welcome creative frame designs, panoramic windows and a modern look. Sometimes, they may want the traditional (salty) look, but with the functionality of a California dodger. Traditional dodgers are one-piece enclosures with nonremovable panels. California dodgers feature glass panels that are removable.

With some jobs, I’ll make a point not to have any straight lines when building the frames, just for fun! Making a duplicate rear dodger tube so that the crew has a grab handle is a feature that customers really like. 

Making a connector using solid fabric and a duplicate glassed connector is a nice feature too. 

Visibility is always a bonus. Because the bimini top must always include a view (window) so the captain can see the wind indicator at the top of the mast, I suggest large views or multiple views. These overhead windows should be easily accessible whether standing at the wheel or sitting off to the side. The view should be sewn with the glass on top and with sun-blocking panels on the underside with Velcro^® on three sides, sewn on the fourth side. 

If a customer asks you to enclose the entire cockpit, think about whether the canvas should drop to the inside or the outside of the railing. Some sailboats, such as an older Tartan, will require the canvas enclosure to drop to the inside of the gunnel. Larger sailboats will often have the enclosure drop to the outside of the gunnels. Discuss these options with the captain to determine what areas must be accessible when the boat is under sail.

If you are looking for some creative ways to express your designs, try venturing into the sailboat world. You can stay busy all year installing solar panels or LED lights into existing enclosures or build from scratch. Get used to stepping on surfaces that are not flat, stepping on lines and twisting your ankle, bumping your head on the boom several times or catching a cable across your neck when moving around the boat. Is it worth it? You bet it is! 

Russ Griffin is co-owner of Northcoast Marine Specialties LLC, which operates a training facility in the art of canvas making in Port Clinton, Ohio.