Guest 000 Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 I need a new dodger for the H28. On the old one the plastic clear is good having been recently replaced but the sunbrella material is completely shot. I have recently acquired an industrial sewing machine and am not to bad in its use - I have learned a few tricks and made quite a bit of stuff for the boat on it. Is it possible to completely unpick the stitching of the old dodger and use the separated bits as templates for a new dodger? A canvas worker told me that they would not do that, preferring to fit a new dodger directly to the boat, but why not? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,581 Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 Don't see why not, that's what I would do, Just prepared for a bit of tweaking at the end. Dodgers are tricky bastards to make. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest 000 Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 Yes, in that regard I would make it complete except for the grommets around the edges where those little twisty securing things go. They should probably be positioned in-situ. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cj! 19 Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 If it's still a nice tight fit it should be fine to use it for a pattern. You'll want to use the same stitch lines too. Use some tailor's chalk or pins along the stitch lines as a guide to follow. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Pope 243 Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 I had new clears put in ours some time ago, the lady who did it stitched the new clears directly over the existing ones and then carefully cut out the old one with a stanley knife, leaving a 12mm strip of the old one under the new one. I don't know if that is the usual way to do it but apart from the odd drip at the join it worked well. Of course this was before I found "Plexus" just a quick spray and wipe and the old ones looked as good as new! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SanFran 12 Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 Yup, exactly what I did. Unpicked, cut and restitched on my own industrial machine. When I got the holes punched... don't use any ones from hardware store get them from a marine upholsterers... the guy ran his machine around a few edges of mine but worked well. Have even had to replace a side on occasion thru wear and tear. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest 000 Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 So, from the replies it's do-able. I'm going to have a go at it. Thanks for the replies/tips. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ScottiE 174 Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 sunbrella does strech a little bit over time. So if you think its a ittle loose then play about with the frames and see how much you might be able to "shrink" the patterns (in my world of membrane architecture we call it compensation) to get a better fit. Not too much though - otherwise it'll look like a middle aged puck rocker (me) in skin tight jeans! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest 000 Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 The old dodger is still a tight fit and in retrospect the sunbrella fabric is probably still OK. The problem is that it had been restitched so many times that the material is ripping along the seams through all the needle holes. A canvas worker told me that there was a lot of thread used a while ago with very poor UV resistance which may be the reason mine has been repaired so many times. It seems every time I touch it even more stitching just falls to bits. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ScottiE 174 Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 Just re stitch it. Probably get another four or five years! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest 000 Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 Can't do that. The dodger has been restitched so many times the seams are 'Tear along the dotted line.' Unfortunately that's what's happening now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wal 27 Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 We occasionally use old dodgers as a pattern. Usually it's not tooooo bad but we had one recently........ oh dear The 'twisty things' are 'staput's (Stay Put....) .... and if I had a buck for the old "I just want to get one more season out of it"..................... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kestrahl 6 Posted July 15, 2017 Share Posted July 15, 2017 I used to make about 20 or 30 a year. Never used the old dodger as a pattern, always patterned directly from the frames and boat, and installed the grommets on site when fitting. The old Sunbrella stretches and the clear shrinks over time. If it has been reinforced with PVC or leather that also shrinks. So the old dodgers often end up all warped, especially if the window has been replaced a couple of times. The sections will not be flat anymore. The poly thread does vary a bit in quality and its very rare for it to match the lifespan of sunbrella, normally needs restitching one or two times. Better to use Tenara or equivalent PTFE thread then you know its never going to need restitching. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Pope 243 Posted July 15, 2017 Share Posted July 15, 2017 There are threads available that will outlast the Sunbrella, I think Gortex is one, or they made one, apparently difficult to use though. there also is another material that has similar properties to Sunbrella but at a better price. (will see if I can find the name) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest 000 Posted July 16, 2017 Share Posted July 16, 2017 Thanks for the good info. I going to have to think more about this dodger replacement - perhaps a partially solid one. I know where I am with making GRP laminated moldings so maybe a combination of solid top and canvas sides. Going to the boat sometime over the next few days so will do some of that thinking stuff. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Pope 243 Posted July 16, 2017 Share Posted July 16, 2017 Solid has to be better. just how to get a satisfactory look. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest 000 Posted July 16, 2017 Share Posted July 16, 2017 Agree with you there. The difference in a solid dodger between pretty smart and blooming awful is not very big. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
southernman 73 Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 Agree with you there. The difference in a solid dodger between pretty smart and blooming awful is not very big. On that does anyone know of a boat builder who is good for adding a hard dodger and also designing something that looks sexy? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest 000 Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 On that does anyone know of a boat builder who is good for adding a hard dodger and also designing something that looks sexy? If this helps...I have in mind to perhaps replicate (more or less) my canvas dodger in GRP. You can do this by utilizing the existing pipe frame to start with and bend 3mm MDF over it to make a former to laminate the GRP onto. 3mm MDF is easy to bend if you wet it well and then heat with a hot air gun where you want to bend it. So, little by little you can build up quite complex shapes in this manner, using backing plates and PVA glue to join the components and Plaster of Paris as a filler for holes, joints etc. Once you have the shape you want, wax with 3-4 coats of canuba wax and lay a few layers of CSM and polyester resin over it. When cured, seperate the glass shape from the mold, fill sand and fair, cut out the holes for the windows, dress up the edges and fit to the boat by whatever means you prefer, having removed the pre existing tube frame first. In my case by coving and glassing in place. Easy peasy. That's what I'm telling myself if I decide to go with a solid dodger. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Boatworks 23 Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 If you are considering building a hard dodger as an option, I saw a H28 hard dodger mould advertised a couple of months ago on Trademe - it passed in. The auction has not been relisted but here is a link to the cached version. From memory it looked good shape-wise, but could have done with a little more care around the windows profile and the method of attachment - which is easier than changing the mould. Could be a good answer if you can somehow track down the seller to see if he/she still has it.. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:DsR66U44T-wJ:www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/parts-accessories/other/auction-1318668427.htm+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=nz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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