Semi

I'm thinking about making a 'bow dodger' -aka- 'spray hood' this winter.



The rails on my boat are low,

and I think I can make a simple dodger that attaches with velcro loops around the rails,
instead of having to fabricate / install some sort of pole or top system.

I thought about some sort of fiberglass rods that slip inside of specially sewn paths, that can be bent in a U shape,
in order to give it shape & hold it rigid. And that could be pulled out to collapse & store it.

Then maybe a small plexiglas panel, with small holes drilled completely
around the edge's, that can be sewn into a opening cut at the front, for visibility.

Basic shape will be 1/2 a cylinder, but the hard part would be tapering it from the narrower bow to the wider sides.
The slanted front section with the window in it would only comprise 1/2 a circle, the back would be open for access.

Anyone good at engineering something like this?
I will come up with measurements if anyone will take a shot...

Some design pix here

glacierbaze

What do you hope to get out of it, shelter for gear, a passenger, or do you hope it will keep spray off the helm?

If you can come up with a regular folding frame, you could use the two-piece jaw slides in the link here to attach it to the rails, with a pin for a quick dis-connect of the whole thing in one piece. Depends on the diameter of your rails. The blue one you pictured has a two bow frame, and the green one is three bow, which gives it that nice curve in front. Those frames also gives them good rigidity, which I am doubtful that you could get using inserts, such as fiberglass tent poles. Copper pipe in 10 foot sections at Home Depot fits in standard 7/8 top fittings, and lets you practice before bending aluminum or stainless.
I would start with a frame and try to cover it, rather than make a dodger and try to prop it up.

That blue one is a 5 piece pattern, plus the front opening. The two main seams would follow the frame poles. The five pieces would be a football shaped piece between the frames on top. and four triangular pieces, one in front of the front frame, and one behind the rear frame, on each side. Use a piece of clear heavy vinyl from a fabric store for the front opening, with zippers on top and both sides. That way you can roll it up, remove it, or replace it for a few bucks.

http://www.boatersworld.com/webapp/w...oductId=334961

Bailey Boat

Semi, I'm an M.E. if I can help. It isn't all that difficult, start by making the frame in the shape you want the enclosure to take. Make sure you consider wind load and design a fastening system. Once you have the base (shape) and the anchoring move onto the covering. A good canvas shop should be able to make a covering for anything you can dream up, as long as they have access to take measurements. I would need the physical boat in order to help you out with a design. We could meet somewhere half way and have a look see if you want......

Josh

If your ever up towards Greenville give me a shout and I'd be glad to help. I'm at ECU working on my BS SyE. I assume your not planning to do the canvas work yourself, so the frame will be pretty simple. One thing to keep in mind is that you have to use readily available hardware if you want to keep it cheap. If you use exotic parts and pieces it would be cheaper just to buy one. Let me know if I can be any help. Email me if you have any questions.

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Tiger Rag

Josh, been wondering what ever happened to you. Hope all is well. Looks like you are in the world of academia. You still have the 22 Grady or did you sell it? BTW, this is "Matt H" from the old THT days, had the Edgewater 225 back then. Anyway, good luck there at ECU.

Regards,

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-Matt H
Tiger Rag Fishing Team

Josh

Matt,

Good to hear from you. Yeah I had to take a leave for a while. Yes, school is going to great. Congrats on the new boat, I guess old to you now, but new to me! And you got married? Wow. You've been busy. I'd love to go fishing some time, keep in touch and take care.

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thubert57

Semi,

I briefly looked at the link and I think you may be trying to overengineer the thing. I saw a guy do a bimini in Norfolk and they built the frame first and then cut reinforced plastic and used clamps to hold the thing together until they got an accurate fit. I agree a folding frame may be the solution. I was trained in Architecture (I do not practice) so if I can help I'm close by.

Tom

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Albemarle

Semi

Tom, I thought about it, and decided the way to go was avoiding any permanent structure.
(ie; anything like adding mounted struts that would hold up a bimini top, for example)

My idea is something that can be set up like a tent, taken down, and folded up, and stowed away quickly,
without the need for any hardware remaining, nor permanently attached to the boat.

I have the velcro now, and trying to find some length of wide nylon to sew it to, for where it attach's to the rails.
I have some 1" tubular nylon (was a parachute rigger years ago ) but its too narrow still.

I believe I'm going to start with sewing the velcro to the nylon strips (when I find some the right width)
I might have to sew some sort of backing to the nylon, or double it, to stiffen it a bit.
Then, when I get the fiberglass rods (already found em, a camping equipment maker sells replacements)
Sew pockets on the inside of the nylon strips to seat the ends of the poles, bending them, and cutting them the right length.
(picture 'hoops' in a Conestoga wagon, lol!)
Then, laying my covering material over it to fit, and cut to size.

The guy in Wendell who made my bow cushion has bolts of a canvas-like material (not sure what, but he says its waterproof)

I will need to make a path thru the inside of the material to direct & hold the rods in place, which I plan to do by cutting pieces,
doubling them over, and sewing them to the insides...basically a 'tube' to route the rods, which will place the ends up in the 'pockets'
mentioned above.

I'm fairly certain of the velcro, nylon, and fiberglass rod setup...the only thing that should give me grief is getting the 'canvas'
laid out, cut, & sewn in a neat professional looking manner.

Still debating taking it to the guy in Wendell to do that part of the job.

So, if it is ever done to completion, it should go like this:

1.) Attach velcro to rails.
2.) Slide poles thru slots on inside.
3.) Seat ends in pockets on nylon strip.



The black strip above the rails represents the nylon, which has the 'pockets' for the rods to seat in.

glacierbaze

Semi--If you have a R E I or other big outdoor store nearby(Raleigh), they have nylon strap by the foot in many widths and weights. You might also try auto parts store for seat belt strapping. Since your design has all the poles parallel, you could leave them in and roll the canvas around them for storage instead of trying to make a bunch of pockets and take it apart. Use a piece of nylon strap, sew it all the way across, and slide the tent pole inside. Fasten one side, then flex each pole and fasten the velcro on the other side

Semi

Wow...thats so obvious, now that you mention it, I just did the 'I could have had a V-8' slap!
...now, thinking again, I wonder what the length of the fiberglass rods is going to be.
I havent yet ordered any, and not sure what lengths they can be had in.

If they are too long...I might want a coupler in the middle...the wide span at the rear is 68", and I want about 2' of overhead clearance.
(from the rails up)

I'm guessing about 8'-10' of length for the rear, less for the middle, and lots less for the front.

If I did use seperate lengths, with a coupler, I could break it down, store it in a bag, and lash it with bungee's, or velcro straps
to the cross section of my existing bimini top, (folded down usually)

Anyways, Thanks Glacier for the ideas about where to get strapping. I did a search, and there's a REI

Durham
6911 Fayetteville Road

Cary
255 Crossroads Blvd

I'm in that area a lot, so I will check it out asap.

Gracias Bro!

glacierbaze

Here is another alternative!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...sPageName=WDVW