by Riley
Protection from the sun and elements is important. I have no wish to look like a lobster after a long days sail, but I also don't care for rubbing chemicals all over my skin. To remedy these problems on a sailboat, figure on shelling out some money. Winbrandt had a dodger frame, but no canvas. I ordered a dodger to fit the frame from A&J canvas, a canvas maker in eastern Carolina. They were very professional and built a quality product. Not to mention, they were a good value compared to competition. We went with “pacific blue” mainly to match the sail covers, but from my understanding, the color holds up better to UV than a lot of other colors. The dodger is good protection from the wind, but on those hot days when you want to circulate the air, the middle zips open; a feature I think I'm really going to like.
When I was a kid, I used to ride in the back of my dads Suzuki samurai that had a ragtop. The plastic glass was old and fogged over by the sun, so I could never see out. This always irritated me, so even while I'm pinching my pennies, good visibility is important; I went ahead and had it made with strata glass. It's high quality glass and should hopefully outlast the canvas. So I can see!!
While one of the largest expenses, I believe it will prove to be invaluable.
