new dodger...why are clutches so far forward???

[Stu Jackson]

Ross, nice solution.  Do you have any pictures from the side of your boat showing the angle of the front of the dodger?

[Fred Koehlmann]

Can't say that we ever really had an issue with the clutches, but when we had our dodger redone, we had the forward slope angle match that of the mainsheet going up to the boom, so now it is more vertical. The space below is great and the visibility through the front also seems more clear.

[Fred Koehlmann]

Here is a more head on shot. I know the cover prevents from seeing through, but it does give us more space inside. Honest.

[Ross Fisher]

Stu,

How's this?

Ross

[Stu Jackson]

Thanks, Ross.  I seems that Fred's point about the front of the dodger being somewhat in line with the mainsheet makes a lot of sense.

[Ross Fisher]

Stu,

To add to the discussion,I specified that the dodger had to fold flat for racing. This resulted in the steeper slope on the front screen to allow the stainless frame to fit  behind the traveller without interference, when folded.

Regards,

Ross

[Stu Jackson]

Ross,

Thanks.  It's always great when "The Reasons" behind the decision-making process are shared.

For others:  just about every dodger I've seen has been built differently.

[Noah]

In my (distorted) "perfect world" I would eliminate the dodger entirely, except for long upwind passages. But haven't done it yet...

[Stu Jackson]

In my (distorted) "perfect world" I would eliminate the dodger entirely, except for long upwind passages. But haven't done it yet...

OK, finally we get to sing: "It never rains in Southern California!"   

I sailed from 1983 to 1998 on our old boats without dodgers here on SF Bay.  Never again, couldn't imagine it.  It's colder in summer here than winter.  And at least half of our trips are upwind.  And we always do the upwind legs the first half of the day.    (...except for coming back from the Delta! )