Dodger work means we’re dodging fun
When I mentioned yesterday that the proprietor of the sail loft we had visited in St. Martin wasn’t interested in taking on the job of replacing the plastic in our dodger, it is obvious why. He probably knew that the job would be so time consuming that we wouldn’t be willing to pay for it to be done. I base this assumption on the fact that, by the time that it has been completed, Rebecca and Donna will have invested a full two working days on the repair/install. What a great job they have done though… the revitalized dodger looks awesome. I had forgotten what it is like to be able to look forward through the dodger and actually see something. What a concept!
We can now see through the dodger. Imagine that!
Other than work, what else have we been doing here in Jost Van Dyke? Not much. We did go ashore to have lunch at Corsairs, our favorite restaurant here. Kirk also gave me a lesson in diesel engine and saildrive maintenance, something that might come in handy down the road.
This pic was for our friend Carl at Coastlines and Tan Lines as that is his hat at the top of the photo.
Kirk was explaining to me some of the engine issues that he has had to contend with.
What’s next for us, and our friends? Hopefully something involving a little less work and a little more fun!
Rebecca chasing a few dolphin through the anchorage.
That ‘glass’ sure looks good now. Mind if I ask how long the old plastic lasted?
The boat is a 2000 and I assume the dodger is original from the factory. It probably would have lasted even longer if it were still in Lake Ontario without the tropical sun beating down on it every day.
I’ve seen this stuff last ~15 years on runabouts up north, but it’s pretty wrecked by the end of that. (Even if it’s still flexible and clear, it just gets too badly scratched up.) The fancy modern kinds (Everclear, etc.) are supposedly more resilient…
You folks did the entire thing in two days? Impressive. The canvas shops around here would probably have quoted a full week.
It was a FULL two days!
Thanks for the info guys. Sounds like some cheaper “sacrificial” shades for a dodger would be a good thing…and learning how to sew. 😉
I believe so (sew).
Mine (identical boat but kept on the Chesapeake Bay) has gone through 2 in 24 years, though I know nothing of the maintenance history; I’ve only had this boat 4 years. They weren’t too bad at the end of 12 years, but we need to see through them well in the cold season; they were done for that.
Love the kayak pic… I don’t get to chase many dolphins in the Thousand Islands, although I was once chased by a county couger in West Lake…. 🙂
Great job on the sewing job. I wonder if 303 protectorant would work on clear plastic without looking cloudy. I put that stuff on everything including my kayak and hobie sails, but I have never tried see through stuff. Maybe another reader knows.
Good question. We have some spare material so it would probably be best to test stuff like that on a separate piece.
The Dodger looks AMAZING!
You might want to research this product for the clear screen
http://www.amazon.com/Detailers-Pro-Series-Plex-All-Protectant/dp/B000HG8ZJ0
I am not personally familiar, but it seems to be getting good reviews
D
Yeah, most reviews seem pretty good.