In last week’s Just Cruising column, I posed the question of why more production cruising boats do not have hard dodgers or pilot houses as options, or even as standard equipment since we all have to deal with protection from the weather while cruising. Here are several good answers from CC readers. Many thanks to all for your input. GD
We built a custom hard top for our Endeavour E43 6 years ago and it added nearly 100 square feet of living space and a weatherproof navigation center that’s withstood 60+ knots. Built on a frame of 2.5” 6063 tubing, it’s a foam cored FRP structural panel strong enough to walk on and fasten our solar panels. Weight, approximately 350 lbs.
Craig Hunter
If boat makers add hard dodgers to their designs, they will never be bluewater boats. You can’t use a hard dodger and beat with a windvane. It disturbs, if not blocks, the airflow to the vane.
Rich Lewis
