Mike--I'll have to miss the BWY rendezvous this year as I will be on my way to Ecuador and the Galapagos forcing myself to get some sun!
Does anyone have the BWYachts Narrow Dodger on a 26M?
My impression is the Dowsar is a bit nicer than the BWY and you would not go wrong with it; however the BWY is a bit cheaper. With the changing exchange rates Canadian goods are not as inexpensive as they were just a few years ago. As I mentioned before it might be possible to get special features added to the BWY as they have their own "captive" (in the sense he only works for BWY!) canvas guy who is very clever. Want some handrails? Thicker transparency? Velcro? Different color? Screens? Transparency covers? It would be worth checking it out, especially if the ready made ones just don't quite work for you.
Mike--I'll have to miss the BWY rendezvous this year as I will be on my way to Ecuador and the Galapagos forcing myself to get some sun!
Mike--I'll have to miss the BWY rendezvous this year as I will be on my way to Ecuador and the Galapagos forcing myself to get some sun!
First let me preface this with I have absolutely nothing against BWY, and their products are certainly high quality.
With that said, their frame is aluminum with plastic fittings. Their reasoning behind that decision is sound. Their frame is much lighter and less likely to damage the boat...
However, I would want the ability to use the dodger to steady myself. That's why I went with an all stainless (frame and fittings) bimini. I'm just afraid that either the kids or I would kill an aluminum frame.
The advantages of aluminum, at least as cited by BWY, are much less of a concern if the plan would be to leave the dodger in place all the time, only removing it for the winter, which would be my plan...
Can they make it out of stainless, probably. It probably wouldn't be that big a deal. But, the increased price is going to get alot closer to the Dowsar.
I dunno, I haven't decided yet. I really do like the idea of the ready made transparent and screen doors BWY offers. Those are nice... But, I am finishing my swing-out companionway Air Conditioner door MOD. If it all works out like I'm hoping, I might not have much use for the dodger doors...
With that said, their frame is aluminum with plastic fittings. Their reasoning behind that decision is sound. Their frame is much lighter and less likely to damage the boat...
However, I would want the ability to use the dodger to steady myself. That's why I went with an all stainless (frame and fittings) bimini. I'm just afraid that either the kids or I would kill an aluminum frame.
The advantages of aluminum, at least as cited by BWY, are much less of a concern if the plan would be to leave the dodger in place all the time, only removing it for the winter, which would be my plan...
Can they make it out of stainless, probably. It probably wouldn't be that big a deal. But, the increased price is going to get alot closer to the Dowsar.
I dunno, I haven't decided yet. I really do like the idea of the ready made transparent and screen doors BWY offers. Those are nice... But, I am finishing my swing-out companionway Air Conditioner door MOD. If it all works out like I'm hoping, I might not have much use for the dodger doors...
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Terry
- Admiral
- Posts: 1487
- Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2004 2:35 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: Vancouver, B.C. Canada. '03 26M - New Yamaha 70
Dodgers
There is a thread under modifications titled "Best Bimini for 26X" where Mark Prouty provided a link to Genco http://www.gencomarine.com/dodgers/albu ... atLetter=M
He had phoned them for bimini prices and I phoned them for dodger prices. While on the phone to Genco I told them of Dowsar's dodger & prices and upon hearing that, the Genco fellow said that I just gave him incentive to go down to the marina to measure up an M for a dodger as he did the original design for Dowsar Enclosures. He said at the price Dowsar charges there is room for him to compete with the same SS quality but lower prices and that I should get back to him before I make my purchase. I plan to call him back about adding the zip up companionway door that BWY provides but Dowsar doesn't, I guess the wide version makes the doorway more dificult to design. It will be interesting to see what materializes since currently Dowsar is the only SS version, but with any luck a competitor could force their prices down and build a better mousetrap.
He had phoned them for bimini prices and I phoned them for dodger prices. While on the phone to Genco I told them of Dowsar's dodger & prices and upon hearing that, the Genco fellow said that I just gave him incentive to go down to the marina to measure up an M for a dodger as he did the original design for Dowsar Enclosures. He said at the price Dowsar charges there is room for him to compete with the same SS quality but lower prices and that I should get back to him before I make my purchase. I plan to call him back about adding the zip up companionway door that BWY provides but Dowsar doesn't, I guess the wide version makes the doorway more dificult to design. It will be interesting to see what materializes since currently Dowsar is the only SS version, but with any luck a competitor could force their prices down and build a better mousetrap.
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They Theirs
- Captain
- Posts: 790
- Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2005 1:42 pm
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Frank C
OTOH -DLT wrote: ... I really do like the idea of the ready made transparent and screen doors BWY offers. Those are nice... But, I am finishing my swing-out companionway Air Conditioner door MOD. If it all works out like I'm hoping, I might not have much use for the dodger doors...
if you already had a full enclosure, that AC might be swinging at the helm seat opening ...
w/TWO rooms to absorb all of those 5000 BTUs!~!
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Duane Dunn, Allegro
- Admiral
- Posts: 2459
- Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2004 6:41 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Bellevue, Wa '96 26x, Tohatsu 90 TLDI and Plug In Hybrid Electric drive
- Contact:
The Genco certainly looks like a Dowsar clone, or was it Dowsar who cloned Genco's.
Either way the number one reason I passed on BWY was the low bimini. Neither it nor the factory bimini give standing headroom at the helm.
I also would never get black canvas. While it may hide the dirt, it gets far too hot. I was in Ray's old X (a BWY black enclosure) and even on a partly cloudy day with our feeble Seattle sun it was cooking inside. Add to that the fact that the BWY has no provisions for ventilation other than removing panels and you have a far less functional product than the Dowsar version.
Either way the number one reason I passed on BWY was the low bimini. Neither it nor the factory bimini give standing headroom at the helm.
I also would never get black canvas. While it may hide the dirt, it gets far too hot. I was in Ray's old X (a BWY black enclosure) and even on a partly cloudy day with our feeble Seattle sun it was cooking inside. Add to that the fact that the BWY has no provisions for ventilation other than removing panels and you have a far less functional product than the Dowsar version.
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Terry
- Admiral
- Posts: 1487
- Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2004 2:35 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: Vancouver, B.C. Canada. '03 26M - New Yamaha 70
Genco
DLT
Well I phoned Nat @ Genco and yes they are in the process of doing a knock off on Dowsar, (Dowsar did one on them) as we speak they are measuring up an 05M and plan a new approach to making a production run on the full enclosure as well as a zip up companionway door for those who just buy a dodger & bimini. He says he should have something in a few weeks and already has a few orders from M owners. Sounds like he wants to go head to head with Dowsar. If he makes the zip up doorway under the dodger he'll have my business as that is something extra I want with a dodger but Dowsar does not offer. Not sure what the final design will look like but he did tell me he would supply pictures for us to post here when he gets done. So there you have it. Hope it is better than the other versions.
Well I phoned Nat @ Genco and yes they are in the process of doing a knock off on Dowsar, (Dowsar did one on them) as we speak they are measuring up an 05M and plan a new approach to making a production run on the full enclosure as well as a zip up companionway door for those who just buy a dodger & bimini. He says he should have something in a few weeks and already has a few orders from M owners. Sounds like he wants to go head to head with Dowsar. If he makes the zip up doorway under the dodger he'll have my business as that is something extra I want with a dodger but Dowsar does not offer. Not sure what the final design will look like but he did tell me he would supply pictures for us to post here when he gets done. So there you have it. Hope it is better than the other versions.
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Frank C
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Captain Steve
- Captain
- Posts: 722
- Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2004 9:40 am
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Oxnard, CA "Wildest Dream" '98X Nissan 50
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Captain Steve
- Captain
- Posts: 722
- Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2004 9:40 am
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Oxnard, CA "Wildest Dream" '98X Nissan 50
Found it....
I emailed them back in Jan.
Thank you for the inquiry. We can certainly make a dodger for your Macgregor. The starting price would be $1300 and then would go up depending on options you choose. For towing, the dodger should be removed and stored below.
Please let me know if we can provide further information.
Thanks!
Lynne
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Johnston [mailto:johnstons@earthlink.net]
Sent: Saturday, January 14, 2006 6:45 AM
To: info@harborcustomcanvas.com
Subject: Dodger
2 quick questions. Do you make a dodger for a Macgregor 26X and does it fold down or detach for towing?
I emailed them back in Jan.
Thank you for the inquiry. We can certainly make a dodger for your Macgregor. The starting price would be $1300 and then would go up depending on options you choose. For towing, the dodger should be removed and stored below.
Please let me know if we can provide further information.
Thanks!
Lynne
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Johnston [mailto:johnstons@earthlink.net]
Sent: Saturday, January 14, 2006 6:45 AM
To: info@harborcustomcanvas.com
Subject: Dodger
2 quick questions. Do you make a dodger for a Macgregor 26X and does it fold down or detach for towing?
Duane...you had to put that right up there where I couldnt miss looking at it and drooling. I sure do want the one you have. If you and your wife and 3 growing boys can travel with this and stay on it for weeks at a time....it definately has passed the test. I cant believe Dowser hasnt requested you and the family for advertising. If it can stand up to that and keep everybody happy...what more could you expect of a piece of equipment.
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Bruce M16
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2004 9:10 am
- Location: Channel Island Harbor, Ca 03M 70Suzuki MACM0016C303
We had a custom dodger made by Castro Marine Canvas in Oxnard apx. Sept 04. Excelent quality, all stainless hdw, full width, installed for $ 1,500. He even came up with a trick way keeping the front in place over the sliding hatch. He created a leather pouch along the leading edge and filled it with sand. Slides easly over the hatch and does not move in the wind. We also installed two ball lock pins so we can pull two pins and fold the whole thing forward in 10 seconds. I'll try to get pictures but I may not get to the boat for 2 or 3 weeks.
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Frank C
Bruce,
It would be great "forum fodder" to have some pix of your custom dodger in the archives. And thanks for digging up that email, Steve.
Considering the price one must pay for a stainless frame with Dowsar quality, and considering that it's such a long-distance import ... and based on favorable feedback from the SoCal canvas builders ... when "full enclosure" time happens for me, believe I'll first check out the custom approach.
It would be great "forum fodder" to have some pix of your custom dodger in the archives. And thanks for digging up that email, Steve.
Considering the price one must pay for a stainless frame with Dowsar quality, and considering that it's such a long-distance import ... and based on favorable feedback from the SoCal canvas builders ... when "full enclosure" time happens for me, believe I'll first check out the custom approach.