MacGregorSailors.com

I'm thinking about getting one, so I'd like to hear comments about it...

I have the wide BWY dodger on a 26X. It allows for expanding into a full enclosure down the road. The wide dodger is great protection from spray. I've talked with a number of folks who have the narrow dodger and wish they had the wide one. I even remember one guy who did a mod of his narrow dodger to add spray deflector wings on each side. The narrow dodger makes it a little easier to walk forward, but doesn't do its primary job as well.

Ditto on Chinooks comments, the skinny dodger only does half the job. I have seen the BWY skinny dodger, a black one on a blue M and it really looks rather dorky, like it is too small for the boat. unfortunately last I looked BWY does not make a wide one for the M so you either buy the dorky one or look elsewhere. I will be watching for Genco Marine to make one better & cheaper than Dowsar otherwise I will pay for a Dowsar.

BWY does have one for the M. We had one. Works great. Also BWY has a "captive" canvas maker who is quite willing to make modifications to the basic design, although not real fast during the peak season. Want a different color, or grab rails, or thicker transparency or.......... Give 'em a call.

BWY has both narrow



and wide for the X.



They only have the narrow for the M. They have adapted this to a full enclosure on a M, but in my opinion it looks terrible.





If all you want is protection for the hatch, the narrow dodger is fine, but if you want protection in the cockpit, forget it.

I have to agree that the narrow with full enclosure has lines that just do not flow and "block" up the lines of the boat. Then again I like some artwork that people would be quick to dismiss. I also wonder if the narrow with the full enclosure is at all easy to go up front? From the pictures it looks like you have to chance taking a swim?

By the looks of it, I'd definitely prefer going to the front deck -
by using the front hatch!

Sure is purty though.

I have been wondering about the differene between a Bimini and a Dodger. those pictures clear things up nicely.

I am wondering how much utility one can get out of each. Since I will be mostly daysailing in warm weather I would think the dodger is really not required, but does it add to head room below decks?

I am wondering how much utility one can get out of each. Since I will be mostly daysailing in warm weather I would think the dodger is really not required, but does it add to head room below decks?

The "mostly daysailing in warm weather" is the part that matters, emphasis on "mostly". Two years ago while motoring steadily to windward in heavy chop on the Chesepeake Bay in early fall, in company of another 26X, my friend who had none offered me full list price for my four year old narrow dodger. We both had foulies on; I got a little wet, he got soaked to the bone.

Without it, the only way to keep the cabin dry is to close it up tight.

It's not in your definition of daysailing, but I've lost count of how many times I've stood on the companionway ladder in a storm while at anchor, keeping completely dry while eyeballing the shore, anchor line and other boats. The 360 degree visibility can't be beat, and even though the vinyl distorts the view somewhat, it's still way better than thru the Mac windows.

Someday I'm hoping to be able to afford the remote for my autopilot so I can drive the boat from there.

ok so can you run with a Bimini and a dodger on an ?

Which is better, narrow or wide dodger, again...with the bimini?

I haven't bought one yet, (dodger) but I definitely will be, and when I do (within a year) it will be the wide version. Think fairing on a motorcycle and the protection it offers, then look at Duane Dunn's site and his wide dodger, no contest, wide version wins hands down. I have the bimini from Dowsar and am very happy with the quality, the Dowsar dodger is rather expensive but if I cannot find equal quality elsewhere I will bite the bullit and pay their rediculous price. I have an so finding a wide version at a good price for it is not so easy.

We had the BWY full enclosure on our M and liked it very much. Since we use our boat year-round up here and it is known to rain occasionally, it was very functional. Easy to motor with the full enclosure on. To motor or sail in sunny weather we took off the side curtains and folded the top back out of the way by wrapping the top around the frame with cinch its. When we arrived in port or anchor the top would be deployed and we enjoyed a cold one in the shade. After experimenting we left the transition piece on the bimini top to make for quick deployment. We disconnected the main sheet from the traveller and connected it to the base of the nearest stantion so the boom was completely out of the way. This was facilitated by adding a snap shackle to the mainsheet connection. I agree with Duane that the enclosure is not too attractive from the angle of his picture, but with the side curtains off it looks fine. Also any wider and you could not climb up on deck. Incidentally, we stored the curtains under the rear bunk in those shallow storage areas.

[quote="Tom Spohn"] To motor or sail in sunny weather we took off the side curtains and folded the top back out of the way by wrapping the top around the frame with cinch its. When we arrived in port or anchor the top would be deployed and we enjoyed a cold one in the shade. After experimenting we left the transition piece on the bimini top to make for quick deployment. We disconnected the main sheet from the traveller and connected it to the base of the nearest stantion so the boom was completely out of the way. This was facilitated by adding a snap shackle to the mainsheet connection.

We have set up our X with the BWY enclosure, and have employed the techniques mentioned by Tom, and find that they work very well. On our trip up the Inside Passage last summer (where it rains a lot more than in Seattle), we really give the enclosure a workout. We ended up rigging several strips of velcro (kind with hook on one side, wooly on the other) on the bimini support tubing, so we could roll up the side and rear curtains to open things up between rain showers. The view is much better with them up, but it's nice to have them handy when it gets sloppy again.

By the way, Tom, will you be attending the BWY rendevouz this year in Friday Harbor? Of so, we'll have to visit.

Mike Cecka

Contrast the BWY enclosure with the Dowsar one I have and you'll see quite a difference. The Dowsar one has a short (front to back) bimin that is high. It's the only one that has 6'2" standing headroom under the bimini at the helm (BWY is 5'6"). You can also sail with the bimini in place without any modification to the mainsheet mounting on the boom.

The dodger is wide, yet still provides a easy path to walk forward. The dodger and bimini are fully self suppurting, no straps are required front or back leaving clear unimpeaded access out the sides of the cockpit and going forward.

The side panels fold back just like a door and snap in the open position. The dodger extends 18" back into the cockpit completely protecting the forward cockpits seats on both sides. The hardware is all stainless, no aluminum and plastic.

Here's a few pictures of my enclosure on my X. Dowsar also has a similar one for the M.

It has provided us excellent foul weather protection, yet has great ventilation as the side and rear panels have screened zip open windows.

By far the #1 mod we have made to my heavily modified boat. It adds an additional room, one of our boys sleeps in the cockpit fully protected and comfortable.

Many more pictures are at my web site http://www.ddunn.org/Boating.htm

We have ordered the Dowsar enclosure, should be here any day. We went with the wider Dowsar enclosure for better cockpit protection. I also liked the construction of the Dowsar and the screened side & back panels for those nasty bugs. I am running the lines aft thus minimizing trips forward but from people I have talked to this is no problem with the wider dodger. Shall see how she looks soon, I hope.