You’re a treasure of knowledge sir. Thank you so much for sharing with we, the peanut gallery. My only complaint is that your video’s are infrequent. Makes them all the more special.
a dodger is to dodge weather. a bimini gives you shade. come sail in Asia and you will be having the bimini, at least, installed in no time. you get a beating just from the UV and will get cooked without one
Hi Christian. Nice video and explanations as always. No Dodger might work at your latitudes. I am glad having a Dodger here i Scandinavia. Temperatures and winds here makes you seek shelter in the cockpit when on longer passages.
Love your wise and practical approach to your sailing exposure and visual attention to the sky and sails overhead. I have a 30 Laguna in Oceanside and love the freedom of jumping on deck, making some adjustments, collecting fenders, sitting on the bow and not having to climb back over what could be a dodger. Although having worked in Hollywood for many years in the biz, I do love those boys in blue, The Dodgers :) At this point, one of my dreams is to actually meet you, Christian, and if you don't think I'm crazy, take a little sail out to Malibu and talk war stories of working at Disney, Fox, Sony and the like. I love your writing and eloquence and minimal use of background music. You do know your craft of story telling :) Cheers from San Diego.
I am going to the wrong dinner parties. The crowd I run with never serve brussel sprouts, and what a pity because I LOVE THEM. As for the dodger, I can’t live without it. My little Cape Dory 25 has minimal freeboard and I got sick and tired of being wet all the time. But that is ok, we can disagree on brussel sprouts and dodgers. I still think you are the cats meow. Keep up the great content. You’re the best!!
Great post today! Somewhere we became disconnected with what sailing is all about. That connection with the sea is no longer quite as intimate for most ....insulated and encased in a "Sunbrella Womb". After 50 years as a professional sailor and captain, I too am looking for any dodger that does not impact on one ability to trim, maintain a proper watch , observe, and most importantly experience with full effect what draws us to the sea in the first place. LOL..As far as cold wet weather is concerned remember there is no such thing as bad weather, only poorly designed clothing. SPF 50 RULES! From one solo old goat sailor to another, thanks for the great content and high production value. " Beyond All Things Is The Sea" Seneca
love you and your videos Christian, it gives me comfort and makes everything right with the world when you release a new video. I recently finished reading your book Alone Together for the second time, I also have the Philosophy of Sailing which I'll reread next. I have a 9m sailboat on which I've just started installing new instruments and tidying up the wiring and I've come the conclusion that working on a boat is just solving a never ending number of problems, it's a perfect environment for a DIYer. Great to see you back!
I have worked with varnish (and paint) daily since 1986. If it helps to know, all varnish is high gloss until a flattening agent is added to it. Going with a high gloss will be the most durable as nothing has been added to it. You will also have much better luck with a reapplication of high gloss over high gloss than you would reapplying over a lower sheen.
There is a typo in your UA-cam channel name. Right now it is spelled: Christian Williams, It should be immediately corrected to Christian Williams, Legend!
Top. Grts from the belgium coast Brussels is our capital …where it is now blowing50kts. A dodger comes in handy over here. It has a great WAF. Wife aceptency factor . And when your wife is a lawyer a dodger is far cheaper then a divorce. But since I have been racing for 40 years, I understand your point to. Thanks for another great video.
Interesting comments regarding spray hoods I must say. However, completely incomprehensible when it comes to cruising for someone who has sailed mainly in Scandinavia and the North Atlantic for the past sixty years. In the 1980s, I sailed two world championships in boats that will never ever be equipped with something that is not absolutely necessary, but cruising is another matter for me. After all, a spray hood provides protection for both crew and interior when needed, when it is not needed, you can always fold it down and enjoy the unobstructed view. It's another way of looking at it. However. I really like Christian Williams' channel and the philosophical reasoning that it offers.
In a soft, but direct voice, he proclaims, "I Hate Dodgers". Brilliant, old school and so honest. Yes, the whole point of going sailing is to feel the wind in your hair, sun on your face and sea spray. Anything that interferes with that is just 'Blah'.
Christian you will get beat up on the dodger issue. Mainly wind and spray would be main reason. Race boats don't have them because the dodger slows the boat creating drag. In MDR you rarely need one. Channel Islands area they come in real handy because we are always beating to the islands usually in 15 to 18k winds. Sun protection, no way! I have done both and prefer the dodger. My wife likes it because she gets cold easy and it keeps the cold wind off her during winter sailing. Especially with our cold water.
I follow those youngsters on S.V. Uma, and their compact dodger seems to be a good addition to a smaller boat on an extended voyage in the north, through varied and extreme conditions. Keeps warmth from escaping the cabin as much and doesn't seem to interfere much with sailing with the view (and the elements in their teeth) and their eyes on the sails. A "soft" dodger easily removed in mellow climes.
First of all I'm a huge fan of all you say and do..usually :)....but where I sail (Baltic, UK, Ireland) a good "dodger " is absolutely needed, especially on longer short handed passages in cold weather. It provides much needed shelter from wind and spray for on-watch crew. In fact when I rebuilt my present 40' wooden sloop, I built a hard dodger which, IMHO, is the best thing since sliced bread! Last October we crossed the North sea from Norway to Shetland, just 2 of us, 40 hours.. wouldn't want to do it without my hard dodger! Keep up the good work! Dara BTW I also have an Eastport Pram (the nesting version) that I use as my tender. I also built mine, but a few months before you published your time lapse video of the building of yours. Great little boats! Back burner project is to make a mast, rudder and centreboard for mine as I've just been rowing her so far!
Christian, old man, Enjoyed your prattle about equipment, some what, but truly look forward to your voyage to Nuku Hiva and seeing you rocking a great new tattoo. Lead the way!
The cabin sole looks fantastic. I'm looking forward to redoing mine this spring along with the companionway steps. Made new handrails last summer and cockpit coaming and taffrails. It sure looks spiffy with the new wood!
1. Do you ever have a problem with the Larks Head slipping on the clew? I like the simplicity of it but slipping would bother me. 2. Dodger debate. I definitely prefer sailing without a dodger, but on a recent delivery a crew member was so seasick she wouldn't go below to rest. Instead she curled up on the coach roof, under the dodger and spooning a winch. Thus she got some sleep over a number of days. It was a very wet, windy and rough trip, and there she rested dry, warmish, and happy like a sleeping cat.
I find your state of mind to be quite pleasant, humble, kind, thoughtful and of an honorable nature. Your video's ensnare the mind and i find myself sitting there with you. I have no doubt that you are a delightful person to be around.
Umbrellas are a great idea. I have two on my stern instead of a Bimini because the backstay interferes with a Bimini.. They are heavy duty Sunbrella canvas, fiberglass arms and stainless fasteners made by a company here in FL and tested to 65 knots. I love them and get a lot of comments and new friends from people who ask about them. The dodger issue I mostly agree with. I had one in California when the boat was there. Now in FL I don't and have done without it for 20 years. 90% of the time I prefer it without the dodger, BUT...I'm adding a dodger back again, better designed, because sometimes in this part of the world you need some shelter from the rain down the companionway and wind while on deck. But I've designed it to fold forward when at anchor with an awning above and from the companionway I can look upward at the sails through the front window. Thanks for the thoughtful videos Christian.
I too am a dodger dodger. In my case there's only so much room for one on 20' 9" of sailboat and there is no solar arch, no bimini, no canvas around the cockpit to interrupt her curvy sheer (just don't mention the doghouse). I love your videos both short and long and may all your winds be fair but they ought to be with your sprout aversion. I hate the buggers!
Good points, and I shall consider them in the due course, but the bigger question is; cilantro or no cilantro? (P.S. Thank you for making these videos. Came here for the sailing many moons ago and have always come away with interests kindled in too many subjects to list.)
I just bought a sailboat without a cover on the dodger frame. I’ve sailed ~1200 miles so far this year and can’t say how many times I’ve hit my head coming up from below or tripped going to the mast but not once have I missed the canvas. I also caught mangrove snapper in Boot Key Harbor last evening and fried them for dinner with a side of Brussels sprouts.
We went north last fall on our J-133 from Southern California to SF. I can say that on the cold November evenings, especially the one with 25 knots on our nose off of point conception, we found ourselves sitting in the companion way looking out all bundled up and only our head sticking up above the mostly closed hatch, and at each shift change saying “maybe we should get a dodger...” I generally agree a dodger isn’t necessary (we did a ton of sailing in SoCal without one and never missed having one), but I also haven’t really met anyone who said more times than not “I sure wish I didn’t have a dodger!”
G'day Captain I too use only one sheet on the fore sail with a small knot...thanks so much for doing the same, as I have been asualted by many a friendly foe, for doing so...you are a wealth of knowledge and experience, I hope many young sailors can learn a thing or two from you as I have....you are one in a few million, can't tell you how much I have enjoyed watching you work at playing with your boat.. tks so much. P.S. have you ever spoken with Captain Q. Seems to me you would enjoy each other. Take care. Sail safety..
Thanks Christian! Your wisdom is always appreciated. Where is the sailing dinghy? I missed it in the video. Regarding dodgers, or sprayhoods as we call them around here. Well, I probably wouldn't have one if I was sailing in CA. In fact, we have something we call "such a good summer day" that we put our sprayhood down. But for most days here in Scandinavia, specially early and late season, we really needed it. Even in the middle of the summer, we often have very cold days. Believe me, I had spent a season without one, and the next one when we got, it felt like luxury. With that said, and to give the whole picture, we also have a diesel heater on-board.😃 Please, enjoy the weather and the long season for us. And thanks for keeping us warm with your videos. All the best from Sweden, Carlos
Often the wind comes from northeast carrying the cold from the frozen tundra with it, then the dodger allows you the sail upwind in shorts at least as long as you are not the one steering :)
Fantastic!!! I thought I was the only one who didn’t like Brussels sprouts!!! Cheerful talk and very entertaining and funny ! Fair winds and seas… cheers from Muros !!!!
You are my favorite sailing channel bar none. I built dodgers, really nice dodgers here in Stonington CT for 34 years, and I will say that there’s nothing that will ruin the look of a beautiful sailboat profile quicker than a dodger will. So I agree( but I still have one) Thank you for all your hard work putting together these videos. There a treasure!
Good thoughts Christian but as the comments have already shown, the dodger question is also a matter of geography. We don't all sail in temperate year-round conditions. I am in Vancouver, Canada. I'll be heading out this weekend and the temps will be just nicely above freezing, so the protection of a dodger is nearly essential. One thing not talked about is the extra security a dodger offers in the way of vital hand-holds when moving forward and returning to the cockpit. Lastly, you kind of glossed over the role your "significant other" has in this question. For many of us, getting buy-in from "the Admiral" is not a luxury but a necessity and as you pointed out, the ladies like protection from the elements. Thanks as always for sharing your experience with us.
A well needed refit after a long journey is always a good thing. As well as an interesting insight into ‘To Dodger or to not Dodger’ that is the question!! Thanks for the update. All the best Richard
Another SoCal sailor here, but with both a dodger and bimini. The shade is nice during the summer but it's generally an encumbrance and there are many times I wish I had a clear view of my sails from the helm. That being said, I appreciate the dodger during those times I'm bashing to windward. I expect I'll get more utility from it as I venture further away from SoCal and that bimini will be great in the tropics. If I based my decisions on how most local folks use their boats, I'd optimize around interior space, thrice-a-year sailing on Memorial Day, the 4th, and Labor Day.
A good marine fabricator should help you find solutions to your particular problems. Not every problem is solved by a dodger. I love making boom tents. In places where winter is actually winter and summer ain't so hot either its all about extending the shoulder seasons. You'd really hate the full enclosures that are all the rage up here!
I too have an Ericson 38. Took my first voyage down the Chesapeake Bay in her this past October. I still have much to learn, but watching your videos have been an inspiration.Was a Laser sailor many moons ago as well lol. I look forward to reading your work! Keep doing what you’re doing. Life is far too short to not do the things you dream of doing. Best wishes on your next adventure!
Ditto with everyone else on seeing you again. I have a yen to start sailing and living aboard rather late in life, and I thoroughly enjoy trying to learn from you. I just wish I could do a Vulcan mind meld with you and download it all. Lazy, I know, but your knowledge accumulated over so many years is enviable! Good wishes to you and your family! I'll be looking forward to the next video!
Brussels sprouts indeed! I like them the same way I like asparagus - with so much other stuff on top you can't taste either of them. Hope my mom isn't reading this. BTW, your jacklines make sense - thanks for including them in the video. On the dodger. Just bought my first larger monohull (42 ft.) that came with the obligatory bimini, dodger, and cover that bridges between the two when wanted. After spending a half year getting the boat to the point where I was ready to splash it I left both bimini and dodger off so I could see everything the way I'm used to on my little 22 ft. daysailer. It was mid summer of 2023 on the Chesapeake just a tad north of Annapolis. I did get a bit uncomfortable after that first sail and added the bimini. It was a huge help and on my boat covered little of the view of the main, but the dodger was a different matter. I hated how it covered the view of everything - hiding the beauty of the foredeck and water ahead was the first thing I noticed, then the pain of winch access and having to move around to see the foot of the headsail and approaching crab pots (the Chesapeake!). Docking got harder for the same reason. I also enjoyed hitting my head on the dodger rail coming out of the companionway - but I conquered the companionway hatch earlier, I figure I can conquer that rail as well. TBA. The one thing I liked about the dodger was the port/strb grap rails as you go forward and return to the cockpit. Makes the transition much nicer and safer. My solution was to remove the dodger cover and sail with the frame. I been feeling like an idiot because every other boat I've seen has a covered dodger - but I hated it. Now I feel better. Maybe we'll meet someday at a place with soft walls and a nice staff with white coats. : ) God bless you and your precious family - Langston
Are there any BIG sailors out there?? "Before you answer that question, please know that I am only asking as I would like to get out there and boat, but, I am 500lbs at 6' 3"..." haha Any help or advice may be welcome. grin.
The 1976 boat I bought came with a dodger. I refitted the boat and towards the end put up the dodger. I took the boat for a sea trial with my wife. She is shorter than I am and was not able to look over the dodger and complained about the visibility when at the helm. When docking the boat, the dodger prevented me from properly gauge the entry into the slip and I needed at least a second, but would have preferred a third pair of eyes, to guide me in. Needless to say, the dodger came down and the waters opened up. Then I remembered that at some point I watched this video. I went back and watched it again. The commentary on the dodger well taken. I will try the umbrella next!
I've recently come across your videos of trips to.Hawaii and the rest, including this one. Always very informative and for a land locked fellow in the mid=west, whose outdoor activity is long distance bicycle riding, each episode is a welcome adventure. It's both fun and interesting to share and learn from your journey. You should know, that you and I agree with one thing for certain. Brussels sprouts. My story is that when God was finished creating the universe, on the seventh day, he rested. While doing so, he noticed a pile of stuff out behind the famous garden and not wanting to waste anything during His creation efforts, he created those awful Brussels sprouts. Made up of the flotsam and jetsam of the earth's trash, they are pawned off by well meaning friends, trying to be trendy, as something really good after they are disguised with onion, garlic, bread crumbs, butter, olive oil and any number of other foods used to disguise their God-awful taste and smell. No thank you! My wife, children and all my friends know that I will NEVER get near a Brussels sprout as long as I live. They make fun of me. They deride me as unwilling to try anything new. I pay no attention to their comments. I do suspect however, that upon my demise, one of these clever folks will stick a Brussels spout in my coffin before it refused to ashes and will be sprinkled along my ashes into the Pacific Ocean somewhere off the coast of Maui or Kauai. Keep up the sailing chapters. Always good reading :)
My dodger very easily folds down flat by pulling two clevis pins and pushing it forward so it folds down in front of the companionway. This takes 2 minutes tops. It also has a pair of zipped-in side panels I can remove when I want to, which is most of the time. I put it up when a rain storm hits or the crew asks for it.......... So the best of both worlds. Its nice to have it when I need it. The bimini has a roll-up window so I can see the main sail when underway. Thanks for the content.
'most people' ? maybe most people in So Cal. I like to sail year round. Here that means sleet and 28F. Also, another great video, much appreciated the review of equipment.
I bought a small boat. It had a old dodger which I replaced. I sailed once with it and found it to be abominable. Never had one before, and never will from now on.. At mooring, I use a $10 tarp over the cabin and cockpit. Easy set and it takes no space. Happy!
I second the anti-dodger sentiment! We also have never had one on our 30' Hunter and I must admit that the times I have wanted one stem more from vanity and feeling less-than when compared the the canvassy appendages of my fellow sailboats in the harbor. Do you have any videos on your cockpit cover when on the mooring ball? Love that idea.
The purpose of the dodger is not shade. It is to keep spray out of the companionway. It can also provide shelter for people when spray is coming aboard. Personally, I don't like being in the cockpit of those boats with full cockpit cover from bimini to dodger. I can't see what the hell is going on and usually I can't stand all the way up, either. Very irritating. Love your umbrella. On passages the helm really needs some shade and the umbrella could be perfect.
Hey Christian It’s great to hear your voice again and listen to your wisdom. I fully agree with your dislike of dodgers (or spray hoods as we call them in UK). I have a dodger on my boat but always sail with it folded down except in extreme upwind sailing, or when the rain makes sitting in the cockpit less than pleasant. I guess that’s the difference between sailing in UK waters compared to California!
I was thinking about getting a dodger for my Catalina 30, and appreciate your take on them. It wasn't first on the list, but not really on the list ATM.
Sail the Great lakes during a decent puff at ends of season, then tell us you don't need some protection. I keep saying to people, racing is NOT cruising. Different purposes, different actions. Now, go get a dodger on that boat Christian, it looks naked without it!
Amen on the position you espouse on dodgers. So far, out of three boats I've owned, only one had a dodger (my last) because it came with one. My fourth boat purchase (perhaps as soon as this April, 2022) does not come so equipped so it's not likely to ever have one. I too am constantly tweaking the sails...and you can't do that if you can't see them constantly and clearly.
I am surprised that your overall rating of the windvane steering you installed via cutting a large hole in your transom(!) to install it and which FAILED several times on your voyage is that you like it? For me, the hidden control lines and gear that make it look nice and neat near the harbor are the very reason for both its failure and difficulty in inspecting and repairing it under way. To me,, the whole point of windvane steering is its reliability and repairability under way. You could have been injured and/or been left with only electric autopilot during your voyage dealing with crawling around under the cockpit, repeatedly, to fix it while solo sailing in the Pacific. That is a fail for me.
I'm with you on the Brussel Sprouts but after sailing out of marina Del Rey for 50 years I finally got a dodger on my 40 Beneteau that I've owned for 18 years now. I have to say I like it. I can't sail with the bimini (took it off as soon as I bought the boat) I had a frame for the dodger and did some mods on it 3 years ago to strengthen it and then had it built. I really like having a place to duck when you get that spray coming at you on those days (you know the ones) I swore I didn't need or want a dodger but I do really like it now. Its a pain to take down but easy to open up the whole center and let air in. I see you out there a lot we've even waved ;-).
Hi Mr. Williams, Love your videos and your passion for sailing , You were talking about your varnish coats on deck and the up keep it takes. I would like to offer a solution to you on having to do maintenance coats and is not talked about in the industry, please reply back to me …
I'm not a sailor, but I really enjoyed your book and thoroughly enjoy these videos.
As much a philosopher as a sailor.
We all need a little more Christian in our lives. Especially in these trying times.
You’re a treasure of knowledge sir. Thank you so much for sharing with we, the peanut gallery. My only complaint is that your video’s are infrequent. Makes them all the more special.
Yep, you can't really have a consistent upload day when you're always at sea.
a dodger is to dodge weather. a bimini gives you shade. come sail in Asia and you will be having the bimini, at least, installed in no time. you get a beating just from the UV and will get cooked without one
You're back. Thank you Christian.
Man I'd love to live close to you and learn a 10th of what you know
Hi Christian. Nice video and explanations as always. No Dodger might work at your latitudes. I am glad having a Dodger here i Scandinavia. Temperatures and winds here makes you seek shelter in the cockpit when on longer passages.
I live in Alaska and I don't want a dodger.... I want a pilothouse.
Love your wise and practical approach to your sailing exposure and visual attention to the sky and sails overhead. I have a 30 Laguna in Oceanside and love the freedom of jumping on deck, making some adjustments, collecting fenders, sitting on the bow and not having to climb back over what could be a dodger. Although having worked in Hollywood for many years in the biz, I do love those boys in blue, The Dodgers :) At this point, one of my dreams is to actually meet you, Christian, and if you don't think I'm crazy, take a little sail out to Malibu and talk war stories of working at Disney, Fox, Sony and the like. I love your writing and eloquence and minimal use of background music. You do know your craft of story telling :) Cheers from San Diego.
I am going to the wrong dinner parties. The crowd I run with never serve brussel sprouts, and what a pity because I LOVE THEM. As for the dodger, I can’t live without it. My little Cape Dory 25 has minimal freeboard and I got sick and tired of being wet all the time. But that is ok, we can disagree on brussel sprouts and dodgers. I still think you are the cats meow. Keep up the great content. You’re the best!!
Great post today! Somewhere we became disconnected with what sailing is all about. That connection with the sea is no longer quite as intimate for most ....insulated and encased in a "Sunbrella Womb".
After 50 years as a professional sailor and captain, I too am looking for any dodger that does not impact on one ability to trim, maintain a proper watch , observe, and most importantly experience with full effect what draws us to the sea in the first place.
LOL..As far as cold wet weather is concerned remember there is no such thing as bad weather, only poorly designed clothing. SPF 50 RULES!
From one solo old goat sailor to another, thanks for the great content and high production value.
" Beyond All Things Is The Sea"
Seneca
love you and your videos Christian, it gives me comfort and makes everything right with the world when you release a new video. I recently finished reading your book Alone Together for the second time, I also have the Philosophy of Sailing which I'll reread next. I have a 9m sailboat on which I've just started installing new instruments and tidying up the wiring and I've come the conclusion that working on a boat is just solving a never ending number of problems, it's a perfect environment for a DIYer. Great to see you back!
I have worked with varnish (and paint) daily since 1986. If it helps to know, all varnish is high gloss until a flattening agent is added to it. Going with a high gloss will be the most durable as nothing has been added to it. You will also have much better luck with a reapplication of high gloss over high gloss than you would reapplying over a lower sheen.
After 50 years of sailing & 10 boats under my belt, I also have never had a dodger. Well said! I am now a subscriber.
There is a typo in your UA-cam channel name. Right now it is spelled: Christian Williams, It should be immediately corrected to Christian Williams, Legend!
Top. Grts from the belgium coast Brussels is our capital …where it is now blowing50kts. A dodger comes in handy over here.
It has a great WAF. Wife aceptency factor . And when your wife is a lawyer a dodger is far cheaper then a divorce. But since I have been racing for 40 years, I understand your point to. Thanks for another great video.
Interesting comments regarding spray hoods I must say. However, completely incomprehensible when it comes to cruising for someone who has sailed mainly in Scandinavia and the North Atlantic for the past sixty years. In the 1980s, I sailed two world championships in boats that will never ever be equipped with something that is not absolutely necessary, but cruising is another matter for me. After all, a spray hood provides protection for both crew and interior when needed, when it is not needed, you can always fold it down and enjoy the unobstructed view. It's another way of looking at it. However. I really like Christian Williams' channel and the philosophical reasoning that it offers.
I am trying to figure out why you look so familiar to me for.. Have you ever been in phoenix az or Clearwater FL ???
Thank you. Light years more intelligent, more informative, more insightful than the thousands of wannabe sailor dorks who post their “adventures”.
but they are sailing, you are probably not. couch potato.
In a soft, but direct voice, he proclaims, "I Hate Dodgers".
Brilliant, old school and so honest. Yes, the whole point of going sailing is to feel the wind in your hair, sun on your face and sea spray. Anything that interferes with that is just 'Blah'.
Christian you will get beat up on the dodger issue. Mainly wind and spray would be main reason. Race boats don't have them because the dodger slows the boat creating drag. In MDR you rarely need one. Channel Islands area they come in real handy because we are always beating to the islands usually in 15 to 18k winds. Sun protection, no way! I have done both and prefer the dodger. My wife likes it because she gets cold easy and it keeps the cold wind off her during winter sailing. Especially with our cold water.
I follow those youngsters on S.V. Uma, and their compact dodger seems to be a good addition to a smaller boat on an extended voyage in the north, through varied and extreme conditions. Keeps warmth from escaping the cabin as much and doesn't seem to interfere much with sailing with the view (and the elements in their teeth) and their eyes on the sails. A "soft" dodger easily removed in mellow climes.
Of twelve targets on your ship alarm -- "Brings back memories." Sounds omenous. Regards.
Dodger in Seattle? Hell no -- full enclosure!
First of all I'm a huge fan of all you say and do..usually :)....but where I sail (Baltic, UK, Ireland) a good "dodger " is absolutely needed, especially on longer short handed passages in cold weather. It provides much needed shelter from wind and spray for on-watch crew. In fact when I rebuilt my present 40' wooden sloop, I built a hard dodger which, IMHO, is the best thing since sliced bread! Last October we crossed the North sea from Norway to Shetland, just 2 of us, 40 hours.. wouldn't want to do it without my hard dodger!
Keep up the good work!
Dara
BTW I also have an Eastport Pram (the nesting version) that I use as my tender. I also built mine, but a few months before you published your time lapse video of the building of yours. Great little boats! Back burner project is to make a mast, rudder and centreboard for mine as I've just been rowing her so far!
would be miserable sailing in the Pacific Northwest , especially in spring/fall without a dodger. Appreciate your videos and thoughts..
Agree we are in Vancouver a dodger often is the difference between going or not
Exactly what I was thinking of sailing in the Puget sound.
Then you should get an RV instead of a boat.
@@dboboc with respect, you either don't sail, sail in warm climates or just love to be miserable
From this side of that other ocean you appear to have dodgers aplenty. The spray-hood however……. Ericson a dry boat through waves?
I’m curious as to why you chose Cape Horn over Hydrovane.
Some authors worry about what the reader/viewer think of their work. Christian never has to ponder that, he is a real pro.
Christian, old man,
Enjoyed your prattle about equipment, some what, but truly look forward to your voyage to Nuku Hiva and seeing you rocking a great new tattoo. Lead the way!
The cabin sole looks fantastic. I'm looking forward to redoing mine this spring along with the companionway steps. Made new handrails last summer and cockpit coaming and taffrails. It sure looks spiffy with the new wood!
Man. I'm hoping for a long voyage soon. You do the best writing and story telling during your voyages!. Thanks for sharing
I always enjoy hearing your thoughts on sailing. Thanks for sharing 👍
1. Do you ever have a problem with the Larks Head slipping on the clew? I like the simplicity of it but slipping would bother me.
2. Dodger debate. I definitely prefer sailing without a dodger, but on a recent delivery a crew member was so seasick she wouldn't go below to rest. Instead she curled up on the coach roof, under the dodger and spooning a winch. Thus she got some sleep over a number of days. It was a very wet, windy and rough trip, and there she rested dry, warmish, and happy like a sleeping cat.
So nice to see you again, Mr. Williams.
I.........must say............that...I enjoy your videos.........your....keen intellect......thee...clever turn of phrase.....and.............most especially...........the pentameter of....your...speech.............patterns. ;-) Awesome channel.
when you solo sail to hawaii again? i love those long episodes
Awesome! Another Christian Williams video!
Hey Christian good to see you out again!
I find your state of mind to be quite pleasant, humble, kind, thoughtful and of an honorable nature. Your video's ensnare the mind and i find myself sitting there with you. I have no doubt that you are a delightful person to be around.
Umbrellas are a great idea. I have two on my stern instead of a Bimini because the backstay interferes with a Bimini.. They are heavy duty Sunbrella canvas, fiberglass arms and stainless fasteners made by a company here in FL and tested to 65 knots. I love them and get a lot of comments and new friends from people who ask about them.
The dodger issue I mostly agree with. I had one in California when the boat was there. Now in FL I don't and have done without it for 20 years. 90% of the time I prefer it without the dodger, BUT...I'm adding a dodger back again, better designed, because sometimes in this part of the world you need some shelter from the rain down the companionway and wind while on deck. But I've designed it to fold forward when at anchor with an awning above and from the companionway I can look upward at the sails through the front window.
Thanks for the thoughtful videos Christian.
I am glad to see u back out and makingvideos always enjoy them.
Not a dodger fan? What about the Padres or Angels? Maybe the giants? 😜
I too am a dodger dodger. In my case there's only so much room for one on 20' 9" of sailboat and there is no solar arch, no bimini, no canvas around the cockpit to interrupt her curvy sheer (just don't mention the doghouse). I love your videos both short and long and may all your winds be fair but they ought to be with your sprout aversion. I hate the buggers!
Ah thank the Lord for a fix of your humour
Good points, and I shall consider them in the due course, but the bigger question is; cilantro or no cilantro? (P.S. Thank you for making these videos. Came here for the sailing many moons ago and have always come away with interests kindled in too many subjects to list.)
I just bought a sailboat without a cover on the dodger frame. I’ve sailed ~1200 miles so far this year and can’t say how many times I’ve hit my head coming up from below or tripped going to the mast but not once have I missed the canvas. I also caught mangrove snapper in Boot Key Harbor last evening and fried them for dinner with a side of Brussels sprouts.
We went north last fall on our J-133 from Southern California to SF. I can say that on the cold November evenings, especially the one with 25 knots on our nose off of point conception, we found ourselves sitting in the companion way looking out all bundled up and only our head sticking up above the mostly closed hatch, and at each shift change saying “maybe we should get a dodger...”
I generally agree a dodger isn’t necessary (we did a ton of sailing in SoCal without one and never missed having one), but I also haven’t really met anyone who said more times than not “I sure wish I didn’t have a dodger!”
Wonderful to hear your voice again. Loved the episode. You stay safe.
Always happy to see new content on this channel.
I wish I could sail with you! Amazing insight and knowledge!
Thanks as always for sharing. You are an inspiration
G'day Captain I too use only one sheet on the fore sail with a small knot...thanks so much for doing the same, as I have been asualted by many a friendly foe, for doing so...you are a wealth of knowledge and experience, I hope many young sailors can learn a thing or two from you as I have....you are one in a few million, can't tell you how much I have enjoyed watching you work at playing with your boat.. tks so much. P.S. have you ever spoken with Captain Q. Seems to me you would enjoy each other. Take care. Sail safety..
We haven hanked on head sails. I spliced a soft shankle into my fore sheet. Works well.
Long live the king!
i love your videos!!!
Thanks Christian!
Your wisdom is always appreciated.
Where is the sailing dinghy? I missed it in the video.
Regarding dodgers, or sprayhoods as we call them around here. Well, I probably wouldn't have one if I was sailing in CA.
In fact, we have something we call "such a good summer day" that we put our sprayhood down. But for most days here in Scandinavia, specially early and late season, we really needed it. Even in the middle of the summer, we often have very cold days.
Believe me, I had spent a season without one, and the next one when we got, it felt like luxury. With that said, and to give the whole picture, we also have a diesel heater on-board.😃
Please, enjoy the weather and the long season for us.
And thanks for keeping us warm with your videos.
All the best from Sweden, Carlos
Often the wind comes from northeast carrying the cold from the frozen tundra with it, then the dodger allows you the sail upwind in shorts at least as long as you are not the one steering :)
Fantastic!!! I thought I was the only one who didn’t like Brussels sprouts!!! Cheerful talk and very entertaining and funny ! Fair winds and seas… cheers from Muros !!!!
Ugh, they taste metalic to me. Can't stand them.
You are my favorite sailing channel bar none.
I built dodgers, really nice dodgers here in Stonington CT for 34 years, and I will say that there’s nothing that will ruin the look of a beautiful sailboat profile quicker than a dodger will. So I agree( but I still have one)
Thank you for all your hard work putting together these videos. There a treasure!
Good thoughts Christian but as the comments have already shown, the dodger question is also a matter of geography. We don't all sail in temperate year-round conditions. I am in Vancouver, Canada. I'll be heading out this weekend and the temps will be just nicely above freezing, so the protection of a dodger is nearly essential.
One thing not talked about is the extra security a dodger offers in the way of vital hand-holds when moving forward and returning to the cockpit. Lastly, you kind of glossed over the role your "significant other" has in this question. For many of us, getting buy-in from "the Admiral" is not a luxury but a necessity and as you pointed out, the ladies like protection from the elements. Thanks as always for sharing your experience with us.
I am a sailor, and you are 'right on' about everything from dodgers to Thelonious Monk!
Welcome back, looking forward to more excellent teaching videos like this one, add to that a superb narration that I enjoy. Be well 👍🇨🇦
A well needed refit after a long journey is always a good thing.
As well as an interesting insight into ‘To Dodger or to not Dodger’ that is the question!!
Thanks for the update.
All the best Richard
Another SoCal sailor here, but with both a dodger and bimini. The shade is nice during the summer but it's generally an encumbrance and there are many times I wish I had a clear view of my sails from the helm. That being said, I appreciate the dodger during those times I'm bashing to windward. I expect I'll get more utility from it as I venture further away from SoCal and that bimini will be great in the tropics. If I based my decisions on how most local folks use their boats, I'd optimize around interior space, thrice-a-year sailing on Memorial Day, the 4th, and Labor Day.
A good marine fabricator should help you find solutions to your particular problems. Not every problem is solved by a dodger. I love making boom tents. In places where winter is actually winter and summer ain't so hot either its all about extending the shoulder seasons. You'd really hate the full enclosures that are all the rage up here!
I'm in the San Francisco Bay Area. When it gets 60-65 degrees F or higher with direct sunlight, I seek shade. The Sun wears me out and overheats me.
I too have an Ericson 38. Took my first voyage down the Chesapeake Bay in her this past October. I still have much to learn, but watching your videos have been an inspiration.Was a Laser sailor many moons ago as well lol. I look forward to reading your work! Keep doing what you’re doing. Life is far too short to not do the things you dream of doing. Best wishes on your next adventure!
Cheers big man 🥃
I agree with you about dodgers, Mr. Williams. Good Sailing.
Not sure how I missed this 2 years ago - glad it came up in my YT feed today Sept 2024
Brilliant relatable expression of independent thinking as a resourse we all own but underutilized.
Ditto with everyone else on seeing you again. I have a yen to start sailing and living aboard rather late in life, and I thoroughly enjoy trying to learn from you. I just wish I could do a Vulcan mind meld with you and download it all. Lazy, I know, but your knowledge accumulated over so many years is enviable! Good wishes to you and your family! I'll be looking forward to the next video!
Could you install a Bimini for shade and rain protection with your Boom height and how much headroom would you have?
Ya just talked me out of a $2,500 dodger 😂. Excellent. Excellent. thx
Brussels sprouts indeed! I like them the same way I like asparagus - with so much other stuff on top you can't taste either of them. Hope my mom isn't reading this.
BTW, your jacklines make sense - thanks for including them in the video.
On the dodger. Just bought my first larger monohull (42 ft.) that came with the obligatory bimini, dodger, and cover that bridges between the two when wanted. After spending a half year getting the boat to the point where I was ready to splash it I left both bimini and dodger off so I could see everything the way I'm used to on my little 22 ft. daysailer. It was mid summer of 2023 on the Chesapeake just a tad north of Annapolis.
I did get a bit uncomfortable after that first sail and added the bimini. It was a huge help and on my boat covered little of the view of the main, but the dodger was a different matter. I hated how it covered the view of everything - hiding the beauty of the foredeck and water ahead was the first thing I noticed, then the pain of winch access and having to move around to see the foot of the headsail and approaching crab pots (the Chesapeake!). Docking got harder for the same reason. I also enjoyed hitting my head on the dodger rail coming out of the companionway - but I conquered the companionway hatch earlier, I figure I can conquer that rail as well. TBA.
The one thing I liked about the dodger was the port/strb grap rails as you go forward and return to the cockpit. Makes the transition much nicer and safer.
My solution was to remove the dodger cover and sail with the frame. I been feeling like an idiot because every other boat I've seen has a covered dodger - but I hated it. Now I feel better. Maybe we'll meet someday at a place with soft walls and a nice staff with white coats. : )
God bless you and your precious family - Langston
I really like the way you think sir. Love your videos. So very entertaining. Thank you for making them 🙏🏻. Stay well.
Are there any BIG sailors out there?? "Before you answer that question, please know that I am only asking as I would like to get out there and boat, but, I am 500lbs at 6' 3"..." haha Any help or advice may be welcome. grin.
Omgosh….. I’ve got to get to varnishing!! Ashamed!
I removed my dodger in the month of August. 🤔 Pluses & minuses.
The 1976 boat I bought came with a dodger. I refitted the boat and towards the end put up the dodger. I took the boat for a sea trial with my wife. She is shorter than I am and was not able to look over the dodger and complained about the visibility when at the helm. When docking the boat, the dodger prevented me from properly gauge the entry into the slip and I needed at least a second, but would have preferred a third pair of eyes, to guide me in. Needless to say, the dodger came down and the waters opened up. Then I remembered that at some point I watched this video. I went back and watched it again. The commentary on the dodger well taken. I will try the umbrella next!
I enjoy your videos, thanks. Just curious as to why you didn't got with a Hydrovane self-steering windvane, which is a much simpler design?
I've recently come across your videos of trips to.Hawaii and the rest, including this one. Always very informative and for a land locked fellow in the mid=west, whose outdoor activity is long distance bicycle riding, each episode is a welcome adventure. It's both fun and interesting to share and learn from your journey. You should know, that you and I agree with one thing for certain. Brussels sprouts.
My story is that when God was finished creating the universe, on the seventh day, he rested. While doing so, he noticed a pile of stuff out behind the famous garden and not wanting to waste anything during His creation efforts, he created those awful Brussels sprouts.
Made up of the flotsam and jetsam of the earth's trash, they are pawned off by well meaning friends, trying to be trendy, as something really good after they are disguised with onion, garlic, bread crumbs, butter, olive oil and any number of other foods used to disguise their God-awful taste and smell. No thank you! My wife, children and all my friends know that I will NEVER get near a Brussels sprout as long as I live. They make fun of me. They deride me as unwilling to try anything new. I pay no attention to their comments.
I do suspect however, that upon my demise, one of these clever folks will stick a Brussels spout in my coffin before it refused to ashes and will be sprinkled along my ashes into the Pacific Ocean somewhere off the coast of Maui or Kauai.
Keep up the sailing chapters. Always good reading :)
My dodger very easily folds down flat by pulling two clevis pins and pushing it forward so it folds down in front of the companionway. This takes 2 minutes tops. It also has a pair of zipped-in side panels I can remove when I want to, which is most of the time. I put it up when a rain storm hits or the crew asks for it.......... So the best of both worlds. Its nice to have it when I need it. The bimini has a roll-up window so I can see the main sail when underway. Thanks for the content.
'most people' ? maybe most people in So Cal. I like to sail year round. Here that means sleet and 28F. Also, another great video, much appreciated the review of equipment.
So happy to see a new episode after a few months. Please keep posting videos.
I bought a small boat. It had a old dodger which I replaced. I sailed once with it and found it to be abominable. Never had one before, and never will from now on.. At mooring, I use a $10 tarp over the cabin and cockpit. Easy set and it takes no space. Happy!
Brilliant and funny as ever Mr Williams. If you are ever over in Edinburgh, UK 🇬🇧, please let me buy you a pint and a dram 🍺🥃
It's always a pleasure to be brought on board to join you good sir. May you stay in good health! Live long and prosper
I second the anti-dodger sentiment! We also have never had one on our 30' Hunter and I must admit that the times I have wanted one stem more from vanity and feeling less-than when compared the the canvassy appendages of my fellow sailboats in the harbor. Do you have any videos on your cockpit cover when on the mooring ball? Love that idea.
The purpose of the dodger is not shade. It is to keep spray out of the companionway. It can also provide shelter for people when spray is coming aboard. Personally, I don't like being in the cockpit of those boats with full cockpit cover from bimini to dodger. I can't see what the hell is going on and usually I can't stand all the way up, either. Very irritating. Love your umbrella. On passages the helm really needs some shade and the umbrella could be perfect.
Hey Christian
It’s great to hear your voice again and listen to your wisdom. I fully agree with your dislike of dodgers (or spray hoods as we call them in UK). I have a dodger on my boat but always sail with it folded down except in extreme upwind sailing, or when the rain makes sitting in the cockpit less than pleasant. I guess that’s the difference between sailing in UK waters compared to California!
I was thinking about getting a dodger for my Catalina 30, and appreciate your take on them. It wasn't first on the list, but not really on the list ATM.
Sail the Great lakes during a decent puff at ends of season, then tell us you don't need some protection. I keep saying to people, racing is NOT cruising. Different purposes, different actions. Now, go get a dodger on that boat Christian, it looks naked without it!
What do you have cooking for Summer 2022? Another passage?
always good to see a new video.
Amen on the position you espouse on dodgers. So far, out of three boats I've owned, only one had a dodger (my last) because it came with one. My fourth boat purchase (perhaps as soon as this April, 2022) does not come so equipped so it's not likely to ever have one. I too am constantly tweaking the sails...and you can't do that if you can't see them constantly and clearly.
I am surprised that your overall rating of the windvane steering you installed via cutting a large hole in your transom(!) to install it and which FAILED several times on your voyage is that you like it? For me, the hidden control lines and gear that make it look nice and neat near the harbor are the very reason for both its failure and difficulty in inspecting and repairing it under way.
To me,, the whole point of windvane steering is its reliability and repairability under way. You could have been injured and/or been left with only electric autopilot during your voyage dealing with crawling around under the cockpit, repeatedly, to fix it while solo sailing in the Pacific. That is a fail for me.
My family and i just did 3000nm on a wharram cat from Puget Sound to La Paz with no dodger or sun protection under way. What an experience that was.
If you would be sailing in Northern Europe in spring or autumn you would quite certainly change your opinion about dodgers.
I'm with you on the Brussel Sprouts but after sailing out of marina Del Rey for 50 years I finally got a dodger on my 40 Beneteau that I've owned for 18 years now. I have to say I like it. I can't sail with the bimini (took it off as soon as I bought the boat) I had a frame for the dodger and did some mods on it 3 years ago to strengthen it and then had it built. I really like having a place to duck when you get that spray coming at you on those days (you know the ones) I swore I didn't need or want a dodger but I do really like it now. Its a pain to take down but easy to open up the whole center and let air in. I see you out there a lot we've even waved ;-).
Hi Mr. Williams,
Love your videos and your passion for sailing ,
You were talking about your varnish coats on deck and the up keep it takes. I would like to offer a solution to you on having to do maintenance coats and is not talked about in the industry, please reply back to me …