Vinyl Dodger?

[Peregrine]

My white Sunbrella dodger only lasted six years before the seams started tearing out. It also has provided a petri dish for mildew. When I discussed re-sewing or replacing the dodger with the owner of a reputable canvas shop, he brought up the idea of using vinyl instead of sunbrella. My thoughts immediately went back to that shiny, sticky, hot/cold vinyl couch I had in the 70s, but he showed me a sample that had a surface that looked very similar to canvas, and had a very dull finish. He said that if I wanted to stick with the off-white color I have now that this would stand up better to U/V light and would not have the mildew problems I have with the Sunbrella.

Does anyone have any experience with a vinyl dodger? Do they get hot, stand up to the sunlight, have mildew problems or other issues.... and do they look as good as Sunbrella?

Tony
Peregrine Spirit
PSC E380 #16

 

[Loren Beach]

Dodging the issue

Our 1995-vintage dodger still looks great. But, we had a cover fabricated for it when it was built. The cover is on whenever we leave the boat, along with the hatch and winch covers. UV is quite harmful, even at Lat. 45.
(Not noted for originality, I copied the cover idea from another bigger boat in our YC.)
Since most of the labor in a dodger is in the fitting and stitching of all the windows and zippers, a drop-over fitted cover is more of a material-based cost, and as such, much less expensive in proportion.

Our dodger is Sunbrella and so is the cover.
Most midwinters I also take it and both sails home for December-February because we get at least one week of freezing gale conditions in my area each winter.

Loren in PDX

ps: the alternative vinyl/cloth dodger/bimini material used to be sold under the trade name of "Top Gun" fabric... Maybe it still is.

 

[stbdtack]

i had a dodger made for my 38 with white stamoid. the vinyl holds up really well and is easy to clean. i made the decision after using white weblon(similar material) on my morgan. it has a dodger and bimini that stay up and uncovered year round in the southeast. like clockwork i have gotten 11 years out of the material two times. had to have the seams resewn when the dacron thread rotted but the new one has goretex thread which is supposed to last a lot longer.

the weblon also is available with light grey or blue on the underside which is great for glare. only disadvantage is that its not meant to be folded or rolled up too frequently, especially when cold. but i dont do that so its not an issue.

 

[treilley]

UV damage makes sense but mildew in SD? I am in Maine and have never had a mildew problem on any of my external canvas. Sunbrella is fairly mildew resistant and holds up well to UV. Are you sure your existing dodger is Sunbrella?

BTW, your dodger is probably failing because of the thread. Some lower end canvas places will use thread that is not UV resistant.

 

[Guy Stevens]

Something here does not add up

Thread should be Goretex thread, will outlast the dodger.

Sunbrella TM does not under any normal circumstances that I know of mildew. I have had sunbrella in Sitka Alaska, with rain and damp every day of the year, (there are about 5-7 sunny days a year there). and never had any mildew problems.

Guy

 

[jkm]

Guy

The goretex thread is an important component.

I am now looking at having a dodger made and never would have spec'd that out.

Thanks

John

 

[noproblemo2]

We also had a light dodger that fell apart after just 4 years, I mean shredded, this shortly after I had the rest of the canvas done to match, when I called the canvas man, his response was he was sorry, but he "assumed" we knew that the life expectancy of light canvas is only about that, and the dark canvas is 8 - 10 years and should be sewn with Tenara thread!! Well needless to say we again replaced all with a dark canvas and made him pay for the Tenara. That was six years ago and when we sold her last month the canvas still looked as new.