Sailing Umavideo

Building the Ultimate Hard Dodger (Part 4) | Step 438

April 25, 2025 · 27 min · 119K views

What this video covers

Dan and Kika continue the custom hard dodger rebuild on their boat, *Uma*, by cutting window openings and reinforcing the structure with fiberglass.5:16 After measuring and templating the window layout, they use a jigsaw for rough cuts and a router to clean the edges.14:58 To blend the new dodger into the existing deck, they grind down old molded sections, fill voids with expanding foam, and shape the area before applying fiberglass.1:31 They also remove the gel coat from the cabin top to prepare for installing new winch pedestals, clutches, and line organizers.7:42 The crew constructs a temporary windbreak to stabilize the fiberglass and peel-ply during application.21:47 They replace a temporary plywood arch template with a permanent foam-and-glass structure to accommodate future enclosure tracks and handrails, avoiding the need for repeated epoxy sealing of screw holes.24:07 The project concludes with the final glassing of the arch and window edges.25:57 Careful planning and templating are essential when cutting structural openings in a custom hard dodger.

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