What are we doing?

As mentioned previously we are doing a lot of work on preparing Sage for wherever we end up going in the Atlantic Ocean. We are also enjoying the wine, the food, the hikes, the sea and whatever special events are on offer.

The biggest task though is getting Sage spruced up after a number of years of hard use. One of the projects has me very excited as, for me, it’s a new way in which boats, or boat parts, are constructed.

We are working with a CAD expert and designer here on making a new dodger for Sage. The old dodger is showing its age by leaking in the rain, zippers giving out due to sun damage, staining and wearing of the material and just general wear and tear.

The design process is interesting. It all starts with making very precise measurements and using a Computer Assisted Drawing (CAD) program all the information is put into a computer. From there the design down to the finest detail is worked out.  We are able to see the design in all its dimensions and in the finest detail.

The design is finalized with signatures and the cut files then sent to the cutter. We went to purchase the materials yesterday and took the pieces of wood and the plexiglass to the person with the laser cutter. Once the files are put into the laser cutter’s computer and the button pushed that’s it.

The dodger is now ready to assemble.It’s very exciting to see this working and we hope we are very happy with the end result.

Here is the signed off drawing as it went to laser cutter. Note the embedded solar panel under which lies the water collection trough. Not shown is the opening centre window which folds up into the inside.

                                                   CAD of Sage’s new dodger