Sunshade or Bimini attachment device to grip a stay

[Citroen/Dave]

I made a sunshade for my CP16/2 using a 5 by 7 blue DOUBLE FACED tarp from Lowes (Lowes #179858 Homax Cinchtite Soft Tarp @ $8.76). [Softarp, Sport Utility Blanket, Double sided Ground Cloth, waterproof and soft sided.] The soft side passes for a fancy fabric (like sunbrella); the underside is a plastic woven split film like the other cheep tarps.  I placed the fancy side up for looks. The aft end of the sunshade is attached to a 6 foot section of 1" PVC pipe, internally reinforced with a discarded fiberglass tent strut.  The PVC bends a little then gets tough as the tent strut starts taking the load.  The tent strut stays inside the PVC pipe because I have drilled through the PVC about an inch from each end and run the attachment line through the holes, the line blocks the tent strut keeping it from falling out either end of the PVC.  The pipe stays centered at the boom because I use the free end of my topping lift to tie the pipe in place to the boom.  The two free ends of the attachment line are loops that pass through the stern cleats and then go around a cleat horn (or both horns).  I can still use the stern cleats if I am at a dock.  [Note, I do not knot the line but rather put twist in the line so that I can make slide adjustments.]

The whole thing comes down in about a minute and rolls up on the PVC pipe to be stored along a bunk. The height at the forward end can be adjusted up for head room, or down tent like to cover the open hatch, making a rain shield.  Of course the boom can be raised or lowered at the goose neck. The aft end can be raised up by adding an extra clip to make a shorter run of the topping lift, raising the boom.  Both ends can be tilted to tilt the sunshade to chase the sun.

While at Lowes I purchased two tarp clips (Lowes #115406 Homax Cinchtite Tarp Clip @ $1.49).  I attached the tarp to the stays with these clips, REVERSED.  I use a circular split key ring to attach a clip to a forward tarp corner grommet.  The other end of the tarp clip, the end that was meant to grab a tarp, opens just far enough to "bite" a stay.  The really neat thing about these clips is that the have a locking slide tensioner that when slid to the closed position and locked, will not allow the jaws to open. My stays have a white plastic spaghetti that the clips hold very well and will adjust up or down.  These makes perfect attachments for a sunshade or a home made Bimini whose forward end connects to the stays.  [If your stays are skinner than mine, file off the teeth to get the jaws to clamp tighter, but leave some "jaw bones".]

[Billy]

Pictures or it didn't happen.

[MacGyver]

^^^^^
That made me laugh out loud Billy.

[Citroen/Dave]

OK. OK. I will try the camera thing tomorrow.  I hope I can find the instructions. . .

[Citroen/Dave]

OK.  I now have 7 photos in Photobucket under CPYOA; cp19; Sunbrella.  How do I post them here?

[Billy]

Go to the photo on photo bucket.
On the right side of the page are a few different "links"
You want the IMG code.
Once you click it, it should automatically copy the IMG code. If not copy it
And then paste the IMG code into the body of the post.

There are more detailed instructions here on the form. Try a search at the top of the page.

Good luck!

[Citroen/Dave]

I'm still in the fumble/stumble stage with Photobucket.  The above link will get you to the first picture of seven.  Tap on the picture. Then hit the "previous" tab at the top right of the screen.

Thanks, Billy.

Dave

[InertBert]

On my aluminum jon boat, I've gone through several iterations of shade.  I tried PVC at first, and it was so flexible that it bent out of shape.  Mark II was PVC but with angles built in that allowed for the pvc to bow out and hold its shape.  Mark III through Whatever was fiddling around until I finally dug out my conduit bender and made one out of EMT.  It was terrible and I made a few more.  I finally figured out a good geometry that holds its shape well and has a shade area that is wider than the boat.  The main things I learned were to plan for tension, and sew triangle gussets on the sides to shorten the edges as compared to the center of the bimini.  The edges are always looser than the center so you need to sew it in a sort of like a sail.  Now I have a home made bimini on that boat that can take about 25-30 mph of wind and be just fine.  Cost about $30(not including dozens of wasted hours).

[Citroen/Dave]

InertBert,

I still want to rig a Bimini for my CP16 but I will have to wait for a new main sail before I do; the original sail is stretched and it sags too low for decent headroom clearance.  At least at anchor I now have both standing headroom and a quick change to a rain tent over the open hatch.  The larger tarp overlap you mentioned is desirable but I can tilt this sunscreen for the same effect.

Dave

[Citroen/Dave]

Three tweaks to the original:

1.) I purchased a 1/2" PVC pipe butt joint.  I cut the middle third out making two rings that will slip along a PVC pipe.  At the center of the aft PVC strut, I glued the two slip rings far enough apart to straddle the boom and with enough space to tie the end of my topping lift.  This addition keeps the PVC strut centered on the boom.

2.) I now tie the two aft grommets by separate short equal lengths of line to the ends of the PVC strut.  This also keeps the aft end of the sunshade centered.  Note: the aft end of the sunshade can be tilted by adjusting the length of the attachment lines running to the two aft cleats.

3.) With the addition of two more tarps, each equipped with the key rings and tarp clamps, I have assembled side curtains for privacy.  I raise the boom for standing headroom and to let the curtains trail their five feet to the gunnels.  A short line from the bottom center grommet attaches to the fore/aft adjusting jib fairlead.  The addition of an un-keyringed tarp clamp near the top ringed grommet holds the gap together to make rain water flow from the top of the sunshade to over the outside of a curtain.

I may trim the five foot hanging length of the side curtains so that the boat and "back room" look more balanced: there is more than standing head room with the current set up.  I will not leave the "back room" up overnight, rather reverting to a lowered boom and boom tent in case of night time storms.

Pictures to follow.