Dodger and bimini

[JD]

JD here..... I am wondering if there is anyone that may have a 1986  27 that may be in the upper Bay Area of the Chesapeake.
I am wanting to have a dodger and Bimini  installed. and am on the hard and mast is down. My main sheet is factory stock outside the companion way. My hope would to have the installer allow for openings to allow lines to be led aft and to install a traveler for a later date when I can afford it. The Bimini would be much easier. If someone is out there I would be glad to pay for the visit and measuring. Thanks
JD

[Nicolina]

I'm on the Southern end of the Chesapeake - a fair distance, probably - but you'd be welcome to measure my boat. It's a '86 with the traveller on the bridge deck. Btw, I took off my bimini because I found it had to be too low (for boom clearance) and interfered with forward visibility from the helm. The main sheet interfers with the dodger. Not an easy boat to trick out in canvas. Good luck!

[JD]

Thank you so much for your offer.  I will keep it in mind.
Respectfully,
JD

[redfishnc]

I am 5'7 and installed a california type dodger.  All the windows unzip around the entire bimini or you can easily take the front windows out.  I realu enjoy this cancas guy's work.  I don't see other boats that i really enjoy more.

[Steady1]

JD:

Here's a look at what we just did with our boat in the fall.  She's a '97 so the mainsheet's rigged on the cabin top and not an issue. We split the Bimini in two halves that zip together: one half in front of the backstay, one aft. (The photo shows the aft section deployed, the forward bow folded up to the backstay.)

[/URL]

The reason we did this is to enjoy the sun / warmth in spring and fall but still keep the solar panel in place.  It seems to work well.  If you want to see her (in the spring; she's on the hard and under a winter cover right now), she'll be at her slip early April.  We're just south of Deltaville, about 50 miles up the Bay from Norfolk.  As mentioned above, probably a long drive for you, in which case I could take some additional photos in April.  The work was done by Ship's Tailor in Deltaville.

BTW...I'm 6'1" and the boom's high enough that I can stand comfortably under the Bimini.  Perhaps you could move the gooseneck and / or have your sailmaker remove some dacron at the foot of the main. 

Good luck!

[JD]

I'm on the Southern end of the Chesapeake - a fair distance, probably - but you'd be welcome to measure my boat. It's a '86 with the traveller on the bridge deck. Btw, I took off my bimini because I found it had to be too low (for boom clearance) and interfered with forward visibility from the helm. The main sheet interfers with the dodger. Not an easy boat to trick out in canvas. Good luck!

Yes , it is a bit tricky. My Bimini will stop three inches from the end of the boom . Not a large Bimini but at least the captain will be comfy. We have run into a situation with the main sheet on the companionway will rub the dodger tail when on a full down wind run.
We have come up with a solution to have remove able tails on the dodger and then als mount a sort of vang outside the cockpit with a snap shackle reciever to unleash the main sheet and clip it outboard when running down wind. Just don't want the dodger t have a too high square looking dodger lower will be better for a more racing sleeker look. I may take you up on the offer . Where is sh lying
If I did go down I would call you first.... Thanks
Joe

[MomentSurf]

Steady - what type of solar panel do you have?  What's the rest of your setup look like? 

[Patrick]

Steady - what type of solar panel do you have?  What's the rest of your setup look like? 

I have that boat now.  What else do you want to know about the setup?  The solar panel is 100w I think and charges the house battery.

[bobp]

I have a 90 27-2 with dodger/Bimini and in the Sassafras now. Will be in HdG MD for the Summer. If you want to take a look let me know.