Thoughts on a bimini

[Fastdoc98]

The summer sun and heat has me thinking about a bimini for my Eclipse.  When I sailed with Al last year at Carlyle it was pretty hot and I really appreciated how much relief the bimini gave so I looked into getting the kit for mine.  I called ComPac and spoke with the parts guy who said they redesigned the bimini and they don't do the old style off the arch anymore.  He directed me to talk with Gerry Hutchins so I spoke with him later and he said the older design was cumbersome and the new design is simpler.  He sent me pictures of the kit and I'm not sure now.  My boat has an added cleat on the aft end of the boom like many others so you can adjust the main sheet from near the rudder.  I'm wondering if that will now cause clearance issues or interference, although that would likely only be in trailer mode with the boom dropped in the gallows.  I'm also wondering about the overhead clearance.  I'm 6 foot and have cockpit cushions that boost me up a couple inches and it makes me concerned that I won't be able to sit up straight in the cockpit.  Anyone have any thoughts?  I'd like to hear from anyone who already has a bimini on theirs as to how they like it and whether it made things 'crowded' or not.

[Cpy23ecl]

Comparing the your photo with one on https://www.sailingtexas.com/scompac21102.html it appears that the new kit would give you a bit more cockpit shade with a loss of a few inches of headroom and also making it more difficult to exit the cockpit to go forward or get off the boat without stowing the bimini first.

Not sure it looks like an improvement.  I guess I'll find out in a couple months as I just ordered a new eclipse with the bimini option w/o realizing they had changed it.

[slode]

I don't have a Bimini on mine but I know sitting on a throw cushion puts my head just a couple inches under the arch and I'm also 6' with a short torso for my height.  From the picture it appears the Bimini would definitely be an interference in sitting up straight and moving back and forth across the cockpit.  But I would not want one attached too close to the arch either.  I use the traveler extensively downwind to maintain good sail shape, and almost always use the mainsheet cleat attached to it vs. the cabin top.

It may be worth searching for a local shop to do a custom unit to your liking.

Or just always sail east in the morning and west in the afternoon and sit on the opposite side from the sun.....

[Fastdoc98]

Given the position of the arch and traveler I'm not sure what other options there would be.  One could scoot the attachment point in the wood a little further aft and scoot the forward bow up a little which would effectively make it 'taller'.  As long as it stays in front of the traveler and isn't high enough to be hit by the boom that may help headroom.  Here's the installation he sent:

[slode]

Yes, now that I look at it closer the height of the Bimini can be adjusted fairly easily.  Even if moving the mounting point on the bottom aft doesn't provide enough you could install blocks under it to raise it.  Then just level out the top and position the aft end so there is adequate clearance to allow traveler movement and mainsheet access.  I would put the top level with the gallows.  There should still be plenty of boom clearance.

[Fastdoc98]

I'm thinking maybe it wouldn't be worth it after all.  I was just out sitting in the cockpit and the top of my head is just about as high as the arch when sitting upright.  I think to try and come up with a system that would put it up higher when deployed but low enough when stored to not interfere with the traveler or the end-boom cleat is probably more difficult than is worth the money and effort.  I like the design of the old system better, but...............I'll just probably wear my big sunhat and only travel in the shade of the main like slode suggested.

[Cpy23ecl]

Finally got the new eclipse out for her first sail.  Initial thoughts on the bimini is that it's a waste of money.  My head hits the bimini when its stored unless I'm not sitting on a cushion and if the bimini is deployed even my 5'3" wife hits her head on the bimini.  The front of the bimini is sloped down enough that there's not enough head room for even short people.

Plus the amount of shade it provides is almost useless.  At this point I guess the best thing I can say about it is maybe it's better than nothing, but I'm not even sure about that.

Fred