Maneuvering around now that I have the bimini

[BruceW]

Well, I have sailed several times since installing the new bimini. It is 78" wide, 46" tall, and 5' long. I have it attached to the genoa cars, so I didn't add any hardware.

This allows for some sliding.

I have it so it barely overlaps the companionway, but is close to the main sheet aft.

Anyway, contorting to get in and out is doable.

I can sit back far enough to look up at wind gauge now and then. Looking forward, I can go by jib luff, I guess, and sort of see a telltale.

Can't really see the main telltales easily.

Climbing forward to raise sail is okay.

Putting the bimini down is a bit of a hassle. To the back, it is cramped by the lifelines, unless I slide it forward to put down.

Well, it is cooler, and offers some rain protection also, as I found out while sitting in cockpit Saturday, just after tying up at the slip.

I am sure I will figure out some more things.

One curiosity I have is where I will connect the forward straps when I slide the bimini forward, since the straps go nearly straight down at the usual location. I don't think backward is optimal, you yawl?

Glad I have it, and so far so good.

[Shawn]

Bruce,

Do you have support bars at the rear? If you do you can make the bimini strapless which is very nice. I put a bimini on my Sabre and did that.



In my case I put the bimini on backwards to clear the winches and to leave the rear clear to get into the boat. It also lets you go forward on the side deck around the dimini.







Bimini is a Carver industries with support. The strut that tensions the top is a Gemini Marine products strapless strut.

Shawn

[BruceW]

Cool idea, Shawn. Mine doesn't have the bars. I also might experiment with sliding the thing back on the cars to put down, just to see how tilting it forward works.

The bars might help me at the front, even if I had to turn it around. I could cogitate on how to simulate that effect.

Bruce

PS, I sure like that Sabre! A friend and former compac guy I know has a 28. Great combo of sailing and comfort.

[Shawn]

The bars are very nice and the bimini looks better as it has more tension on it. The Gemini kit could be duplicated (without having th struts folds) pretty easily.

On my old 23 I was back and forth on where to store th bimini. I typically stored it to the rear under the tiller as it was a little more out of the way like that.

Thanks on the Sabre. They are very nice boats and sail beautifully. Mine is really impressing me this year after the change to outboard power.

Shawn

[BruceW]

I think I got the tiller under the bimini this time. I will see about coordinating it differently when back to the boat (2+ hours away). Since I am using the tracks for the genoa cars, which got hard to push against forward, it may pay me to try the other way around.

So, you went from diesel to OB on the Sabre? None of the 3 Sabres at our club have OB. I do have OB for my CP 23, and am just used to it.

[brackish]

Yep, I struggle with mine a lot but can't sail where I am without it in the summer.  It does have its own track so I can adjust it fore and aft about 16".  I take my forward straps to the the lifeline stanchion base on each side with a quick clip.  I store it forward, laying across the companionway which will still leave an opening large enough for me to enter the cabin.  In order to put it down, I have to release all strap clips then release the main sheet and boom vang and lift the boom a little to let it rotate forward.  A pain, but necessary in the summer.  Sailing with it is OK if winds are steady but becomes a lot of work and an occasional jibe in shifting wind conditions.

I like Shawn's set up it clears a lot of stuff out of the area.  The horizontal strut looks like a great place to hang towels and other wet items.  Or add sun block side panels at anchor retaining a gap at the top for ventilation.

[BruceW]

Looks like I'll experiment with several putaway configurations. That position over the companionway might be a winner.  I also raise the end of the boom to get it to fold.

In fact, I do have a sail stop to keep the front of the boom up a bit, too.

[Shawn]

So, you went from diesel to OB on the Sabre? None of the 3 Sabres at our club have OB. I do have OB for my CP 23, and am just used to it.

Yup, the inboard was driving me crazy and I spent enough time and money trying to keep it going. Much happier now that I have dramatically simplified the boat while at the same time improved its sailing abilities. I think all Sabre's were IB originally. I've only heard of one other converted to OB.

Shawn

[Shawn]

I like Shawn's set up it clears a lot of stuff out of the area.  The horizontal strut looks like a great place to hang towels and other wet items.  Or add sun block side panels at anchor retaining a gap at the top for ventilation.

I was thinking of using those struts to help with a cockpit tent. Something simple to block sun is a great idea though. I only put the bimini on about 2 weeks ago but so far I am loving the strapless setup. It is much easier to deal with. I'm going to make a Sailrite stack pack for my boom with the optional zipper control to make mainsail handling that much easier too.


Shawn

[BruceW]

Shawn, do you see a way to add these struts? I am not at my boat, but maybe there's a way to cobble together something similar.

I see the vertical-ish ones could help with the situation I may face with the bimini forward; the strap would slant backwards. There's no convenient stanchion forward of that spot. I might try clipping the strap to the shroud or the hand rail somehow.

[Shawn]

"do you see a way to add these struts?"

You can certainly add them either by going with the kits or getting the parts yourself. Assuming your bimini is 7/8" tube...

For the vertical struts:
    (2) hinged rail fittings. http://www.boaterbits.ca/products/stainless-steel-hinged-rail-fitting-7-8
    (4) end caps   http://www.boaterbits.ca/products/boat-railing-hand-rail-fitting-heavy-duty-top-cap-7-8
    (2) mounting  plates  http://www.boaterbits.ca/products/boat-convertable-bimini-top-deck-hinge-removable-pin

and then however much 7/8" tube you would need to go from the top to the mounting point on the boat. Carver industries sells this as a kit if desired.

For the horizontal struts you could go with Gemini Marine products kit which is very nice but pricey.
http://www.geminicanvas.com/bimini.htm
That kit is built to fold along with your top and has offset rail fittings so that the horizontal strut is outside of your tops bows and the struts themselves are hinged so everything will fold up together. Assuming you cut the tubes properly. If folding is less of an issue you could use 4 of the hinged rail fittings, 4 end caps and 7/8" tube and just put the horizontal strut inline with your existing bows if you have a two bow bimini. With a three bow you need the bar on the outside of your tubes or place the bar lower below the middle bar.  That will tension the top to keep it open and along with the vertical strut will mean you don't need any straps on your bimini.

Shawn