Bimini problem for tall man

[miamiman007]

I am getting ready to buy a CP 23. I am 72 and suffer from a lot of arthritis. It is difficult for me to bend over and I can't get under the bimini. On other boats I have shortened the bimini so I could step into the cockpit without bending over and then sitting down.

Has any one had a similar problem? Any suggestions?

[brackish]

I have similar issues, find my bimini a mixed blessing, essential in the hottest part of the year but difficult to use because of the limited head room and the need to bend way over to board the boat or go to the cockpit from the cabin.  I haven't solved the problem but am considering an option.  I've been thinking about converting to mid boom sheeting with a traveler on the bridge deck and moving the bimini far aft.  This will allow a place to board in the front of the cockpit and a space to do what you are talking about.

My other option is to succumb to the reality of advancing years and declining muscular/skeletal ability and buy a boat that has standing head room in the cabin and cockpit when covered. 

[Tom L.]

I would opt for the mid boom sheeting with the center cockpit traveler. I had an older Sun Cat that was rigged that way and it was a better way to rig the main sheet and still be able to use the bimini.

Thinking out of the box. Another option, buy one of those umbrella hats. Wellll maybe, maybe not. Happy new year all.

Tom L.

[Tim Gardner]

I have no Bimini on my 19.. I use a versa-brella.  about $20 on amazon



Clamps on to the stern pulpit or more forward on a stanchion. Easy to adjust after tacking, folds down out of the way like an umbrella.  We have two of them. One for the admiral and one for the order carry-out person (me) on board.

TG

[BruceW]

I bought a bimini last year; it was high, and wide. The issue I have is putting it down out of the way. My lifelines keep it from going down to the back. I don't have the pelican connectors. I was looking at the connector I do have, and it is a screw. I think I could put in a push-pin or other alternative, and then just unhook the lines, put the bimini down aft. When it is forward, it makes it hard to climb over, and it inhibits the opening of the cabin sliding hatch. But when it is up, and you are already in, it is awesome. The size is what Kurt reported his to be in a very old post that you can get when you search "bimini."  I didn't have to cut the support, or change the main. When sail is up, the boom clears. When sail is down, I have a stop in the mast to keep that end of the boom high enough, and I have an adjustable topping lift to keep the aft end up.

Tim, I like that umbrella! I could see using one or two of those. I used to just use the top half of a beach umbrella bungeed to a stanchion on whatever side I needed it on.

The main reason I changed was for anchoring out and when I have crew. Neither are things I do much, so I really need to work on that lifeline solution.

Bruce

[Shawn]

I have similar issues, find my bimini a mixed blessing, essential in the hottest part of the year but difficult to use because of the limited head room and the need to bend way over to board the boat or go to the cockpit from the cabin.  I haven't solved the problem but am considering an option.  I've been thinking about converting to mid boom sheeting with a traveler on the bridge deck and moving the bimini far aft.  This will allow a place to board in the front of the cockpit and a space to do what you are talking about.

I'd talk to Compac before making this change. See if anyone has done it before and how it worked out. You would be putting much more stress on the boom (half the lever arm) and could end up bending or breaking it if it isn't built for mid boom sheeting.

Shawn

[Blown Away]

I'd talk to Compac before making this change. See if anyone has done it before and how it worked out. You would be putting much more stress on the boom (half the lever arm) and could end up bending or breaking it if it isn't built for mid boom sheeting.

Shawn

I raced a Santana 30 for seven years with mid boom sheeting and a bridge traveler. I absolutely loved this setup for racing but must say that a bridge traveler in the center of a cockpit is an obstacle to contend with in every other situation. I agree with Shawn  and would definitely talk to Com-Pac before making any changes. The load is drastically increased mid boom and gets a bit scary in heavy air.

[brackish]

Several individuals who have contributed to this site in the past have made the conversion to mid boom sheeting and I've not heard of any problems.  Sherie, "Blond Ambition" one of the members using the rig has it set up with a six to one in order to make handling the mainsheet easier. 

http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=2585.msg14686#msg14686

I would not use a single triple as she has done, it might cause an excessive point load.  I would spread the load about 8-10 inches along the boom and use singles with a custom plate that would also add some reinforcing.

With regard to the relative inconvenience of the two sheeting methods, I've had both and can compare.  I find the inconvenience of the ComPac 23 stock setup to be worse not only for limiting the bimini position, but also for access to the motor, using the swim ladder, interference with the mounted magma and an occasional sweep of my Tilly into the drink.  I also like all my sheeting to be in front of me, find the reach around to release the main uncomfortable.

With regard to entering the cabin, on my Columbia 8.7 which had mid boom, I never found that to be an issue.  When having to enter under sail a momentary repositioning of the traveler was not an issue.  When at anchor I just always set the traveler to the side.  Never was a problem.

[Reighnman]

I'd second the versa-brella. We have two of them on our boat. It has two points of articulation so positioning it isn't too bad and the price is right.

[Shawn]

Still, I'd call Compac and see what they say. Midboom could be fine until that one big gust when you are sheeted in tight

Just thinking back to my Flying Scot days. They had a combination of end boom and mid boom. The section from the end of the boom to the rudder head could snag on the corners of the boat and would certainly snag an outboard if you had one. Some converted to just mid boom (not one class design legal) and you could end up bending the boom that way. The factory had warnings about this and that if you did it to never sheet in tight. The better option was to remain end boom but move the attachment point from the rudder head to a point on the rear deck about 12 or 18" in.

On the Sabre 28 the Mk 1 and 2 boats had the sheeting at the end of the boom very much like the 23. In Mk 3 boats it went to a traveler ahead of the companionway hatch. Sabre changed booms for that as they had to be considerably stronger with the mid boom sheeting. I almost bought a Mk 3 but hated the mainsheet positioning, to much of a PITA to get around the wheel to get to the mainsheet.

Remember too, you will be able to move the bimini back a little changing sheeting position but the aft stay is going to limit you.

Shawn