[Rhodes22-list] (no subject)

[Daniel Snyder]

Dave, I basically keep the bimini up most of the summer....I wouldn't be 
with out it....it really does the job and passengers/crew love it.  
You're right that it is a little inconvenient to sit a bit aft on either 
corner but a quick glance up is no big deal in exchange for the value 
received.  You can also hang your head out a bit on the port or 
starboard side of the bimini to check headsail/main sail shape...again a 
quick glance will tell you what you need to do, if anything.  Lots of 
times I'll sit in the corner chairs and let my guests benefit from the 
bimini as in the attached pictures.

  I've never been a big fan of the window in my 175 genoa...I almost 
always crane to look under or around it from time to time....so I'd not 
opt for such a window in the bimini.  I also sail a new 34 ft. Tartan on 
Lake Champlain which has a huge carbon boom that is designed in such a 
way as to virtually prevent a full bimini....as far as I'm concerned it 
is a design flaw in what is otherwise is a gorgeous boat...thank 
goodness Stan didn't make the same mistake with our R22!  Dan in NH

DCLewis1 at aol.com wrote:
> Folks,
>  
> Recently we’ve sailed a couple of times with the Bimini up - the sun was  
> just too hot.  I put it up at the slip to motor out of the harbor.   When we 
> cleared the breakwater I collapsed the Bimini long enough to get the  mainsail 
> out, and then put the Bimini back up.  Comfort-wise, it’s much  better with the 
> Bimini up on a hot summer day, I recommend it - the shade makes  all the 
> difference.  
>  
> Handling the headsail was not much affected by the Bimini, except that it’s  
> hard to see what’s going on at the top.  BUT, I have a hard time monitoring  
> the mainsail - the entire sail is completely obscured by the Bimini.  Once  the 
> sail is out and the Bimini re-set, all subsequent mainsail adjustments were  
> all “by feel” and by listening.  I can crane my neck around the aft portion  
> of the Bimini from time to time to spot check what’s going on with the main  
> sail, but it’s not convenient for easy monitoring.  It would really be  great 
> if there were a small window, or flap, you could see through to check out  what’
> s going on “up there”, or maybe even have an opening in the Bimini that you  
> could reach through to adjust the mainsail since all the IMF mainsail “
> controls”  are on the boom.
>  
> Are there any other sailors on the list that sail with their Bimini  up?  If 
> so, how do you monitor the mainsail and the top of the headsail? 
>  
> It’s occurred to me that having a window along the top of the Bimini- or  
> perhaps even a flap that could be secured, and that you could reach through -  
> might be a good and useful thing.  Or you might have a window that could be  
> covered by a flap to keep the sun out if you weren't interested in viewing  
> aloft.  Any thoughts?  I hate the thought of carving up our nearly new  Bimini.  I’
> ve looked in West Marine and Defender catalogs and I haven’t  found anything 
> like this.  The Biminis in the catalogs appear to be made  for power or sail 
> boats - the tops are solid, no windows.  But sailboats  have this problem where 
> you want to monitor what’s going on above you - unless  I’m missing something.
>  
> I think the R22 is kind of unique when it comes to it’s Bimini, on larger  
> boats the mainsail isn’t totally obscured, or there is deck space that will let  
> you look out from under the Bimini and monitor what’s going on “up there”.   
> Smaller sail boats don’t usually have Bimini’s (I think).  On the R22 the  
> Bimini covers nearly all the cockpit - which is good, but that really obscures  
> the main sail.
>  
> Any thoughts?
>  
> Dave.
>  
>  
>
>
>
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