[Rhodes22-list] Do you recommend the Bimini top?

[Mary Lou Troy]

Paul & Frone,
We have a standard bimini and wouldn't be without it on the 
Chesapeake. When not in use, we usually have it folded against the 
cabin top. On a few occasions, we have sailed with the pop-top up and 
the bimini folded against it. There are times when it seems like it's 
in the way but that is more than offset by being able to be in the 
shade on a 90 degree  day. We can fold it aft but it leans on the 
winches so we don't sail with it that way.

It only takes a couple of minutes to deploy and stow the cover. It 
takes a minute or so longer to get the cover back on. When we 
stripped the boat in anticipation of TS Isabel we removed the bimini 
and discovered that it does fit in the cabin but it took a bit of 
maneuvering to do that - not something you'd want to do on a regular basis.

Art Czerwonky has a frame for the boom room that I believe you can 
use like a bimini. It disassembles and stows in the cabin.

Attached are a couple of pictures of Fretless under sail and at 
anchor with the bimini down.

Mary Lou
1991 R22 Fretless
Rock Hall, MD



At 06:16 PM 10/20/2007, you wrote:
>In a message dated 10/20/2007 5:53:49 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>krawitzmail-rhodes22 at yahoo.com writes:
>
>For  those of you that have it, is the Bimini top more of a benefit or a
>hassle?  How long does it take to put up and take down? Does it 
>store easily in
>the  cabin?
>
>Thanks.
>
>Paul K
>
>Paul - It is very useful if you will be out for a good bit of the mid-day
>sun or spending sunny time in the cockpit at anchor.  There are a couple of
>downsides : it makes furling / reefing of the in-mast main a bit of 
>a fire drill
>(although I'm pretty used to it and that's not really a big deal).
>Secondly, it limits your flexibility with regard to sailing with the 
>pop-top up  - to
>do so, the bimini has to be deployed, as well.  We have not tried 
>to  store it
>in the cabin - I doubt if it would fit.  It lays comfortably on  the aft
>section of the cabin top when not deployed.   I would  recommend 
>getting it unless
>you are a big fan of being exposed to the sun.
>     Frone Crawford
>     s/v Sunday Morning
>
>
>
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