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

[Leland]

Paul,

I rarely use the bimini, yet I still recommend getting it.  It's
inexpensive.  It fits the cockpit perfectly.  It's wonderful when you need
it.  It makes the cockpit much more enjoyable when at anchor.  In light
winds you can sail with it deployed, although it's more fun to sail without
it.

When I sail with the poptop up (which is almost always), the stored bimini
rests against the back vertical portion of the raised poptop.

When the mainsail is furled away, I raise the stored bimini to a vertical
position and tighten the boom down on top of it.  In this position, it's
easy to go forward to handle docking lines while leaving and entering the
slip.  Otherwise you must crawl under the bimini or step over it.

In Mary Lou's book, she recommends using wood clamps to attach beach towels
to the bimini to block out the rising/setting sun.  Works like a charm.

Even though the bimini is a bit of a hassle, you get used to it.  I've had
my boat for two years and have yet to remove it.

Good luck!

Lee
1986 Rhodes22  At Ease
Crab Alley (Kent Island, MD)




Mary Lou Troy-2 wrote:
> 
> 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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