Bimini Suggestions?

[Zeida]

Hi there...

My Bimini was made by a small shop called HELEN MARINE CANVAS, 305-681-2310. You need to leave a message for they are always out on jobs. They will call you back. I also had a very good experience with another small canvas shop called ALBA MARINE CANVAS, guy's name VICENTE, cell 305-681-2310. They did my dinghy's cover.
A bigger shop, also good, is American Marine Canvas, (George) at 305-786-6776. All three shops are always very busy, you just have to keep on trying.

My boat is at Crandon Marina in Key Biscayne. You are welcome to stop by to check out the canvas work at any time.
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[Zeida]

The DODGER on Bandolera was made by Island Nautical, in City Island, New York. They are very good. I believe they already have the template for the CD-27. I sent them the measurements as they indicated and they shipped the dodger to me already made, with the SS frame and all. It fit to perfection. You have to do the installation yourself, but it is very easy. If you need any more info, just holler.

[Shanna Paxton]

I have an unused toast (light brown) colored bimini that came with my 30MKII. My canvas is green, so I will not be using it. It has two pockets for the bows and a window at the backstay. I am going to pitch it if no one wants it, as I am tired of moving it. It is in perfect shape.

[Jim Evans]

Hi Zeida,

Thanks for sharing your photos of Bandolera's dodger and bimini. I will soon be replacing the dodger and bimini on my CD33, and I'm interested in the headroom you have under your bimini. I have at most 70 inches under mine, and I stand about 71 inches tall. So I'm slightly crouching under my bimini when I stand behind the wheel. My dodger is low so I'm looking over it while I'm standing. My preference is to raise the bimini a bit so I can stand erect, but of course, I'm constrained by adequate boom clearance. What was your solution??

[Zeida]

Hi, Jim... Two profile photos of my bimini shows that it extends PAST the backstay, which runs through a small opening on same. The SS frames can be adjusted to whatever height you want... of course, depending on the boom... but I placed the boom at the height I wanted, then did everything else based on that. I am rather short, so I have to STAND on a 2.5" hard foam rubber fender which fits exactly behind the pedestal, and it is no problem then for me to see OVER the dodger. This does not bother me. the Island Nautical dodger has a rather low profile, but I preferred that look vs. a bigger one; Since I do not race my boat, I cruise, it is set up for comfort. I don't find I lose any of the boat's sailing ability under sail. We easily make 6.5 and even 7 knots in 15 k breeze, with all my canvas up.
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sra ... 81805f.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sra ... 818066.jpg[/img]

The back end of the bimini frame is held in place by two SS risers. The front end, with two canvas straps that hook into the bottom of the stanchions. The bimini has panels that roll up when sailing, but will help protect against heavy sun or rain when needed. I will send you exact measurements of how much room I have under my bimini shortly.
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sra ... 12189d.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sra ... 729c7c.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sra ... 729c26.jpg[/img]

[tradewinds780]

Zeida,

Boy what a sweet setup. My 27 has the main sheet at the end of the boom so it really limits the size of the Bimini under sail and I am not really looking to spend more on shade than I spent on the boat. It looks like you have the best of both worlds.

PK

[Zeida]

PK... yOUR 27 has the same arrangement as my CD-25, two pictures of her here; that is, the mainsheet at the end of the boom, connecting to the traveller on the lazarette. I still had a bimini on her! For many years I sailed her up north, in the Long Island Sound, without a bimini, but when I moved to Fl. the sun here killed me and there was no way I could have survived without it. As much as I hated it then, I had one made. Boy, what a difference it made. Ever since, never again without one.

[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sra ... c42772.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sra ... c42741.jpg[/img]

If you notice, the bimini starts almost right over the companionway and ends about a foot before the mainsheet. Many times, I would collapse the bimini and secure it right over the companionway to go sailing... other times, I left it up and could actually sail with it up.
Those times, I would keep the topping lift a bit tighter to keep the boom just above the bimini, and it still worked! I know on your 27 you should release the topping lift until the main and boom are fully extended, but believe me, the main still did its job with the boom just a bit higher! And for me, in this heat, it was worth it!