[Rhodes22-list] BIMINI

[Mary Lou Troy]

Marc,
Didn't get a chance to answer you earlier but we also have a bimini. We 
couldn't sail without on the Chesapeake. I've posted a few comments below.

At 08:13 AM 12/30/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>Lloyd,
>
>How much does the bimini restrict you in boarding the boat from the dock? I
>will be folding it up when I leave for the day but I'm sure I'll be going on
>& off the boat many times with the bimini up. Do you just release one of the
>straps & squeeze in between the bimini & cockpit or bimini & pushpit?

At the dock we regularly leave the forward pierside strap unattached. For 
us it's the forward port strap and you just get used to the steps you need 
to take to bend yourself around it.


>We occassionally get transport to shore by water taxi. If we keep the bimini
>up while we're away (only for the day) would it be OK to leave a strap
>unattached with the boat at anchor (assuming non-storm conditions). The
>option would be to always fold the bimini when we're away.

I think I would fold the bimini if you were going to be leaving the boat at 
anchor. It does create significant windage. We usually fold up the bimini 
to sail in anything over 10 - 12 knots.

>We also have a plastic step that we hang with line between the winch & aft
>horn cleat when we're using our dingy. The step hangs over the outside of
>the boat & we use it to get in & out of our dingy. We find it much easier to
>use than the rear boarding ladder. Looks like that with the bimini up, the
>use of this step is out - or at least a much bigger hassle.

You might still be able to use if you release the aft strap on that side or 
if you fold the bimini forward when you leave the boat.

>What bothers me most though is where the sliders for the bimini mount want
>to be on the jib track. That forward 18" or so is where I make the bulk of
>my jib track adjustments. Can the bimini be located further back on the
>track or will the bimini then rub on the backstays?

Our bimini is not track mounted. We've thought about doing this when it 
comes time to replace it but we tend to use all of our genoa track  (175 
genoa) so we may just leave it where it is.

When we sail without the bimini we usually have the pop-top down and just 
fold the bimini forward. When we leave the boat after a weekend, we fold up 
the bimini, put the cover on it and bungee it upright to the boom. Seems to 
work well.

You can see our bimini folded forward in the shots Mark & Julie Kaynor took 
of Fretless sailing at the Rhodes Chesapeake Rhendezvous last spring. 
http://www.kaynor.org/Rhendezvous/mdscf0010.jpg and 
http://www.kaynor.org/Rhendezvous/mdscf0010.jpg  If you look real close you 
can see the eyestraps (u-shaped fittings) that we clip the straps to 
forward of the rain gutter and near the aft cleat. The aft eyestraps are on 
the side of the coamings not the top.

Best wishes

Mary Lou
1991 R22 Fretless
Ft. Washington, PA / Swan Creek, MD