I’m adding a traditional bimini to my N22 OB and would appreciate suggestions for best place to mount it, both fore/aft location and whether 1) horizontal mount on combing top, 2) vertical mount outside of combing, or horizontal mount outboard of combing on deck.
This will be a standard 3 bow bimini with a single mount on each side with straps to control fore/aft position.
When folded, I believe it has to be on cabin top, but how far forward?
Also ideas on height much appreciated. I’d think it’s critical to have it so foot of sail (and cover*), set for close hauled, doesn’t touch when tacking.
My tiller steered Nonsuch doesn’t need shade as far back as the wheel steered version.
Any other considerations?
*I’m planning for a zipper top sail cover as discussed a few days ago
I most certainly cannot answer all of your questions but let me give it a try. The attached picture is the best I could find of my NS 22 when I owned it. The Bimini rig I designed along with the Bimini maker does not fold forward but rather folds backward. To accomplish this the main sheet block (wishbone end) was replaced with a snap shackle block. The frame folded by passing through the main sheet area and behind all of the coaming. Once it was down, for the most part it could hardly be seen. The snap shackle was then reconnected for normal use. In order to allow the Bimini frame to get to the after coaming area, the side framing was put on adjustable tracks (hard to see in picture). The forward framing was concluded with straight sticks with releasable pull pins so that the Bimini could be collapsed. I don’t know all of the appropriate terminology to explain what I did but the picture should help.
So, to collapse Bimini I loosened the knobs on the slide tracks, disconnected main sheet snap shackle, pulled straight stick pull pins and slid framing on track to an appropriate position to drop arrangement behind the coaming and concluded with re-attaching main sheet snap shackle block.
Now, after all of that planning and expense, I decided it was just as easy to remove Bimini and leave framing up when I did not want the Bimini in use.
My suggestion is to not put a lot of time and money into the Bimini arrangements. Make it really simple and practical. By the way, when you are using your boat without the Bimini but with the framing up, it is damn near impossible to fall out of the boat. Just a thought.
I do know that if your arrangement allows for the collapsed framing to fall forward on cabin top, that you will not like that what-so-ever. It’ll be a big nuisance factor, at least I found it to be that way.
The fine gentleman that bought my boat, and I think you know of him, will gladly allow you to take a peak at my rig (now his) I’m sure. If you need contact info, let me know and I’ll e-mail to you.
As mentioned some of my pics are loading upside down. I’m reposting with the caution that you might want to download the pics and rotate them to better view. Sorry for the inconvenience.
We added a bimini to our 22 last year. I wanted space to stand while sailing and knew we couldn’t have a lot of head room under the bimini as we moved forward. We decided to move the bimini aft and leave an open space at the forward end of the cockpit. The sun angle is so variable when sailing we are not bothered with the open space forward. The headroom under the aft half of the bimini is 6’2"
Our local canvas supplier gave us a solution with no straps and a single point deck anchor each side, simply by using a solid tie bar to the aft pulpit upright. We originally wanted the forward edge just about even with the forward seam of the seat lockers. Tried that with the bow before final canvas cutting, but it looked a bit strange so it is about 9 inches aft of that point. Gives a couple of feet of open space to stand between the bimini and the companionway and easy entry and exit to the side deck when boarding. Since the aft end is just inside the coaming, we have an extra bow on the aft end to let the mainsheet slide around.
We went with the deck anchor point outside the coaming to give maximum width. Can still get around it to pull on the conventional sail cover. That is being replaced with a drop in bag this spring.
Additions were a zip on forward shade cover to use in port for full sun & rain coverage over the companionway, and zip on, split aft curtains and 1 set of zip on side curtains that we can move from side to side.(another reason for the outside the coaming width) These are for those dock or anchoring occasions when it is still really hot and the sun is low. They have worked really well for sun and slanting or blowing rain.
No problem with pics - I download and touch up quickly.
You and Butch both have the advantage of a pushpit. I have classic 22 OB so none. I like several of your ideas tho. Have to do some serious thinking. " we have an extra bow on the aft end to let the mainsheet slide around. " sounds good. My boat currently allows decapitation. Also: Additions were a zip on forward shade cover to use in port for full sun & rain coverage over the companionway, and zip on, split aft curtains and 1 set of zip on side curtains that we can move from side to side
I might be able to do this no straps and a single point deck anchor the way I think Butch did - solid piece to stanchion base.
Thanks very much. Salted this away for future ref.
These are really nice rigs. Bill - I love the simplicity of yours and the fact that it is tied in to the pulpit. Butch - How did you guys fare in this unholy windstorm that you just had, by the way ??
So, fellas … these things truly do not get in the way of the mainsheet (or anything else, for that matter) when one is sailing, right ???
I like your use of a solid piece to stanchion to hold bimini rather than straps (if I interpret picture correctly. And the sliding track. Without a push pit I’ll have to do some extra hardware install to fold back - but I like the idea. Previous boat it folded fwd and not too much of a pain but N22 might be diff. Thanks very much. BTW: Second image did not come thru, image005.jpg. Or maybe it’s a dot - 350 Bytes it says.
Mine did not get in the way of the main sheet. Notice the main support for mine was forward.
Regarding the windstorm, I took down Bimini and dodger and fared well. Winds hit with 70 mph gusts. I could not get anyone to go sailing with me. Although I sailed a week ago with boiling white caps on the Patuxent River. First time out since I broke my leg. It felt good. It also was the 1st time using 2nd reef and the boat sailed wonderfully. Before that, I was just dating that boat, now I am in love with it.
Butch,
Thanks for posting that photo of the bimini. How in the world did you get into the boat with that setup? We are considering adding a bimini and cockpit access is a major factor in this decision.
Tim in STL
White O’morn NS26U #216
Harbor Point Yacht Club
West Alton, MO
I previously had a dodger, an all-encloser and a small adjustable bimini but the latter was too small.
Last fall, I finally accepted to get rid of my dodger and had a new bimini made, similar to Bill’s beautiful bimini. It leaves an open space at the forward end of the cockpit and the headroom under the aft half is close to 6’. It also has a single point anchor at the deck level but much forward. This means a more limited access to the side deck when boarding or to get around it, compared to Bill’s bimini. The forward cover over the companionway has a large window. I do not have curtains and this is a great idea when the sun is low. The extra bow on the aft end of Bill’s bimini to let the mainsheet slide is also a great idea. I have plans for a similar protection. This installation was late in the season and I did not have a chance sailing with the new bimini.
I also had a new all-encloser made. On a cold day last fall, I motored a few miles on the lake with the full-encloser and It was wonderful.
This is another example for a bimini (see attached pics) but I do not know if constraints will appear when sailing.
I thought that was a great question and started to wonder myself about that. It was the angle of the picture that is deceiving. I’ve attached another but can’t find a better one. It was not an issue and in fact not enough to have ever questioned it before. I had a lot of guest aboard Whiskers but never had an issue. While we’re at itm I previously did not mention the horizontal bar on the framing. There is a tube (hard to see) with locking push pin that slides one way or the other to expose the hinge arrangement that allows the frame to collapse. This can be seen to the extreme left of the picture. Again, there was absolutely no problem getting in and out of the boat.
Or you could have 2 point deck attachment, with similar aft slanting main bow as mine, and an intersecting brace going aft from that. Just not to the pushpit, but down to the deck. Have fun noodling this.
Geeez… I forgot/didn’t know you broke your leg. How crappy. Good that it’s doing well and that you made it just fine through the storm. I, too, feel dumber than a box of rocks about the “pushpit” cuz I knew what it is but forgot.
At the bow, you have a pulpit, right ?? And, at the stern, all of that curved railing where the lifelines attach is called a “pushpit”. It is a ridiculous-sounding word and seems to suggest that doo-dad in the kitchen that’s used to get the stone out of the olive.
Take care - of course, you love your boat !!! (Who wouldn’t ??)
I vowed to learn something every single day. I was running out of time for today and you saved my butt with that “pushpit” explanation. Big time thanks!
Well Butch, my guess has always been: the framework up front is “pulling” the boat so a similar framework at back is “pushing” the boat. Hey, I’m right! Just duckduckgo 'd it (search engine that doesn’t bias your results based on previous searches)
