Hard Bimini build

[Allied39]

Originally Posted by Discovery 15797

If you take 'green water' over the deck and it washes away a hard dodger...either the dodger was not properly secured...or you have way bigger things to worry about than damage to the deck.

I could not have put it better myself.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Discovery 15797

If you take 'green water' over the deck and it washes away a hard dodger...either the dodger was not properly secured...or you have way bigger things to worry about than damage to the deck.

Of course your opinion will be greatly influenced by where you sail. I note multi-hulls are very popular around the Florida/Caribbean but I wonder how popular they are on the West Coast of the US of A. (Certainly they are not popular in Australia).

When it comes to heavy weather sailing I listen to what the experts have to say. In a Yachting World article entitled "HEAVY WEATHER SAILING" the panel of experts advise.

On deck checklist

• Lifejacket and harness on
• Rig jackstays
• Clear deck of anything not well secured
• Blank all dorade vents, drop sprayhood, remove dodgers
• Reef deep and early
• Check all rig fittings are secure
• Lash down anchor, or remove and lash below, and secure anchor locker lid
• Make sure cockpit drains are working
• Check cockpit manual bilge pump is working
• Check liferaft lashings and taffrail safety kit are secure and operational
• Prepare any drag devices, sea anchor, drogue, warps etc
• Check cockpit lockers to make sure heavy items are secure, then lock lids

Read more at https://www.yachtingmonthly.com/sail...y9tK93psHKi.99

[Allied39]

X being an unknown quantity and " spurt" being a drip under pressure....I don't claim to be one and to be honest do not put much stock in "xspurts" from yachting magazines.

I read a lot about folks who were sailing the world in small craft in the 50's through 70's....because I am more akin to them than the modern "yachty"

Mind you, I am not, nor have I ever been, one much for rules,common sense always seemed to be my preferred guide.

Anyhow, I started this thread only to show folks a way , one of the many ways, I can do this job.....just to show it's not hard or insurmountable.

Not so much to debate how an undefined craft with an undefined dodger or bimini will behave in undefined conditions sailed with undefined tactics.

I think my first post stated that.

[coopec43]

Well Alan Lucas is an Xpert so I prefer taking his advice rather from "Label throwers"!.(But I accept your post " just shows "a" way to do it" and not how to do it

Alan Lucas looks at techniques for surviving sudden storm
"claimed that the windage of their dodgers caused their yachts to end-for-end whilst running off severe weather, all dodgers of all descriptions are best collapsed or removed".
Read more at Seamanship - handling heavy weather - MySailing.com.au

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Allied39

X
Anyhow, I started this thread only to show folks a way , one of the many ways, I can do this job.....just to show it's not hard or insurmountable.
.

Having a close look at what you are doing I am impressed!! If I was yachting where you are I would definitely have a hard dodger but cored and along the lines of Riada 11.

Since I'll be disappointed if my yacht does not cross the Indian Ocean I'll reluctantly go for a folding/canvas dodger.


Clive

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by coopec43

Well Alan Lucas is an Xpert so I prefer taking his advice rather from "Label throwers"!.(But I accept your post " just shows "a" way to do it" and not how to do it

Alan Lucas looks at techniques for surviving sudden storm
"claimed that the windage of their dodgers caused their yachts to end-for-end whilst running off severe weather, all dodgers of all descriptions are best collapsed or removed".
Read more at Seamanship - handling heavy weather - MySailing.com.au

You kinda shorted that quote. The full quote is a lot less definitive and based on anecdote.

According to two friends who claimed that the windage of their dodgers caused their yachts to end-for-end whilst running off severe weather, all dodgers of all descriptions are best collapsed or removed. Logically, this advice should be tempered by the fact that small vessels with a higher percentage of windage related to hull would be far more susceptible than large craft.

[Allied39]

So some fella that wants to sail his boat to India or some such thing commented that if he were playing with a toy boat in a pond like I am he would do the same as I am doing, only better. I am paraphrasing of course, but I understand the intent.

It's validation like that makes everything I do worth while. I don't like to over use a word.....but I feel SO VALIDATED. Thanks somefella!

Ok, off the couch and back to reality.

Have put a layer of fairing on the top of the bimini. I also installed the drains. The drains I knocked up by wrapping a piece of pvc with some biax. When kicked off I put them in the lathe and turned them down to the diameter that fits nicely a pvc adapter fitting to a standard hose fitting.

I also found the adapter fitting long for what it needs to do, so shortened it in the lathe as well'

The pics show the fittings that I adjusted and the drains installed from two angles.

The next moves forward are fairing to a basic level and then priming with Awlgrip 545 primer. More on that when it's done.

PS; sorry, the pics are all angles because I cant find a way to rotate it correctly. looks like one is actually upside down. Doh.

[olaf hart]

An impressive job, looking forward to the finished product.

A question, did you consider putting the door ply over the top of the frame and making a smooth top?

I can see how putting it under the frame makes ridges that reinforce the top, but wonder if you had any other reasons for doing it this way.

[Allied39]

Originally Posted by olaf hart

An impressive job, looking forward to the finished product.

A question, did you consider putting the door ply over the top of the frame and making a smooth top?

I can see how putting it under the frame makes ridges that reinforce the top, but wonder if you had any other reasons for doing it this way.

Putting it under the frame gives the extra rigidity but primarily it's there to guide the water to the sides. I have a drip edge both fore and aft but don't know how I will finish those edges on the underside yet.

It would have looked better over the top but I am hoping to achieve multiple goals, and it;s not always easy to get everything dead right first go.

I am happy that it looks like I can get a long offshore run with the bimini before I paint so I can adjust or change if I see the need.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Allied39

It would have looked better over the top but I am hoping to achieve multiple goals, and it;s not always easy to get everything dead right first go.

OMG! I like your philosophy! ��
"not always easy to get everything dead right first go". Are you sure you've installed it right way up!!!.

(I hope you have a sense of humor and do not take offense at me having a laugh at your expense)

[Allied39]

So the following pics show the underside of the bimini.

First one shows basically popped from the mold and scrubbed to remove any amine blush. You can see the lines created by packing tape that I put over the mold for ease of stripping.

Next shows run over with a 80 grit on a 4 inch random orbital

Next shows it coated with a layer of fairing mix. System three with micro balloons and thickened with coloidal silica

Last is the coated underside after sanding again.

At this point I may do a spot patch on anything minor missed and then prime with 545 primer.

[Allied39]

This has become annoying. Done.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Allied39

This has become annoying. Done.

I recommend you start a blog or a Facebook page to show your projects. You have control over what people comment while this forum has become a free for all many years ago. I did the same and it returned the pleasure of documenting my work again

[Tornadosailing]

Nice job Allied. I'm planning on tackling my first fiberglass fabrication job this summer and really enjoy looking at well done projects like this.

[BigNut]

Dear Allied39.

This is a great service and interesting project you have been kind enough to share. There are many folks like me who take great joy in following along, and expanding our dreams.

It’s the ones without dreams of their own, with only aspirations, but no commitment to the labour of following a dream, the small ones, that try to tackle others down to their pathetic level.

Please continue to post. Place your picture whichever way you like.

Ignore the trolls. Please. Many others are caught up in your wonderful project.

Don’t let the “s”uckers who cannot pronounce the letter “f” correctly wear you down.