I am in the process of building a hard top (fixed Bimini) with 400 watts of
solar panels and a fixed
dodger. I have the
solar panels and ordered pipe & fittings yesterday. I am building all
aluminum, 1/16 thick
bimini and probably 1/8 thick dodger. The
solar panels will be recessed and be part of the top (to reduce weight over full skin) to follow crown with awning track aircraft riveted on edges all around for full enclosure ability and beam strength. The dodger will have smoked
acrylic with the forward lens operable/removeable, awning track riveted on trailing edge. I will spray using Awlgrip. I have spent roughly one third on all required materials (except
solar panels) compared to replacing bimini and dodger in
canvas. I have lots of experience with both sheet metal and
fiberglass. With some help, I will fabricate bimini frame and top
panels in less than two days, dodger in about one day, not including design time, patterning or painting. I am choosing
aluminum for speed of fabrication and weight, I could not build that fast in
fiberglass. If I were to use fiberglass I would
core with honeycomb for strength, but the top would still need a frame and I would build molds.
Wood and glass would also take more time. I have previously threatened to post pic's!
Jim