1987 Hunter 23 Bimini

[Paladin27]

I want to get a bimini for this season on my 1987 Hunter 23. Does anybody have any particular recommendations? I'd love to see any photos and where you got it. I know the back stay and low boom limits the bimini's placement and size. I did put a boom kicker on last fall though so hoping that will help a little. Not sure if location will matter, but we sail in Lake Michigan. Thanks for any advice you guys can provide!

 

[Kermit]

Hey Paladin! I have a bimini for my 1986 Hunter 23 but have never used it. I'll do my best to see how it works as soon as I can and then let you know. Hopefully someone here will have advice for both of us.

The real reason I replied to your post is to tell you how much I enjoyed looking at the album on your profile page. Fantastic photographs! And what I *really* want to know is how on earth you got the pictures that appear to have been taken from forward of the bow under sail. You obviously have a fisheye lens, but dang, I don't know that I'd hang out that far. Please, let us know how you did it!

Thanks!
Kermit
p.s. Are you by chance a Furman Paladin?

 

[Paladin27]

Interested in selling it?

Lol, I have a Nikon D300 and used a Nikon 10.5 Fisheye lens. I wasn't really hanging off the bow, the 10.5mm has a 180 degree viewing angle so it really works well for photography on a boat!

If your interested, here's ALL the photos and videos I've taken since buying the boat in August and wrapping it for winter in October. Can't wait for a longer season this year!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paladin27/sets/72157624534059591

Had to google Furman Paladin, afraid not.

 

[C Jones]

Nice boat and pictures. Pictures of my bimini folded up on my h23 in my profile. I had to relocate my main sheet boom block forward about 4" to sail with it up. It makes day sailing in this Texas heat possible for the Admiral. I purchased mine from this site. Good luck, Charles

 

[Paladin27]

Charles, that's exactly what I was looking for. I don't suppose you have a photo anywhere with it open and someone under it? I know I won't be able to stand up of course, but how tight is it under there? Which color is yours, Navy Blue? My Hunter has lighter blue covers like your tiller cover, I was thinking of getting the bimini in that color rather than the original darker Hunter blue.

You said you had to relocate your boom block, is that because it wasn't stock? I thought the one for sale on this site was pre-fit for a standard Hunter 23?

 

[Bill Jones]

You can buy a bimini for your H23 from Ameriseam for I believe $318. Comes with everything needed for installatioin. Excellent workmanship.

 

[Paladin27]

@Bill, there aren't any pictures on their website of it on a Hunter 23. Anybody have a photo of an Ameriseam on a Hunter 23? I am highly interested in any detailed photos that show exact installation points, quality of the bimini's hardware, and clearances of boom/stay in both folded and unfolded positions.

 

[Kermit]

Again, really cool pictures, Paladin. I have the same lens but have not used in on my boat. And it wouldn't have occurred to me to shoot from the bow pulpit. If the camera and I fall in, I'll be sure to blame you!

I have an idea for photographing my own boat under sail with me on it. Set the camera on the shore with a wireless shutter release. Then photograph the boat as we sail by. The other option is to set the camera to shoot at either 30 second or 1 minute intervals. Wife isn't thrilled about leaving the camera on shore unattended but I think there is little-to-no risk of theft at Wateree Lake.

Kermit

 

[Bill Jones]

You might find photos in the owner modification pages. You tell Ameriseam the year and model number and they send everything you need. As far as location, that's up to you. You can have it as far forward as you wish. Get another set of hands, and after putting the frame together, put it on the boat to get some idea of placement, then mark and drilll accordingly.

 

[Paladin27]

@Kermit, you probably don't even need a remote shutter, just set the camera to interval (or use an interval release) and have it fire every 30 seconds or something, even if you have 1,000 photos after a couple hours, you'll be sure to get a good one and not have to worry about wireless reception.

Last season I got lucky and a photographer was out at the end of the pier going into Lake Michigan and he even had his website printed on a banner, so I purchased some photos of us sailing in and out from him.

For this season... I'm planning on doing some KAP photography while we are sailing. I found instructions to build a picavet suspension bracket and my buddy has a good large stable kite.

Something like this....

Rig #3 in use by Ron's KAP, on Flickr

IF all goes well, I'd like to get photos and then also run up an HD cam for some video while under sail.

LOL, also I am not responsible for lost or damaged photography gear on your boat, but hey, you will never get the great photos while your equipment is packed in the bag at home. ;-)

 

[Paladin27]

Thanks Bill! I've looked through a bunch of the Hunter 23 galleries and have spotted several different bimini's, unfortunately, most don't list their brand name, so not sure which is which, I've noticed a couple different bimini strut designs on the Hunter 23's and I want to get one that lets me mount it while modifying the boat as little as possible.

It looks like Ameriseam and sailboatowners.com are the two best sources, I wish I could get some side by side comparison photos of both biminis. But I will keep researching, I want to get one bought before the end of Feb.

You might find photos in the owner modification pages. You tell Ameriseam the year and model number and they send everything you need. As far as location, that's up to you. You can have it as far forward as you wish. Get another set of hands, and after putting the frame together, put it on the boat to get some idea of placement, then mark and drilll accordingly.

 

[Kermit]

Can't wait to show this to my wife. I'm sure she'll be whelmed (whelmed - adj. neither overwhelmed nor underwhelmed) at this idea. ;-)
Kermit

 

[C Jones]

Paladin, Sorry no pictures of it in the up position. I'll take one first time I put it up.
It is tight underneath. I have it positioned as high as possible, it only clears the boom by 1". No window, so I can't see my windex. Makes it difficult to go forward and difficult for you to board with it up.
I located it as far aft as possible. It touches the back stay.
No problems adjusting our backstay with it touching
Don't worry about the installation.
You simply assemble the complete frame and sit it on your boat
Position it where you want it, mark the bases for drilling
Dissasemble, mount the bases, put the bimini cover on the frame and reassemble
Then you will see how much you need to move your mainsheet boom block forward.
Mine just clears about an 1". The mainsheet does not touch the bimini cover when you come about.
The Texas spiders love to hide in the cover when its in the up position
With all of its disadvantages We can sail in our 100deg.+ Texas heat and my crew (The Admiral) is happy.
Never forget this, Happy crew= happy sailing.
Mine is Navy Blue. Thats the color I wanted so I never looked to see if it was offered in any other color.
It is prefit for the h23.
The directions that come with the bimini clearly state it was not meant to sail with it in the UP position.
The advertisement does not state this fact. My boom block was in the stock, original position.
I have noticed no difference in sailing characteristics with it moved forward to clear the bimini.
We purchased the aluminum frame model as we are in fresh water.
Its of a very good quaility compared to other bimini's I have seen at our marina
Hope this helps,Goodluck and keep us informed, Charles

 

[Paladin27]

Thanks Charles, that's exactly the detailed info I was looking for. I do wish you had a photo with it opened, but I'll just have to cross fingers that it works out. I really would like to be able to sail with it open, at least occasionally on those slow hot days in August. As you said... it would make the "crew" much happier.

What would be really great is if it telescoped up and down so I could sail with it in a lowered position and then move the boom out and raise it for swimming and eating lunch on the water. Maybe I just need a bigger boat.

 

[C Jones]

Paladin, Getting in the boat off the swim ladder is no problem with it open or closed. It really helps as you have something else to hold to. We just duck under it. Charles

 

[dooley1]

Bimini tips

I can't speak for the Hunter's, but I got a new custom-made bimini on my Pearson 323 last year. I hoped to use the old stainless frame which had two bows. But I told the guy that I did not want it to sag in the middle and collect water and that if he wanted to replace the frame, then do it. Well, he just slapped on a new bimini and it sagged and collected water. He also used PLASTIC clips on the straps and the first time I yanked on them to tighten they blew apart. Needless to say I didn't pay this guy and he came and took the bimini away and we parted ways.

Then I did some real homework and found a highly recommended canvas shop in Annapolis. He looked at it and said that you definitely want three bows to support that area. So he made an entirely new frame. I'm almost 6' 4", so he made it at about 6' 7" so that my head was not scraping on the canvas. I also asked for a plastic window just above the helm so that I could see the windex. He surrounded it with velcro with a removable piece of canvas. He also supplied brass hooks and adjustable clips which were very heavy duty. Awesome job - - but obviously you need to find a local shop. It may cost you a few $ more, but get something custom made to fit you and your boat.

 

[Paladin27]

For anyone interested, I went ahead and purchased the bimini from this website (sailboatowners.com). I'll post pictures when we receive it and with it mounted, both closed AND open for anyone who would like reference photos in the future. ;-) Thanks for all the input everybody!

 

[C Jones]

Good choice, did you order the Pacific blue color? Looking forward to the pics.

 

[Paladin27]

I did order the pacific blue. I will be sure to post many pix! Says on the site it will take up to 21 days to come and then gotta install it, so probably won't be till April, but I'll followup.

 

[C Jones]

Looking forward to see the pics. I think mine arrived in half the time they said it would.
I was going to put it up for pictures this last weekend but our water is still off at the marina. I didn't want a dirty boat picture so I'll try again this weekend.