I am looking for a used bimini or other shade device for a Catalina 30. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions on where to get something that will keep me from frying in the sun?
need shade for cockpit on Catalina 30
- Thread starter newboatowner
- Start date
- Status
The cheapest way to get some shade is to rig a shade cloth or boom tent over the boom running the length of it which creates great shade, but can obviously only be used at dock or anchor. The cheapest material is a plastic tarp, but their noisy as hell when the wind blows & flaps 'em around. It can be secured to the shrouds & back stay with cords tied off at the corners, or to stanchions. I would not bother buying a used bimini, cause its probably already worn out by the time somebody's unloading it for spare parts. W. Marine does sell a cheaper bimini starting at around $300 or so, but the tubing is only aluminum not stainless st. & will not last as long. A good quality bimini can set U back a grand or more and up. Good luck, & wear lots o' sun screen till U get one!
We have and use a beach umbrella and it was critical to the success of a cruise we made up the Petaluma River a few years ago - 96 degrees and rising! Hot, windless, calm and motoring. Only thing is it doesn't work when you're sailing. 
The OP could look for a used bimini and replace just the fabric if the frame is still good.
The OP could look for a used bimini and replace just the fabric if the frame is still good.
Hi,
I bought from GMI top design my bimini for my other boat.
http://anp.ca/
You just have to mesure from one side to the other where you want to install the base, height available...
You can get it S.S. construction and S.S hardware. It is made with Sunbrella.
I was very pleased with it. And you can sail under a shade, priceless.
Patrice
I bought from GMI top design my bimini for my other boat.
http://anp.ca/
You just have to mesure from one side to the other where you want to install the base, height available...
You can get it S.S. construction and S.S hardware. It is made with Sunbrella.
I was very pleased with it. And you can sail under a shade, priceless.
Patrice
That is a great deal.
I bought a s/s frame off of CL and had the canvas done locally. I just priced a bimini with s/s hardware from your link and it was cheaper than what I did!
I just spoke with ANP and they seem very accomodating. I will be measuring the boat and get a price. Do you think that this will work on a Catalina 30?
The umbrella seems to work better than I ever thought it would, because it is adjustable to where the sun is at any point in time. A cheap solution is a painter's drop cloth. Purchase a gromet tool to make locations for tie lines and make up some PVC pipe supports for spreaders. Upgrade the approach to sunbrella fabric if funding is available. We have one that ties to the split backstay as a rear spreader and uses a pipe as the front spreader. The center is held up by the topping lift so there is no undue droop. Good luck - shade is cooler. Pat
- Dec 30, 2009
- 680
taylor made "anchor shade II
This is a taylor made Anchor shade II, Its pretty large, has straps on all 4 corners, an adjustable pole for center, bungee to pedastal. Mine I bought about 2 years ago, around $150, saved our asses in a heat wave in Chessy 2 years ago. I got a Bimini last year and like the folks here said, $$$$ cost me $1500. I used anchor shade for rain sun its pretty well made, I used under sail also as my boom is high, and very large cockpit. Only extreme windy cond are bad for it.... Red
This is a taylor made Anchor shade II, Its pretty large, has straps on all 4 corners, an adjustable pole for center, bungee to pedastal. Mine I bought about 2 years ago, around $150, saved our asses in a heat wave in Chessy 2 years ago. I got a Bimini last year and like the folks here said, $$$$ cost me $1500. I used anchor shade for rain sun its pretty well made, I used under sail also as my boom is high, and very large cockpit. Only extreme windy cond are bad for it.... Red
Attachments
We use a 3m x 3m shade cloth over the boom then tied off to the Bimini and shrouds
Bu I've been looking at this product from Ronstan for about $350,
its a boom tent with inflatable support
http://www.ronstan.com/marine/story.asp?story=2042
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETO4lXHzDqg
Bu I've been looking at this product from Ronstan for about $350,
its a boom tent with inflatable support
http://www.ronstan.com/marine/story.asp?story=2042
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETO4lXHzDqg
Hi,
I don't see why it would not work on your boat.
They have multiple size available.
We had it on our previous C25.
For about $350.oo, that it costed me at the time, we were very pleased with it. And it did a very good job.
Me too, did not feel comfortable spending over 1000$ for this.
Make shure you take the proper dimensions, and re-mesure twice.
Go to home depo and get a roll of 70percent shade cloth for 55 dollars, they are 50 feet ,I cut a 20' piece off it and I can put it on either side or over the top, it covers most of the boat keeping it all in the shade, when not needed it rolls up real small
We bought a heavy duty natural canvas tarp at home depot installed grommets, got some black rubber bungees and it looks great and works even better. We are now adding removable Velcro attached side panels for sun shift. Work great, easy up, easy down!
Boom tent are great at anchor, but there is still sun while sailing.
This is the beauty of a bimini, can sail under shade. No sunburn everytime sailling
This is the beauty of a bimini, can sail under shade. No sunburn everytime sailling
do you have a dodger? our dodger and bimini - i suggest both for sailing on dhe dead sea here - are the best thing we have ever spent money on. before you spend one penny check with doyle/ploch across the water from you on city island. don't assme doing it yourself is the best route until you ask prices. and if you see gatsby at louis' say hi for me.
Biminis are a lot more useful then dodgers, especially in hot weather as the dodger just blocks airflow down into the cabin a lot. A bimini can be used all of the time to block harmful sun rays. Dodgers can cost even more then a bimini, & when on a budget you will get a lot more bang for your buck with the bimini. They are also a lot easier to make or modify a generic type bimini then a dodger, which is usually a custom item. Get or make the biggest bimini U can afford. But its more important to use quality fabric such as Sunbrella which can withstand UV rays, then to bother with stainless steel tubing over aluminum. The aluminum type frames can last for many years if taken care of. But cheap fabric, well U get what U pay for!
huh, i don't where the sun is in your area but i assure you that a bimini without a dodger on western long island sound is like cold beer poured into a hot glass - just about useless while sailing.
How does a dodger help with ventilation on a hot day? I totally blocks airflow into the cabin, making an already hot space that much more unbearable. A dodger also offers no shade to the helmsman when underway at the aft end of the boat. The dodger also blocks visibility & makes adjusting the mainsheet difficult, & is more problematic to get around when going forward underway. We have had several dodgers, & unless it is raining, I always remove them. They are usually more of a problem then an asset.
- Status