Bimini top edge flap?

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Ed Schenck

Ed Schenck

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Hey Dave, you're the reason the instructions are now five bucks! When I made mine you had to buy the kit to get the instructions. Worth every penny though.

I have the same problem Mookie, wear from the boom if I am not careful with the topping lift. No problem when the main is full. I did have the bimini repaired after a storm in Florida. He did what you suggest, sewed naugahyde over the front bow.
 
Hermit Scott

Hermit Scott

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Sep 25, 2008
2,288
C30 Event Horizon Port Aransas
I think it was Stu who recommended to me to tie a knot in the topping lift so the boom will never contact the bimini. Now that I have a nice bimini I will do that.
Mookie-cat O nine tails storage in the bimini is a great idea. Keeps it quickly accessible.

This is what I have so far. I centered the middle seam and it just so happen to turn out that there is a 1" blue border around the whole thing. It looks like I meant to do it, but it was pure luck. What's laying on the couch is all I have left of 60" wide 10 yards. Those will be center bow pockets if I install them. Headed for the zippers now. I guess I will do two zippers per bow unless they are expensive. The stripes are really growing on me. I think it will look good.
I think Arnold the schnauzer approves as well.
 

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Ron20324

Ron20324

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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
On my front flap I made it about 5 inches wide and sewed zippers on it- across the width. I made an awning the same width, and can now make a nice rain/sun protected cockpit area. I can even sail with it up. ((Use two zippers, for all the widths. They are easier to replace when (not IF) a zipper breaks.))

I was at the Annapolis Sailrite today, and it is the last day of business before closing up the store. The moving truck comes tomorrow. A couple years ago I was telling the manager, Dan, how I made my bimini and dodger. I placed a pocket big enough for the chart book over-top of the help. Finding it also fit throwable cushions, I added two more pockets for the throwables. Dan said, "like a pizza oven?", and I said yes, and that is what he refers to in some of the Sailrite discussions. Point is, in everything you make, try to make it dual-duty.
 
Hermit Scott

Hermit Scott

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Sep 25, 2008
2,288
C30 Event Horizon Port Aransas
Ron20324 said:
On my front flap I made it about 5 inches wide and sewed zippers on it- across the width. I made an awning the same width, and can now make a nice rain/sun protected cockpit area. I can even sail with it up. ((Use two zippers, for all the widths. They are easier to replace when (not IF) a zipper breaks.))

I was at the Annapolis Sailrite today, and it is the last day of business before closing up the store. The moving truck comes tomorrow. A couple years ago I was telling the manager, Dan, how I made my bimini and dodger. I placed a pocket big enough for the chart book over-top of the help. Finding it also fit throwable cushions, I added two more pockets for the throwables. Dan said, "like a pizza oven?", and I said yes, and that is what he refers to in some of the Sailrite discussions. Point is, in everything you make, try to make it dual-duty.
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I definitely want a front dodger type curtain that attaches to the roof with strataglass in it. I bought the zippers for all the pockets.
So the zippers don't last as long as the sunbrella huh?
Why is strataglass a million dollars a sheet but clear vinyl is very cheap? Is there an alternative to strataglass that is good?
 
jibes138

jibes138

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Jan 27, 2008
3,092
ODay 35 Beaufort, NC
Now hold on there

Hey Dave, you're the reason the instructions are now five bucks! When I made mine you had to buy the kit to get the instructions. Worth every penny though.
So the whole sailing world now blames me for this? I think I did buy a kit from Sailrite, or at the least I bought all the materials from them, the frames, fabric, thread, and zippers. I do recall that they had on their old web site all kinds of instructions for free, seems like a good business decision because the people would then buy the materials. Now all that kind of stuff comes with a price tag, very unfortunate. I did save all my instruction pages for various sails and other projects. They are a great company with excellent customer service, really good people to deal with.
Click to expand
Click to expand
 
Bill Roosa

Bill Roosa

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Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
The zippers last quite a long time. My 1993 zippers are still in reasonable shape with a few missing zipper tangs and some fraying at the ends. the vinyl has a UV protectant layer on it (both sides) and is much to be prefered once you try and look through one that has been yellowed/dulled from exposure.
 
Ron20324

Ron20324

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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
It's the mis-haps that pull teeth out of the zippers, not necessarily UV and weather. As long as I can still manage to zip them, they'll serve me sufficiently.
 
Hermit Scott

Hermit Scott

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Sep 25, 2008
2,288
C30 Event Horizon Port Aransas
I put the bimini on today. What a pleasure with those zippers. I brought my machine so I am going to sew the center pockets in as well. I only put one line of stitch on the zippers so they will come out easy when/if I need to replace them.
My car blew a ring or valve or something, time for a new one. Left us stranded for 6 hours waiting for my friend to rescue us. Would have been a lot less but he drove down the wrong highway for 2 hours. I was like "really?".
I'll get it done tomorrow and snap a pic.
 
Ron20324

Ron20324

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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
Hermit Scott said:
I only put one line of stitch on the zippers so they will come out easy when/if I need to replace them.
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If you only do one row of stitches, you will be re-sewing sooner than you think. I re-sewed my neighbor's bimini. Every seam that blew out was only single-stitched. One row just can not handle zipper's tension.
 
Hermit Scott

Hermit Scott

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Sep 25, 2008
2,288
C30 Event Horizon Port Aransas
Ron20324 said:
If you only do one row of stitches, you will be re-sewing sooner than you think. I re-sewed my neighbor's bimini. Every seam that blew out was only single-stitched. One row just can not handle zipper's tension.
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I never got around to setting up the machine. I brought the bimini back to finish it here. I will put another row of stitches in those zippers.
I got back and my office was 100 degrees at 1am in doors. I walk outisde to look at the breakers and someone stole my office airconditioner condenser!
 
jibes138

jibes138

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Jan 27, 2008
3,092
ODay 35 Beaufort, NC
Should zippers be sewn with straight stiches or zig zag? The reason I ask is I always use straight stiches for zippers because of the zipper foot and two rows seems nice and strong. But zippers needing replacement cause a conundrum. Ripping out straight stitches is horrible compared to zig zag. What do the rest of you do?
 
Ed Schenck

Ed Schenck

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Scott, you are kidding! Six hours with a car breakdown and then someone steals your A/C?! You better stay at sea. Wish I could remember how I sewed my zippers. I know that I used zig zag when I repaired the dodger. Wonder what the Sailrite instructions for $5.00 suggest?
 
Hermit Scott

Hermit Scott

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Sep 25, 2008
2,288
C30 Event Horizon Port Aransas
Ed Schenck said:
Scott, you are kidding! Six hours with a car breakdown and then someone steals your A/C?! You better stay at sea. Wish I could remember how I sewed my zippers. I know that I used zig zag when I repaired the dodger. Wonder what the Sailrite instructions for $5.00 suggest?
Click to expand
I use a seam ripper to get the seam started coming apart, then I take a new razor blade and peal the seam apart while carefully slicing ever-so-gently at the threads. This is the fastest way I know to take apart a seam. It works on zig zag, straight or multiple hodgepodge stitching as well.
I have been having a trying time lately. It seems like a lot of things are going bad in the last 3 weeks. I cut a tendon in my finger, had to have that sewn back together 3 weeks ago. Bought a scuba tank to clean the boat, lost my mask trying to help a power boater find his boat pole. So I couldn't finish cleaning my keel. Car blew up. Air conditioner stolen. The night I got back I got food poisoning from a mexican restaurant I ate at while at the boat. Still feeling that today.
It's 93 in my office right now.lol
Even though all that went bad I don't feel unhappy. My business is fine, marriage is fine and there's enough money for beer. Plus I got a awesome sunburn from bedding my stancions (with MaineSail's butyl tape) all day in the sun on a boat that is paid for. So...life is good.
 
Joe23455

Joe23455

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Jan 22, 2008
112
Hunter 36_1980 Bass River, NJ
wow ! Glad to here you can still have a beer ! I'll have one for you !
Back to topic, I sew the zippers with (2) rows of straight stitch.
Life is good - we just have to find that spot to laugh
Joe
s/v Trinity
 
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