Cheap bimini for 9.2A

[bugbitten]

I really needed some shade for my 9.2A, as she came with neither bimini nor dodger. Given the space limitations due to the traveler, I wanted something cheap enough that I wouldn't be devastated if it didn't work out.

I found a 7/8th inch SS framed, six-foot bimini on ebay for $259, shipped. It's 84 inches wide and 46 inches high. I am about 5' 10" and can easily stand upright under it.

Here's the title of the one I bought: STAINLESS STEEL Bimini Top Boat Cover BLUE 79" - 84" W I don't see that size listed today, but if you email the guy, he'd probably get one for you.

Anyhow, I have it temporarily mounted using outdoor, double-sided tape on the pivots, ran the webbed straps forward to the hand holds, and replaced the rear tubes with bungies. It may be a bit far forward as it now sits, but it is really a big help in the shade department, particularly in keeping the sun from blazing down the companionway into the salon. Anyhow, no holes have yet been drilled, so I can relocate it if needed.

Should be finally sailing Karma from Deal Island to home, in Newport News, VA, next week. I'll let you know how the bimini works out under way.

Here's the ebay seller's store: http://stores.ebay.com/boataramadirect

The fabric is NOT Sunbrella, and won't last as well, but hey, now I've got a pattern!

John

 

[BobM]

...and the frame is stainless too.

 

[jmfriberg@aol.com]

i CALLED THEM AND THEY DID NOT HAVE STAINLESS STEEL ANY MORE. tHEY ARE OUT UNTIL fEBRUARY 2012

 

[bugbitten]

i CALLED THEM AND THEY DID NOT HAVE STAINLESS STEEL ANY MORE. tHEY ARE OUT UNTIL fEBRUARY 2012

Well, that'll give me more time to evaluate mine before you spend any money!

The stainless is not the best, which I guess is to be expected at the price. The boat sits on salt water here on on the James River, and there are small flecks of rust showing. I'll get some pics, and I'll also see how hard they are to remove.

I'm still fiddling with the placement of mine, hoping to widen the arc the winches can be swung and maybe improve access to the cockpit at the same time. I saw a picture of a 9.2A with the front and rear tubes mounted separately to the coaming, which looked pretty good. If I do that, though, I may have to remove the current center tube (which currently pivots from the aft tube) and try to replace it with one that runs fore to aft along the center of the bimini. Since I haven't seen anyone else do that, I suspect there's some obvious reason why that won't work, other than that it'll make folding more difficult.

The unit does provide lots of sun and rain protection, though, and I sure miss it when it's not up.

John

 

[BobM]

Barkeepers Friend works great on stainless.

 

[bugbitten]

Thanks, Bob. I do have some Barkeepers I'd used on the sinks. I'll try it on the bimini frame.

John

 

[Merlin Clark]

John,
In order to get a bimini to work on my boat I had to come up with a different method of supporting the front bow. On smaller boats it's tough to add a bimini and not have to crawl out from under it.
Thankfully, one of the Morgan Gurus (from a different forum) rescued me with the sage advice to use a horizontal support between the long bows and skip forward support legs or straps.
My bimini frame is off a ski boaa and the tube I'm using for the horizontal was to attach the bimini frame to the ski boat's winshield.
Clearance between the frame and winches on mine is tight as you can see but there is enough room to get a sheet off quickly and plenty for a winch handle just not 360 degrees. The yellow velcro bands were impulse buyer items on the local WM checkout counter ($1 each) and hold the horizontals when I pull the pin and flip the bimini back.
A little bonus on my rig is the horizontal makes also serves as an arm rest.

 

[BobM]

Barkeepers

Thanks, Bob. I do have some Barkeepers I'd used on the sinks. I'll try it on the bimini frame.

John

I read about it on SBO. I did all my SS rails this spring and they stayed beautiful all season long. No polish.

 

[bugbitten]

I like that horizontal tube idea. I see you've got the aft traveler situation, too. Nice looking teak on your Morgan!

Ha! You must like that compliment! I just visited your info page and learned your "teak" is all artificial. Pretty boat.

John

John,
In order to get a bimini to work on my boat I had to come up with a different method of supporting the front bow. On smaller boats it's tough to add a bimini and not have to crawl out from under it.
Thankfully, one of the Morgan Gurus (from a different forum) rescued me with the sage advice to use a horizontal support between the long bows and skip forward support legs or straps.
My bimini frame is off a ski boaa and the tube I'm using for the horizontal was to attach the bimini frame to the ski boat's winshield.
Clearance between the frame and winches on mine is tight as you can see but there is enough room to get a sheet off quickly and plenty for a winch handle just not 360 degrees. The yellow velcro bands were impulse buyer items on the local WM checkout counter ($1 each) and hold the horizontals when I pull the pin and flip the bimini back.
A little bonus on my rig is the horizontal makes also serves as an arm rest.

 

[Merlin Clark]

I like that horizontal tube idea. I see you've got the aft traveler situation, too. Nice looking teak on your Morgan!

Ha! You must like that compliment! I just visited your info page and learned your "teak" is all artificial. Pretty boat.

John

Thanks John, it is kind of cool to "confess" about my plastic wood!
I couldn't justify (nor trust my skills) to dump over $700 for teak lumber to replace the old rotted stuff. Now, having made all my trim with common hobbyist power and hand tools, I'd trust my skills in shaping the wood but the PVC lumber is so easy to work with and bend that I would do it this way again. Plus, I finshed this in May and haven't spent 1 minute sanding and varnishing!
My traveler made messing with the outboard difficult and was in the way of mounting a bimini so I went with double mainsheets. I'm very happy with this change all around and haven't lost anything in mainsail control. I can sheet just as high and tight as before.
The first pic was after I installed the new mainsheet and the second is of it in use before the bimini.