Need some shade for my family!

[dtorrey]

Hey folks, I've got a 1976 C&C 29 MK II that I sail with my family out of Belmont Harbor in Chicago (http://goo.gl/maps/L7se). I am looking to get either a bimini or a dodger without spending a fortune. This is mainly for when we're chilling out on the doc, but would also be great on the water. Two questions:

1) Would you recommend Bimini, Dodger, both or other?

2) Where would you acquire, off-the-shelf or custom made?

Many thanks in advance for any assistance,

dst
Interloper

 

[Warren Milberg]

My first choice would clearly be a bimini which is really great while sailing under the summer sun or sitting at the dock. I would not cut corners: get a good quality Sunbrella product and stainless frames/bows. My guess is that this site can make one for you at a fair price. If not, try a local loft or canvas shop in your area.

 

[pfaffk]

My First choice would also be a Bimini. I have a Hunter 290 with the arch, so I can have the Bimini up while sailing and not bake in the sun all day. I also had a Dodger installed after several long trip in cold windy rainy days. It allows us to keep the sliding hatch open but keep the wind and rain out. Noting is worse than steering for several hours with a cold wind in you face.

 

[Ted]

Need some shade for my family

Before you move forward with any decision, make sure you know what boat you actually purchased. A 1976 C&C 29 is a mk I not a mkII. C&C 29's built after 1983 are the mkII versions. They are entirely different boats. You don't want to give bad information to the people who may be fabricating your bimini or dodger.

 

[dtorrey]

Before you move forward with any decision, make sure you know what boat you actually purchased. A 1976 C&C 29 is a mk I not a mkII. C&C 29's built after 1983 are the mkII versions. They are entirely different boats. You don't want to give bad information to the people who may be fabricating your bimini or dodger.

Thanks Ted. Now that I know what boat I own (doh!), what would you suggest? dst

 

[Ted]

Need some shade for my family

I have a C&C 29 mkII but don't have either a dodger or bimini. A dodger won't give your family much shade and is better at keeping them dry while driving into steep chop. I can't imagine a bimini on a mkII. I think the boom is too low to use one while you are sailing. If you are looking for shade after dousing the main, there are some cockpit tents/awnings that may suit your needs. Here's a link to a photo of a 29 mkII with a bimini. It doesn't look like it would provide much shade.

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...back=boatDetail.jsp&boat_id=2436192&noOfPic=5

 

[SVCarolena]

If you are looking for something inexpensive just for the dock, then I would suggest something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Coolaroo-Party-Sail-Feet-Triangle/dp/B00286MR7S/ref=pd_sim_sbs_lg_4




We tested a cheap tarp made of similar material from Harbor Freight last year and were very happy with it. So, this season we bought a 10 foot triangle for the foredeck and a 10 foot sqare to cover from the mast to the bimini (30 foot boat). We went with blue to match the colors on our boat. They work great. I intstalled a few extra gromets for tying them down. The only downside is that at least on our boat we can't use them when the sails are up. The primary advantage over a regular tarp is that these allow for air to circulate. Since you don't have a bimini, you could either use the 10 foot just for the cockpit, or something a bit larger. Of course, you can't sail with it, but we have left ours up when motoring on really hot/sunny days. If you want something for sailing, then you are looking at a bimini, probably custom. As others have noted, a dodger isn't really for shade, more wind and rain protection. That said, once you have both, many people will also get a piece that zips between the bimini and dodger for full rain/sun protection of the entire cockpit, but now you are talking a lot of money and/or work.