Roller Furling or Bimini

[Brian D]

My boat has neither. It used to have roller furling but that was way before I purchased her. I really would like to put it back on. On the other hand, it would be nice to have a bimini to keep the helm out of the direct sunlight (given the point of sail and time of day). Both have advantages. But both are expensive.

I have been weighting the pros and cons of both. i.e.

Roller furling means I do not have to exit the cockpit to stow the headsail.
Can adjust for limited reefing from the cockpit (no capability now to do this)
Makes me look like the rest of the boat at the dock (LOL)

Bimini means I can sit at the dock in the shade and waste a cold one.
Keeps me out of the sun when out and about (given point of sail and time of day)
Can mount light-weight solar panels on top to get them out of the way.

So, if your boat was without roller furling and bimini, which would you go for if you could only have one? Both are expensive and my boat is worth less than $10K, so for both, we are looking at over 20% the cost.

Thoughts?

 

[HukilauMike]

Roller furling, no doubt. It's primary purpose is to sail, so I'd go for the upgrade that benefits that purpose. You could probably spring for a hat too.

 

[woodster]

if you were in the sunny south on the gulf it would be the bimini first and the roller second hands down but scene you are in California it might be better to do roller first or mortgage the farm and do both if you are a supply Sargent you should be able to get both and stay a free man lol

 

[DHaranSailor]

My vote goes fully to the roller furling system. I'm with Mike on the meant to sail comment. Add in the additional safety factor of the system when in bad weather and I think it is a no brainer. Also, I have a bias against bimini's and don't every really like how they change the flow of the cockpit.

 

[Richard19068]

I'd go with the furler. For sitting at the dock I'd try to rig up a temporary cloth (no blue tarps please) shade structure you could take down while you were sailing. I dislike sailing with a Bimini anyway and here in So Cal a good hat and long sleeve shirt keeps the sun off. I'm rarely too hot while actually sailing.

 

[Meriachee]

Furler. If need be at the dock, and considering cost/benefit, a good golf umbrella (which are larger than a regular one) will suffice for the time being, could be clipped to the rail and stored easily.
We have a bimini, and we use it all the time, having had sunstroke, and the resulting upchucking, it's a well used device on our boat.

 

[dscribner]

Roller furler and mention to the salesman that you could use a hat with the company logo. Two birds, one stone.

 

[ALNims]

I would go for both. Protection from the sun is important considering all the skin cancers around. Safe operation of your primary propulsion is also important. I wouldn't worry too much about the cost of your boat vs the investment of the sail and Bimini. Most of the boat hulls are good for decades if maintained properly so why not make the boat meet all your requirements so you can enjoy it more.

 

[Blitz]

Remember, if your current headsail is hanked on you are going to either need to do some major modifications or will need a new sail. I think you should still go for the furling though.

 

[Biobob Catalina 27]

I do agree with the reefer, but to make a suggestion of both, recommend looking at northstarproductsinc.com I took the 7.5ft version for my Catalina 27 and am totally pleased. Very good quality and best prices I found.
Bob

 

[Kermit]

I have both. Our H23 had both but the bimini was very low and made moving about difficult. Our H260 has a GREAT Bimini. I came close to heat stroke at the dock Saturday afternoon after stowing the Bimini. If I really, really, really could only have one or the other, I'd opt for the Bimini. And I love, love, love the furler. OMG I feel like Sophie making her choice.

p.s. I tried to uncapitalize bimini but autocorrect kept doing its thing. Except not this time.

 

[JerryA]

Roller Furler for me

Mine was the same a month ago. No furler and no bimini. I went for the furler. I figured I could come up with a boom tent or such for the dock. Went with a ProFurl 290 on my 29 footer. Like it so far. A bimini is in my plan, but probably next year.

JerryA

 

[shemandr]

Both are expensive and my boat is worth less than $10K, so for both, we are looking at over 20% the cost. Thoughts?

I need the shade. 10k, 20k, it doesn't matter. I've had a Melanoma and other skin cancers. After 40 years of sailing, I just don't like direct sunlight. When I race, it's a hat, shades, sunblock, and UV resistant clothes. After the finish, I'm putting up the dodger, bimini and whatever else I can for the ride home.
My dermatologist sails and she chides me, while freezing this or that off my skin, to avoid the sun. She motivates me to keep out of the sun. I want to be in the shade.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Furler.

We rarely have need of a bimini here, 'cuz the sunlight is welcome. The water's 57 degrees year round. We take adequate precautions. I see folks with biminis here sail in the summer in bloody ski out fits! We're in shorts and maybe a sweater.

Brian, what we did was get a cheap outdoor umbrella from WalMart and we bungee/velcro it to the binnacle, dodger, stanchions, etc., depending on where we need the shade.

I recall Lin & Larry Pardey's suggestions many years ago: instead of a fixed bimini which can only be in one place, they rigged a 4x3 foot shade of canvas that they moved around. That gave us the umbrella idea.

If I lived on the East Coast, I'd give you a different answer no doubt.

You can put solar on the pushpit, ala Maine Sail.

 

[Brian D]

I see the majority going for the furler. Nice. Stu, the solar is already on the "pit". I do like the umbrella idea for in port.

 

[Kestle]

I sail out of Cabrillo in San Pedro. What time of the day do you tend to sail? I hate the am sun. That said, I did furler first.

If you need a good canvas guy for a stayed off-boom tent (arch, non rigid), let me know. I'm about to have mine make one for me.

Jeff

 

[wflowe2]

No question. Definitely roller furling!!! Then a hat and sunscreen.

 

[Warren Milberg]

I sold the best sailing boat I've ever owned - an Alberg Sea Sprite - because the long low aspect ratio boom would not allow the installation of bimini. A lot depends on how you feel about being in the direct sunlight for a long time. As I got older, I would feel totally trashed after a full day sailing. When I finally got a boat with a bimini (H28.5), I was amazed at what a delightful difference it made to enhance my sailing pleasure. As it turns out, the boat also had roller furling, which I also love. I agree with a number of posters that both of these enhancements are important and both will really increase your love of sailing your boat. Find a way to do both.

 

[jwing]

All my sailing has been in eastern USA, Bahamas, and Caribbean, so I may have a different basis for my opinion. That said, I would opt for a bimini, for personal protection and comfort. For the jib, I have installed a simple jib downhaul on my boat. I don't have to leave the cockpit to lower the foresail. It works great. Here's a potentially better system than mine:

http://www.widgetsailor.com/myboat/downhaul/index.html

I haven't felt the need for the added complexity, so I haven't tried it out yet.

 

[Bad Obsession]

I would vote for the bimini. Convenience of a roller furler versus cancer from sun damage. You can always use some spare material and make a jib bag.

Why not sew your own dodger with a sailrite kit and then do a CDI furler?