Fruits Of My Labor (A-113)

[ebb]

Flying biminis on sailing condos seem to be the rage these days.
Sept/Oct '08 Good Old Bateau has a guy talking about his 39 footer with a split-level transom.
"Two practical uses for two stays aft"
Split or double stays can mount the radar on a cross tube.
And also if you have a detatch tube frame bimini you can anchor it between the two wires aft.

An interesting variation having a 'mid-boom' gallows is explained. It also anchors the forward end of the bimini. And the author mentions we builder types start from unassailable points of view planning and building and then have to make important changes after gaining experience sailing it.

It's hard to figure where the mainsheet leads are.
His furled mainsail in the lead photo is one of those that incorporates a fully deployed sunbrella cover along the boom when the sail is up.

The dodger like the bimini is an all tube, rag and isinglass affair. It all looks like it can be taken down and stored below in case of a hurricane.

[commanderpete]

Hey Tony

Excellent work.

Sounds like you're planning a wraparound coaming. Would look nice, and provide more comfortable seating on top.

I cant see a good reason to have mid-boom sheeting if you have a boat where the boom reaches the end of the cockpit.

I would try to make the traveler as wide as possible. On many boats you only have about a foot of adjustment on either side--limiting the effectiveness of the traveler.

Here's what a few builders have done:

1st pic is a Schock Harbor 25

Next 2 pics are the Harbor 20

Then you have an Alerion Express 28 and 33

[Tony G]

I hear what you're saying C-Pete. Used to "sail" on a C & C Mega 30 that had one of those 24" travelers right through the cockpit and of course at shin hieght. It was a bit of a challenge to move it to windward, or move it period, specially if the skipper thought he was Dennis Connor. Thinking back I'm amazed nobody lost a finger or more. Sometimes I wonder who was a bigger dolt, him for his actions or me for sticking it out.

I was hoping to use the full length of track which is four feet if memory serves me well. Of that length you lose 3-4 inches from both ends for car control blocks and cam cleats, but, that still leaves quite a bit of travel for a 26 foot boat with a 11(plus) foot boom. Between the halyard, cunningham, boom vang, out haul and traveler...oh yeah, mainsheet there should be enough sail shape control to pass the time getting from point A to point Z.

I did some rough drawing on one of the profile diagrams found in the Assoc. manual and a coaming that stretches all the way back and around the lazzarette hatch doesn't look bad at all to my eye. The lines coming off of the forward cabin 'shoot' back to a point just above the stern. This 3-day weekend will hopefully afford me enough time to pattern a full scale mock up of the perimeter dimensions. Then we can really see the difference between paper and plastic.

Have a good Labor Day all.