Blue Angel (Canados 70s) Rebuild thread

[jfm]

Bart if you want pics of boats with 2x bimini,google image:
ferretti 550,
Squadron 58
squadron 78 (look for earlier sq78; later ones have 1x bimini)

On BA I agree dark grey paint would look much better. However I would just fit a custom powerbimini instead www.power-bim.com

 

[MapisM]

pls don't talk to my wife, sche say's exactly the same ;-)

LOL, not what you want to hear B, but I'm with Deleted User and E on this.
Imho, BA is well suited for a double (or extended) bimini solution, which would offer 90% of the hard top functionalities with 10% of the costs and complications.
Btw, also the SL moored on our port side in Fontvieille was roughly of the same size as BA, and had a very well made bimini, aesthetically nice too - imho even nicer than the Princess HT on stbd side.

Now, as you know, I did remove the radar arch on my boat and had a sort of hard top built for her, but that was for two reasons.
On one hand, the old s/steel arch was the ugliest part of the boat, and was unsuitable for attaching a bimini to it.
And otoh, I wanted a solution which could work also to fully enclose/cover the whole f/b in wintertime.
But if I would have had a proper radar arch, well integrated in the boat design as it is in BA, I would have probably gone for a bimini.
The only "missing" 10% of functionality is that a stronger, fixed structure could also support a full winter enclosure.
If that's something you're interested in, then E will have to understand that there's no alternative to a HT, I'm afraid...

 

[MapisM]

raf, is that similar to some experimental paints with hollow microspheres for insulation? or would that not help?

Vas, I never heard of this microspheres technology, but I think the coatings rafiki mentioned are based on this principle, if you're interested:
http://www.ips-innovations.com/automotive_applications.htm
In a nutshell, the idea is to use pigments which appear as an X colour to the eye, based on the visible wavelength spectrum, but outside of it they are actually white.

 

[vas]

thanks for the kind offer,
I've just booked tickets to Venice on 20/2 for a visit to the MCY factory in Monfalcone with a friend (exciting coincidence)
on 21/2 we have the Sketchup course in our co,
on 22/2 I could make some time available,
but on 23/2 I have a "obligatory" activity with my dive club,

doh,

sorry forgot to mention that I'm talking about March not Feb!
happy to meet and chat and also spend a few hours on my laptop sorting out the logic for the cad design of the frames.

fully agree in your exchange of thoughts with rafiki, only comment is that the ply around the helm windows in MiToS was originally black and I guess must have stayed so for a few decades. Didn't see any difference in the way it has aged compared to the bits of ply around it that were originally white. Maybe lucky and was quickly covered in white, but from memory it had less coats of white compared to the rest of the superstructure, so I assume it spent more time of its life in black..

cheers

V.

 

[BartW]

Bart if you want pics of boats with 2x bimini,google image:
ferretti 550,
Squadron 58
squadron 78 (look for earlier sq78; later ones have 1x bimini)

On BA I agree dark grey paint would look much better. However I would just fit a custom powerbimini instead www.power-bim.com

tbh, none of the pics I found so far are nice examples of twin bimini, more the oppisite
and the power biminy won't be cheap either,
have to do some more web browsing when I have time

 

[BartW]

Btw, also the SL moored on our port side in Fontvieille was roughly of the same size as BA, and had a very well made bimini, aesthetically nice too - imho even nicer than the Princess HT on stbd side.
...........
The only "missing" 10% of functionality is that a stronger, fixed structure could also support a full winter enclosure.
If that's something you're interested in, then E will have to understand that there's no alternative to a HT, I'm afraid...

yes I remember that was a very nice bimini, L must have some pics I hope,
but again it was a "single" bimini, and a shape like I had in mind for the hardtop ;-)

the fixed structure that could be used as a full winter enclosure, is a nice extra feature to have, (but not essential)

 

[BartW]

Imho, BA is well suited for a double (or extended) bimini solution, which would offer 90% of the hard top functionalities with 10% of the costs and complications.

lets wait for the quotation of the gliding system,
the frame doesn't need to cost a fortune, in a DIY way
complete ply frame covered with glass fabric and epoxy, all done by my friend carpener in his workshop here in Belgium,
and painted by E, if I can convince her ;-)

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

thanks for the kind offer,
I've just booked tickets to Venice on 20/2 for a visit to the MCY factory in Monfalcone with a friend (exciting coincidence)

I know Monfalcone quite well since I have wintered my boat in Hannibal Marina there for 3 yrs. I'd be interested to see a report and photos on your visit to MCY because I think they make very distinctive and stylish boats. Monfalcone is or was a big shipbuilding town but now it feels quite depressed like a lot of post industrial towns. Btw if you can find a restaurant in Monfalcone that serves meat rather than fish, please let me know because we couldn't find one

 

[BartW]

I'd be interested to see a report and photos on your visit to MCY because I think they make very distinctive and stylish boats. ...
... if you can find a restaurant in Monfalcone that serves meat rather than fish, please let me know because we couldn't find one

Yes I like them also,

my friend is interested to buy one, and as a potential new customer we might be threated nice, and get the full customer service, including a good lunch (I hope ;-) )
but I'm afraid that I won't be able to help you with your quest, as each occasion I get near the med coast I prefer fish instead of meat, and will insist on this

 

[BartW]

doh,

sorry forgot to mention that I'm talking about March not Feb!
happy to meet and chat and also spend a few hours on my laptop sorting out the logic for the cad design of the frames.

let me know your scedule when you book your flights, I'm available in that period

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

but I'm afraid that I won't be able to help you with your quest, as each occasion I get near the med coast I prefer fish instead of meat, and will insist on this

After eating fish 5 nights in a row, believe me you will crave meat. I nearly went to McDonalds last year

 

[BartW]

After eating fish 5 nights in a row, believe me you will crave meat. I nearly went to McDonalds last year

how about 5 weeks in a row ? just to show my adiction,
imo you can have a lot more variation with fish and sea fruits then with meat

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

how about 5 weeks in a row ? just to show my adiction,
imo you can have a lot more variation with fish and sea fruits then with meat

Its no wonder the Belgians don't play rugby

 

[MapisM]

how about 5 weeks in a row ? just to show my adiction

LOL, yeah, and what about 5 months? Well, not exactly 24/7 of course, but almost.
Spending the summer in an island of the island, with fresh fish sources available anytime, and last but not least having both smwbo and various friends who are all damn good at cooking, well, it's an addictive combination...
And sod the rugby!

 

[jfm]

tbh, none of the pics I found so far are nice examples of twin bimini, more the oppisite
and the power biminy won't be cheap either,
have to do some more web browsing when I have time

Yes I agree - none of them is pretty

As for the price of the power-bim, about £10k afaik, wait till you see the price of the electric slider mechanism from Opacmare

 

[MapisM]

As for the price of the power-bim, about £10k afaik, wait till you see the price of the electric slider mechanism from Opacmare

Yeah, that won't be cheap for sure.
Apropos B, if you really prefer the HT to the bimini, you might as well get rid of the sliding mechanism altogether.
I mean, after all BA has a huge space at her bow for sunbathing, also while cruising.
And if you look at most D and SD long range cruisers (which began adopting HTs well before they became fashionable also on planing boats), they typically have a solid GRP top, with no mechanisms or apertures whatsoever.
This way, on one hand you don't have to worry with salt spray potentially attacking an expensive mechanism, and otoh you can have a much stronger structure, capable to withstand people walking on it.
Which is not only useful for access to all the stuff you've got above the arch, but can also become a great sunbathing area with a gorgeous view, at least while moored.
Just another thought, anyway.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

As for the price of the power-bim, about £10k afaik, wait till you see the price of the electric slider mechanism from Opacmare

Can somebody explain why you'd want a power bimini? Surely all biminis go up in around May and don't come down again until October? And if you can afford a power bimini, surely you can afford a crew to put it up and take it down manually

 

[jfm]

Can somebody explain why you'd want a power bimini? Surely all biminis go up in around May and don't come down again until October? And if you can afford a power bimini, surely you can afford a crew to put it up and take it down manually

I sometimes flip ours back for an hour on sunny days, and sometimes on cloudy days to get a bit of heat from the hidden sun. There is no way you can sensibly move a sq78 sized bimini manually. The weight and forces are such that it has to be powered

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I sometimes flip ours back for an hour on sunny days, and sometimes on cloudy days to get a bit of heat from the hidden sun. There is no way you can sensibly move a sq78 sized bimini manually. The weight and forces are such that it has to be powered

OK, didn't realise people used their bimini like that

 

[jfm]

OK, didn't realise people used their bimini like that

Also Mike, when blimmin Top Gear turn up to film for an afternoon, as they do, the chopper pilot asks you to fold the bimini back so he can video the flybridge