Hard-top bimini advice needed

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SandraMennem

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We have a 47ft aft-cockpit monohull to which we would like to add a hard-top bimini to replace the canvas one (approx. 3m x 2.5m). Does anybody have any experience of having done this and any associated issues that they could share with us? Any advice and/or recommendations are welcome.

Many thanks.
 
Not sure of the benefits of a hard Bimini. Can understand a hard wheel shelter with a screen, but this is a major job. The big advantage of a folding Bimini is its flexibility, particularly if you have a folding spray hood and detachable sides.
 
We had ours done in LEFKAS Marina by a chap called Les. He specialises in GRP. He will come and measure and give you a firm quote- he is british. The company is called Ionian Composites.

Peter
 
From experience grp sheet is the first choice if you can find a yard that can do it. The alternative we have seen is 3mm ply laminated two up to 6mm thickness and then given a coat of grp. During the lay up the ply is shaped to match the existing steel supports. Once fitted the structure was surprisingly rigid and effective. But still relatively light.
For interest I have a solid canopy over my wheel house and aft deck on my mobo. After frying my head a few times I decided I prefer the shade. It's also effective during the torrential rain when it hits.
Enjoy your journey.
 
I have the same long term plan. You could use ply or foam sheet and then give a light glass/epoxy cover, sand and paint.
Not difficult really. But is a folding bimini structure strong enough, does it need beefing up?
My currently cloth bimini is supported on a permanent frame with four legs, made by stainless Phil.
A sunshade even when sailing with main up is essential I think. In fact I've just returned from the skin clinic as a result
of not taking the same view when I was young and foolish!!
 
We have contemplated making it ourselves but the structure will be quite large and we do not feel that we have the necessary skills to ensure the end result will be of a good enough standard. We don't think our current folding bimini frame is strong enough and would either need strengthening or starting again. We have the bimini up year round so a hard top seems like a good option especially as we have got a couple of solar panels that we wish to install above the hard top.

Thanks for your comments.
 
Just a little thought.
If you attempt to do the job yourself you will never be happy with the outcome. If you have a friend who will do it for mates rates you'll lose a friend.
Better to pay a competent man to do a competent job and if you're not happy you have the right to make his life hell until he gets it right.
I speak as a man who has spent ten years tearing his boat up, looking at work that I've done and having to settle for 80% of what I wanted to achieve.
 
I have just built one on my Nicholson 35. I had a new rear frame / goal posts built in Turkey incorporating the pushpit with a small rear gate for access to the passerelle. The rear frame has a curved top and I made a new hard bimini to that curve and following the shape of the boat. I made it using the principals of strip hull construction by edge epoxying 20mm strips of balsa together over a form. Cutting the form to shape and then applying epoxy and fibreglass over the strips with extra attention and thickness on the edges. I used peel ply over the layup to force a good finish. Then I released the forms and did the underside. More epoxy and fairing compound, long board sanding and then Awlgrip 2 pack for the complete item. By the way I strengthen all areas that the attachment bolts wold pass through by over-drilling and filling with epoxy and colloidal silica before fibreglassing. It fitted the frame nicely and gave a very unobtrusive look as it is just a curve. I laminated up a thing oak beam at the front edge and on the ends of the oak beam stainless steel arms from the frame carry the front of the cover. Once fitted to the boat I bolted the 2 bendy solar panels through pre-made holes in the bimini, cut out and boot cover for the back stay, heaps of antennas, a underside cockpit light, a pair of rear LED flood lights and an led stern light. It really looks fantastic. I have been under it in 75 knots of wind already, it is very strong, provides a great base for the solar panels, gives my antennas a home. Next I will fit tracks around the lower edge for hanging a sun curtain when the sun is low or I want to block some wind or make it more private etc when stern to. I am really happy with the result but it is a job. I built it in the UK and transported on my roof racks of my van to Turkey. You better get the measurements right if you do that. I could share some photos if you are interested. What I have done is probably more than just one bridge to far for most people. I love it as if you have solar panels you have to provide a permanent frame under them and I just hate some of the contraptions I see on the back of boats for all the stuff. They may be practical but they look awful. This looks great and is unintrusive to the side on look of a classic yacht.

Graham
 
It does sound fantastic and I would like to see pics as well.
My plan was to just use a sheet of thin ply, then glassed and painted.
I won't have the patience for a lot of sanding!
As a sunshade and a base for solar panels and even a rain catcher it has to be worthwhile.
 
Hupefuly here are two pics of my hard top bimi done by LES in Lefkas.

Peterhttp://www.ybw.com/forums/images/attach/jpg.gifhttp://www.ybw.com/forums/images/attach/jpg.gif

One shows it finished and the other being worked on. I do have many more if needed.
 

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Running into 62kts of wind one year approaching Vathi Ithaca, we rolled up the bimini as we had always been aware of it's potential to make the boat round up in high winds. Glad we did as others around us were seriously out of control, having their sterns thrown around like a shuttlecock's feathers. To actually make this horizontal "sail" a permanent fixture would give me great concern.
 
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