Is a bimini essential in the tropics?

[silver-fox]

A few observations from my own experience: -

1. We managed in the Med for 2 seasons without a bimini, using bush hats all the time and an awning when at anchor. People said we would fry but we didn't. I prefer having a bimini but you can manage without if you need to.

2. We have opted for a relatively small bimini covering the whole cockpit but not the side decks so that it does not interfere with sailing. As a consequence we use mesh sides when the sun gets lower in the sky.

3. The minute it starts going dark we fold the bimini if we are sailing because both my wife and I love seeing the sky at night and find any sort of lid, oppressive.

4. Covering the helmsman's position is not essential IMHO because if you area anything like us, then George, the autopilot does pretty much all the work and he doesn't mind the sun.

 

[Koeketiene]

A few observations from my own experience: -

1. We managed in the Med for 2 seasons without a bimini, using bush hats all the time and an awning when at anchor. People said we would fry but we didn't. I prefer having a bimini but you can manage without if you need to.

Will be doing without a bimini too. An awning at anchor will suit us fine.
Also, don't fancy the extra windage of a bimini.

4. Covering the helmsman's position is not essential IMHO because if you area anything like us, then George, the autopilot does pretty much all the work and he doesn't mind the sun.

+1

 

[affinite]

I quite like helming and Otto was a little tempramental at times so Bimini over the helmsman is important IMHO.
Also because, like the OP, we had a low boom and main sheet just fwd of the wheel we had the bimini rigged so that it could fold back so as to cover the helm whilst sailing (and not foul the main sheet) but could also open out further to cover more cockpit whilst at anchor.

 

[GHA]

The designer of the Cape horn windvane self steering had a sprayhood made with inflated firehose, I've toyed with the idea for something over the cockpit, anyone tried it?
http://capehorn.com/sections/Pages/30ansAng.htm

 

[chrisb]

Vital piece of kit .Properly designed can be permanently raised . Properly designed can also be used to carry ariels and as mine does a large rigid solar panel .Mine left Milford Haven in June 1010 and is still there doing its job in Whanggarei New Zealand 3.5 years and 30000nm later having survived storm force conditions on several occasions Important to make sure that exit entrance to cockpit and winching is not obstructed

 

[Ravi]

Vital piece of kit .Properly designed can be permanently raised . Properly designed can also be used to carry ariels and as mine does a large rigid solar panel .Mine left Milford Haven in June 1010 and is still there doing its job in Whanggarei New Zealand 3.5 years and 30000nm later having survived storm force conditions on several occasions Important to make sure that exit entrance to cockpit and winching is not obstructed

Damn, you said 3.5 years so I can't make a quip about the windage from your bimini accounting for it taking 1000 years (1010!) to get to NZ.

 

[Neil_Y]

I've done two Caribbean trips/seasons both boats had no bimini and personally I'd rather not have one, at anchor we had a long awning that shaded the whole coach roof and kept downstairs cool, when sailing we had hats / sun screen. I like the the view and being able to see the sails. Never got too hot when sailing but at anchor a bimini doesn't keep the sun off the coach roof or side decks where a large awning with sides you can drop down does.

 

[demonboy]

We survived without a bimini for around three years and a large anchor awning was used instead. Eight years later we are still using the awning and even though we have a bimini, we drop it whilst at anchor to free up more headspace.

That said, I am glad we have a bimini. Like Vyv we have a very short area so we left it up to Moby Sails (Marmaris) to do the headache in designing one, so I'd recommend leaving the design to the pros. When you're sailing and you don't notice the strength of the sun due to the wind, you'll be glad you have one. And as for 'windage', I have never heard any yachtsman complain that their boat was slow due to a bimini.