"Chapel" Bimini Design - A25

[cmoffatnc1]

Looking to get new canvas for our new boat and have seen a few photos of a shorter Bimini that leaves the deck of the aft cabin almost totally exposed. It appears to be what might have been "original" to the A25, the single bow frame attaching toward the base of the cockpit and pivoting back toward the aft cabin.

Can anyone share their thoughts and/or photos of what they have done like this?

Thanks.

[cmoffatnc1]

Something like this photo which I f

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ound on line.

[Nancy]

That's very good-looking.

[Dieselram94]

What you’re looking for is how my canvas is. A single bow and aft cabin exposed. Does your current canvas cover the aft cabin? If so why do you dislike it? I’m wondering as I would like to get a canvas that covers the aft cabin roof at some point as that creates a shelf on the inside.

[dkirsop]

Here are a couple of photos of the the cover that came with my boat. I find it very convenient with the additional head room. Not the modified strut that provides a clear entry into the cockpit from the dock. All windows conveniently zip out leaving the bimini in place during hot weather. It also came with screens that replace the two rear side window panels if insects are a problem. Hope you find these ideas helpful.

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[cmoffatnc1]

Very helpful and very appreciated!

[DesertAlbin736]

Here's a few more:

On La Dolce Vita, as inherited from previous owners. Not the actual original OEM but apparently a later copy close to or same as factory original. Single bow frame, no side openings, small vinyl rear window. This was taken shortly after we took ownership in March, 2014

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.
Another photo by previous owner at his place in Idaho that he used in his Craigslist ad.

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It wasn't long before Arizona desert heat and UV rays fried the vinyl in the rear window panel, plus lack of side openings hampered rear visibility. So I decided to make a new one of similar but modified design with opening side flaps, sun screen sewn in, and clear vinyl side & rear windows that can be Velcroed in for cold weather or removed for hot weather. I kept the original sloped rear design due to the fact that we also have the optional motor sailer mast & sail rig.

First thing I found and purchased this used Thompson Mini Walker walking foot sewing machine. It's the same design as Sailrite machines which themselves are a Thompson clone. Except mine only does straight stich & can't do zig zag stitch that would be needed for sail repairs.

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Next I consulted how to videos on the Sailrite.com website and purchased Sunbrella fabric, UV resistant PTFE thread, and various other supplies. Sailrite's library of how to project videos is an invaluable resource for DIY canvas projects.

I started faced with this situation. I had made the mistake of covering the enclosure with a canvas tarp to help protect it from brutal Arizona summer heat (even this week in late August we're facing temps as high as 114 deg). Problem was the canvas tarp was oil infused and stained the Sunbrella.

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So I copied the existing design but widened the rear window and incorporated flaps that could cover the window or be rolled up.

This is a side view of the old existing enclosure. Only way to have complete rear visibility was to fold the entire enclosure up against the wheelhouse.

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This is a side view of the new enclosure with sides rolled up. The front edge uses the existing twist snaps and the rear edge is zippered.

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This is with the side rolled down but with the outer flap rolled up. The black Phifertex (R) sun/bug screen is sewn in and not removable.

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And this is with everything rolled down. Outer flaps keeps the sun out & give total privacy. Same for rear window opening, which was widened to the maximum possible width. In this photo I had not yet a added narrow cover flaps over the zippers.

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The only downside to the sloped rear is that it lets rain in unless you close the rear flap or Velcro in the vinyl windows. If you want a perpendicular rear window it would take a two bow frame. The only other downside to the single bow frame is that you have to enter/exit over the aft cabin top.
Here's what it looks like with the sail rig installed. (Click on photo to rotate 90 deg)

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To do all this I turned my kitchen into a sewing loft by added folding tables to our dining table. Actually all the initial sewing was done with a borrowed Sailrite machine. But I had trouble getting it to work with PTFE thread and had to use supposedly UV resistant polyester. Since then I've had to re-stitch most of the seams with PTFE using my Thompson machine which for some reason handles PTFE better. The summers out here are just brutal on anything other than Helios PTFE thread which is very expensive compared to polyester.

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All this was done in 2015 and has held up well in the eight years since other than having to re-stitch seams with PTFE thread. Total cost in materials for the project was right around $900, not counting the $325 spent to purchase the Thompson sewing machine.

That said, if your boat does not have the sail rig option I would go for a full length "BC" hard top like "WillieC" had.

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[Dieselram94]

As a side note…I REALLY like the bow rails on WillieC had. Way better styling that the original bow rails. Much more American looking. It’s in the plans for mine.