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Bimini vs. main sheet

jcool

Junior Member
This fall, I purchased an E-32 while it was parked in the boatyard. I launched Tyche and really enjoyed sailing her before our season ended. The boat came with a bimini that extends from the back of the dodger to the back stay. The problem is that, with the current set up, we can't sail with the main and have the bimini up because the main sheet does not pass through the middle of it. Sailing in Kansas during the hot summer months can be brutal, so a bimini is almost required.

I see that I have few options, but I'm curious to find out what other owners have done to address this problem.
 

Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
Bimini vs main sheet or not.

Dear friend, We solved that problem with our bridge deck mounted main sheet traveler by having an insert made that zips the Dodger and bimini together. Let me start from the beginning, our dodger does not pass aft of the traveler and our bimini extends roughly half way between the helm and the bridge deck. The insert we had made attaches fore and aft through the use of four (4) zippers. They engage at the outer edges and close toward the center. In addition, we had several snaps added to the outer edges, male on one side and female on the other. When making passage from Marina del Rey to Catalina Island or the other way around and under circumstances when we could benefit from shade in the cockpit for us and our two large dogs, we simply trim the sails on a particular point of sail, say a port tack then install just the port half of the insert between the bimini and dodger with the zippers while the unused half (starboard) is simply flopped over the port half and snapped in place along the edges. It works like a charm but only when on a sustained tack. Of course the whole insert is zipped into place when arriving and all tucked in on our mooring. Photos available back channel by contacting me at glynjudson@roadrunner.com I hope this helps, Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey CA
 

C_Breeze

Junior Member
What year is your 32? I just picked up a '73 32 and am having trouble designing my future Bimini as well. I'm thinking about raising the boom height while I'm at it, because a new mainsail has to happen soon.
 

Dave N

Member III
We have the same solution that is described above. Here are two pics showing the insert when dockside and removed when under sail. It is removed when under sail, leaving just the bimini aft to provide some shade. It is a good compromise and leaves the mainsheet where it is easily adjusted from the helm.
 

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jcool

Junior Member
What year is your 32? I just picked up a '73 32 and am having trouble designing my future Bimini as well. I'm thinking about raising the boom height while I'm at it, because a new mainsail has to happen soon.

I have been told that it is a 1972 model. Its hull number is 279.
What design options are you considering?
 

C_Breeze

Junior Member
Well now that I've seen the pictures of Dave's rig I think I'm going that route. I will have to raise the boom a little to provide space though. A little smaller mainsail never hurt anything am I right?
 

Dave N

Member III
One more pic to help with the proportions.....
 

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Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Dave, that is one Very helpful picture.

I did some searching and there are past threads about dodger/bimini combos on Ericsons with an aft traveler.
Here's just one: http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?5885-E35II-Bimini

Some threads are more relevant than others of course, but here's just a list.
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/tags.php?tag=bimini

Cheers,
Loren

ps: while doing research on my own future dodger that also has to work around an aft mainsheet, I started this thread:
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?12717-Dodger-Design-ponderings
 
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Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Good till there are whitecaps, duct tape to rail or guard, stows instantly, provides Kodak color, reduces jungle gym clutter, costs $11.95.

cockpit umbrella.jpg
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I kept the tube taped to the binnacle and would stick the umbrella in there for a few hours at a time. Turned inside-out once, otherwise a simple temporary solution to tropical sun.

Got the idea from the guys in the singlehanded transpac. Shade and yacht racing don't go together very well.
 

kapnkd

kapnkd
Bimini Top solutions for an E-32 Mk2

This fall, I purchased an E-32 while it was parked in the boatyard. I launched Tyche and really enjoyed sailing her before our season ended. The boat came with a bimini that extends from the back of the dodger to the back stay. The problem is that, with the current set up, we can't sail with the main and have the bimini up because the main sheet does not pass through the middle of it. Sailing in Kansas during the hot summer months can be brutal, so a bimini is almost required.

I see that I have few options, but I'm curious to find out what other owners have done to address this problem.

Just joined the site but have owned my '73 E-32 since new. Living in Florida - Bimini tops were a MUST! ...My bimini top stopped just short of the traveler system and I had a separate piece of rod attached by clip to the back stay topping lift. There were four split panels of Velcro that would reach to the back top side of the bimini top and the traveler could be positioned where it needed to be. From the horizontal pole on the back stay, we also had a complete panel that went down to the stern pulpit and tied providing additional shade aft. Given we were mostly cruising then, it wasn't a bother to set the traveler, sail for long periods and have plenty of shade.
(hope this helps)
Best regards and fair winds!)
kerry diehl (Cary On - 1973 E32-Mk2 hull # 296)
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Forty-one years, one boat--that's amazing. Is that a record on the site, Loren (Loren's the co-founder)?

Anyway, welcome aboard.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
A Long Time, Indeed

Forty-one years, one boat--that's amazing. Is that a record on the site, Loren (Loren's the co-founder)?

Anyway, welcome aboard.

Betcha that Christian is right....
I suspect that it is indeed a record.
OTOH we are just newbies in comparison, buying our '88 model from the first owner in 1994.
As for "co-founding", naw, I just got lucky and discovered the site shortly after Sean launched it. Since then I've sort of transitioned into a digital janitor, sweeping up leftover zero's and one's each week...
:rolleyes:

I wonder if anyone around here has owned an Ericson any longer than that??

Cheers,
Loren
 
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kapnkd

kapnkd
Forty-one years, one boat--that's amazing. Is that a record on the site, Loren (Loren's the co-founder)?

Anyway, welcome aboard.

Thanks, ...excited to finally have joined! (Actually, my son Cary had joined a LONG time ago unbeknownst to me.)

Originally prior to purchasing the boat, I was looking for a 27' boat. The dealer didn't have one in stock but DID have the 32 and was anxious to move it. I slid the companion way open and instantly fell in love with the boat! Although larger than what we wanted - we grew into her and over the years it has been the PERFECT boat for all of our sailing. Now she's considered "family" and there is no way we could part with her.

Ironically, there is one more E-32 owner that we have met who has had his Ericson 32 just a little bit longer than me. He lives but 20 miles South from where we are located. I haven't spoken or heard from him now in several years so am not sure IF he still has his Ericson though.

BTW - did you resolve your design solutions for extending your bimini top yet? I can draft up some rough graphics/sketches of what we did IF that would be of help??

Fair Winds!
-kerry
 
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kapnkd

kapnkd
Betcha that Christian is right....
I suspect that it is indeed a record.
OTOH we are just newbies in comparison, buying our '88 model from the first owner in 1994.
As for "co-founding", naw, I just got lucky and discovered the site shortly after Sean launched it. Since then I've sort of transitioned into a digital janitor, sweeping up leftover zero's and one's each week...
:rolleyes:

I wonder if anyone around here has owned an Ericson any longer than that??

Cheers,
Loren

Hi Loren,

It was just a matter of originally buying a bigger boat than we wanted/needed and then growing into her and finding it to be the PERFECT size for us over the years.
There IS another E-32 owner who lives about 20 miles South of where we are who has had his boat just a little bit longer than us. (Not sure IF he still has it as I haven't spoken or heard from him now in several years.)

Those Ericsons are GREAT boats and although I thought about a bigger boat from time to time - our old 32 is more a part of the "Family" than anything else.

Fair Winds!
-kerry
 

jcool

Junior Member
Just joined the site but have owned my '73 E-32 since new. Living in Florida - Bimini tops were a MUST! ...My bimini top stopped just short of the traveler system and I had a separate piece of rod attached by clip to the back stay topping lift. There were four split panels of Velcro that would reach to the back top side of the bimini top and the traveler could be positioned where it needed to be. From the horizontal pole on the back stay, we also had a complete panel that went down to the stern pulpit and tied providing additional shade aft. Given we were mostly cruising then, it wasn't a bother to set the traveler, sail for long periods and have plenty of shade.
(hope this helps)
Best regards and fair winds!)
kerry diehl (Cary On - 1973 E32-Mk2 hull # 296)

This sounds very interesting. Do you have photos?

thanks
jcool
 
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kapnkd

kapnkd
This sounds very interesting. Do you have photos?

Sadly I do not at this time. BUT - I can and will do something up in Photoshop and PowerPoint to give you a better idea of what I'm talking about. ....Stay tuned ;-)
 

kapnkd

kapnkd
Hull # 279 sounds about right for the '72 time frame. Our boat, a '73, is hull #296.

Our "redesign" is a major refit of the entire boat which includes all new marine-ply bulkheads, complete re-wiring of the vessel (120v & 12v), installing a 3rd battery, new fresh water lines/system, placing two drawers into the hanging locker area, replacing the glass in all ports, sealing the main companionway to end all leaks permanently, oversizing all thru-deck holes, sealing them in glass to prevent water permeation into balsa core - and on and on.
The bimini top will be replaced as one of the last items since we have SS frames and will probably go with the system we had before. (Working on a graphic now to better illustrate it.) You can check out some of the progress on my albums pages if you would like.
-kerry
 
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