Ken,

(4 photos attached)

In my opinion, the smart way to go is a hard
dodger/bimini, and again IMHO, if you’re going cruising
favor function over form. I started out to build a hard
dodger/bimini, but only got as far as the dodger top.
Then, with so many projects demanding attention, I
relented and got a canvas guy to make the windshield
and bimini. However, I entirely designed these parts
myself and physically worked with him in every step of
the process except the actual stitching. The net result
has been very satisfactory and looks all right, too.
Now, after 6 years in the sun and several
re-stitchings, I’m starting to think about finishing
the hardtop job I began in 2007, rather than replace
the canvas and Strataglass. We’ll see.

Since I limit my cruising to the tropics, I have little
need for a full enclosure. I do, however, employ a
reversible weather cloth (to be described in SAIL
magazine’s Cruising Tips, March 2014 issue), which
makes all the difference in the world offshore.

Whatever you do for a bimini, if you have a ketch you
need instant access to the full length of the mizzen
boom and sail. To my knowledge, I’m the only person in
the world who came up with a nearly ideal solution to
that problem. Boastful to say, of course, but I have
never seen an aft-cockpit ketch with any kind of
functionally accommodating bimini top – and I always
look. I’ll incorporate the same 4 quick-open hatches in
a hardtop if I go that way in the future, even if they
have to be made of zippered Sunbrella.

As for stepping between the deck and the cockpit being
awkward, the 424 was laid out for a helmsman and crew,
not for single-handing. So Pearson placed the primary
winches forward on the coaming where crew could work
them – and trip on them when stepping between the
cockpit and side decks – while the helmsman stands aft
and steers. Alas, Mr. Pearson was not a cruising
sailor. In the our world, the helmsman often needs to
tack the boat himself, which requires relocating the
primary winches farther aft on the coaming so that
they’re on the athwartships plane of the steering
wheel’s aft face, alongside to the helmsman’s nose port
& starboard. This also opens up the coaming wonderfully
between the cockpit and side decks.

And yes, definitely put handles on the outboard corners
of the dodger.

Good luck,

Tor

I can’t seem to find a photo that shows our dodger/bimini/enclosure up. I attached the best photo I could find.

We have a sloop, so there is no mizzen to get in the way of the enclosure. If you have a ketch, I have no idea how you can put a bimini over the cockpit. If you have a cutter, the boom is farther aft, so you’ll need a shorter bimini.

The dodger is below my eye-level when standing. I can stand under the bimini. There is a windscreen that zips between the two. In light rain, it keeps the cockpit fairly dry. There’s a mosquito-net enclosure that zips under the bimini and encloses the entire cockpit. It not only keeps the bugs out but helps keep the cockpit dry when it rains. It won’t entirely keep the water out if it rains hard however since it’s only netting. The forward windscreen in the dodger can flip up and we can zip in a screen panel there to help get air into the cockpit sans bugs. You’d never get on and off the boat with the thing up if we didn’t have the second companionway. The enclosure is in two pieces with a zipper down the back. You can unzip this to get at the BBQ or swim platform.

The bimini takes but a minute to uncover and drop. Two straps with snaps connect it the the dodger frame. We don’t usually put connecting windscreen in because it cuts off air circulation to the cockpit. We rarely put the netting up because it’s a bit of a pain to put up and my wife doesn’t like getting closed in.

Even if you decide to skip the enclosure, order your bimini with zippers all the way around. You can add the enclosure later.

I put a row of snaps down the middle of the combing. The enclosure snaps to these.

The whole thing was expensive. I don’t remember exactly how much but it was about $3500 for the dodger, $1500 for the bimini, $700 for the connecting windscreen, and $1500 for the netting. Prices vary wildly from shop to shop as does quality.

Regards
Rich

Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum

Here’s a link to the evolution of the Dodger & Bimini on Sarah;
http://www.svsarah.com/Sarah/ewUpgradeCanvas.htm#Dodger_and_Bimini

The mizzen rigging certainly presents a lot of challenges for the Bimini.
In order to provide decent sun protection to the cockpit the dodger must
extend aft to the mizzen mast or an insert between the Dodger and Bimini is
required. Both solutions present problems when underway. I finally had an
insert made, which is great when dockside or at anchor, but I remove it
when underway. Off-shore I would probably leave it up, but I haven’t done
any off-shore sailing since I had the insert added.

The Bimini does make handling the mizzen difficult. I moved all of the
controls for the mizzen (outhaul, topping lift, reef) to rope clutchs on
the forward end of the mizzen boom. That way I can raise, lower and trim
the mizzen from the cockpit (with the insert removed). I still have to
climb up the mast and hang off the transom to tie-down and un-tie the
sail. Tor’s solution for a set of hatches in the Bimini would undoubtedly
remove that problem. A stack pack type sail cover would also work well.

I am over 6′ so to get decent head room under the Bimini I had to rease the
mizzen boom about 6″. That was easy given the goose neck rides on a piece
of sail track and my mizzen was not a full hoist and didn’t require any
modifications.

I initially resisted getting a Bimini on Sarah as it does get in the way of
sailing, but I was really glad I had it on my two Atlantic crossings.
Having just spent my first summer in Florida I’m also glad I added the
insert and side awnings.

Heading down the ICW or inlet hopping in fall there have been times I would
have liked a full enclosure, but so far I’ve had too many other things to
spend money on that.

Regards,
John Stevenson
http://www.svsarah.com

On Sun, Jan 12, 2014 at 12:40 PM, wrote: