Belhaven 19 bimini

[zumwaltd]

I just completed the Texas 200 and now want to add a bimini to Redwing, my B19.  I am not sure if I need to shorten the mizzen to make this happen.  And from the pictures I see of Randy's Belhaven and Bob Carson's Penny Mae,  which also completed the TX 200,  I think I need to add a topping lift.  Any advice and/or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

[Designer]

Hi Dave,
 

Congratulations on completing the Texas 200. I have done it twice and can appreciate why you are looking into a bimini.

 

I would prefer that you do not reduce the size of the mizzen as you may have a lee helm problem.

 

What is your hull # so that I can look at your rig? I thought that there was enough height under the mizzen, raised as high as it will go to sneak a bimini under the sail.

 

The cheapest way to to raise the mast, if you need more height is to drill a new pivot hole lower down on the mast. This will raise the mast, you will have to move the the mast heel locking system up the tabernacle by the same amount. 

[zumwaltd]

Graham,  Thanks for the response.  My hull # is 55.  In crossing windy San Antonio bay in a beam reach my boat was rocking back and forth and I was pleased with how the mast stayed solid with the tabernacle and boat.   

 

Also, in a dumb move on my part, I failed to lower my keel onto its support base on my trailer and after 750 miles of travel, I found the keel attachment point had sheared off.  I screwed in another eyestrap and re-attached to the block.  This held for one day before the screws pulled out of the wood.  I next drilled a 1" hull through the keel trunk in order to access the keel where I drilled a 3/8" hole through the top of the keel, attached a loop of rope and epoxied the trunk back closed.  I was able to lift the keel for the remainder of the trip.  My question is, now that I am home, do I re-do the eyestrap attachment as in the original plans or have they been upgraded?  I promise to lower the keel onto its support blocks from now on when trailering.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave   

[Designer]

Dave,

 

One of the advantages of building your own boat is that you understand how the boat was made and you are not afraid to get in and solve these little glitches rather than calling the dealer and waiting for him to get to it.

 

If it was me I would keep the hole that you drilled. I would drill another hole  through the trailing edge perpendicular or angled slightly to your hole so that the pennant goes down through the new hole and tie a stopper knot that is buried in your hole so that the pennant stays on the centerline of the board. It looks to me like your double line could get jammed between the trunk and the board. I would make a groove from the new hole to the top of the board to make sure that the pennant stays on center. This moves the pennant further from the pivot pin reducing the load on the pennant slightly.

 

Looking at the plans, you should have enough height for a bimini. How are you connecting the halyard to the headboard? You may be able to raise the sail by reducing the distance between the halyard block and the headboard by tying a buntline hitch. I am using it on my boat, is a very reliable hitch and takes up the least space because it tightens down on the headboard.

[PadrePoint]

Had to look up buntline hitch.

https://www.animatedknots.com/buntline-hitch-knot

[zumwaltd]

Graham, I had been tying the halyard to the headboard with a bowline.  I will learn the buntline.  Thanks for your ideas and thanks PadrePoint for the link.

 

Dave

 

 

[Hirilonde]

On 6/26/2022 at 11:23 AM, zumwaltd said:

Graham, I had been tying the halyard to the headboard with a bowline.  I will learn the buntline.  Thanks for your ideas and thanks PadrePoint for the link.

 

Dave

 

 

Quote  from PadrePoint's link:  Disadvantages: The Buntline Hitch knot cannot be tied under a load and, after being heavily loaded, it is more liable to jam and be awkward to release than two Half Hitches.

While a bowline cannot be tied under load either, it is virtually impossible to jamb it up so tight it can't be untied. I will always use a bowline for halyards and sheets.

[Mike Vacanti]

There is another way to attach a halyard that is easy to undo and allows the sail to use the full hoist of the halyard. Here is a picture: knotless halyard attach

[Don Silsbe]

I don’t have halyards on my boat.  But if I did, it would be like this:  https://l-36.com/HybridHalyard.php

[PadrePoint]

Well… it’s a neat and slick way to go. The ball through a halyard bight pushed through the sailhead cringle is the system that came on a boat I bought.  The ball slipped out when I raised the sail, resulting in the halyard end zipping to the top of the mast. 

I believe it came undone when I motored out and the wind was flipping the unhoisted sail around with a still loose halyard. 
It started a “comedy of errors”. 

[Don Silsbe]

I know what I said previously, but my preference for attaching the halyard to the sail is a stainless steel shackle, like this one:

https://www.fisheriessupply.com/race-lite-ss-small-boat-rope-halyard-shackles

[Randy Jones]

The Bimini on my Belhaven 19 (Clementine) is wonderful for protection from sun and most of the rain.  The only drawback it that the view of the mizzen sail trim is blocked when close hauled.  My mizzen clears the bimini but I don't recall exactly how much.  I'll get some photos during my upcoming Salish 100 trip that starts 7/15.  I'm also looking at installing a portable flexible solar panel on top of the Bimini.     

I use the knotless halyard attachment with a ball. No problems to date but I'm going to keep an eye on it. 

Great to see some Belhavens out there.  Perfect boat for the Texas 200, especially with a bimini. 

[zumwaltd]

I need to put the Salish 100 on my bucket list.   Your pics were helpful during my build and are always appreciated.  

 

Thanks,  Dave 

[Randy Jones]

 

I didn't make it to the Salish 100 but I did find these photos.  Mizzen in stored position clears the Bimini by a healthy margin and it is about the same when opened.  I'll get a photo with the Bimini deployed next chance.  I don't use a topping lift but will use the halyard to support the boom and furled sail at anchor.

Also included photos of the halyard knot and for extra credit added the mizzen sheet photo.  Once I moved the mizzen sheet tiller attachment into vertical alignment with the axis of the rudder the mizzen sheet no longer tries to steer the boat.