My Bimini and Cockpit Tent Project

[John Turpin]

About a year ago, I bought a bimini/enclosure kit from some internet outfit.  It was for a larger boat, so I knew that I'd eventually have to cut it down.  Well, with the boat put up for the winter, I started tackling that project.  After a lot of thinking, tinkering, cutting, sewing and reassembling, the bimini now fits.  When folded up, it now stows inside the cockpit, alongside the hull/transom walls.  It shouldn't be in my way much when sailing and I can still open the hatches.  Eventually, I'll make some brackets or straps that will stow it more tightly up under the side decks.  It won't go with me on short sails; only for camping weekends when I'm not sleeping on shore.

[John Turpin]

Here it is raised and strapped in place.  Theoretically, I should be able to sail with it up, but I'd have to experiment with that.  With a reef in the mizzen and the sail head at the mast top, the sail foot should have clearance to swing over the bimini.  I don't see myself doing much sailing with the roof up, but on blazing hot summer days, it might be worth exploring.

[John Turpin]

Those enclosure wall panels took about a week of my spare time.  After some sewing machine lessons from my patient wife, I set out to resize four big panels into four smaller ones.  This was pretty complicated and took more hours than I care to remember.  But eventually, the walls were complete.  They zip onto the bimini top and attach to each other with velcro.  Velcro straps hold the panel bottoms to mast and rudder.  The whole thing is waterproof and should keep me fairly dry when those showers visit.  When not needed, the panels are stored in the gray bag pictured in the cockpit above.

[John Turpin]

Here's the interior.  It should be a cozy place to spend a night or two.  The windows are filled with bug-proof mesh.  On the inside are privacy curtains that roll up.  On the outside are clear plastic windows to shed rain.  And, I can even unstick the velcro and roll each panel up if I want to visit with my anchorage neighbors or load/unload gear more easily.

[wkisting]

Very nice, John! That looks like a cozy shelter. Is there room enough in the aft half of the cockpit to lay down and sleep in there, or is this just for lounging around/sitting up?

[John Turpin]

Hi Wes,

I should have plenty of room to snooze, if I can make a "bench widener".  I plan to make a set of your patented sun deck boards to temporarily fill up half the cockpit foot well.  So, the port side of the cockpit will be level with the benches while the starboard side will be open.  This will let me either sit up or lie down.  I should be about the size of your typical smallish dome tent.  Plenty of room for one.  Two would be possible, but would take some more thought.

[wkisting]

That's a good idea... making it fill in only half the cockpit. One thing I've loved about my (three) deck panels for the forward area is that you can take one of the panels out to still have footspace for quickly sitting up. Your idea would offer the same advantage/comfort.

I'm also making another deck panel as we speak. This one will be a thin bench/table which will span the cockpit just in front of the aft bulkhead, where it should make a handy place to set gear or lunch, or to slide a cooler under. I sized the width so that it can also be installed in the forward area along the CB case, filling in the other half of the forward cockpit area. I wasn't going to bother filling in that side originally, but I decided it would be nice to fill in the entire forward area so that for the next few years, while our little girl is still young and uncoordinated, she can be aboard without us having to worry about her falling off the seats into the footwell.

[John Turpin]

Yeah, that's a neat idea.  I think I'll make this set of panels so they can be used in the cockpit for sleeping or used up front alongside the centerboard case.  That will be my project for this week.

[Lombard]

Looks as though you learned your sewing lessons well.  You have added very nice utility and value to your vessel.

[hokeyhydro]

Magnificent. I often sleep aboard my 18' runabout with nothing but the bimini overhead.  Keeps the dew off me, does a fair job of keeping me dry in a light rain if the wind ain't blowing, but is wide open for those pesky skeeters. Thankfully skeeters don't like me, but love my tasty wife. A rig like your full enclosure might lure her back the campout thang . . .

[John Turpin]

I finished my sleeping berth panels today.  Borrowing from Wes' sun deck panel design, I built these panels.  One configuration is to use them alongside the trunk.

[John Turpin]

When sleeping aboard under my new cockpit tent, the panels also fill in half of the cockpit.  First, I extend a custom extension pole.  Then, I drop in my set of panels.  This should let me rig a nice wide sleeping berth.  When not in use, the panels and pole will live in my starboard locker.

[wkisting]

Looks good! And to give credit where it is due... I got the aluminum lip idea from PAR, who built some floorboards that way for a CS17, I think. I just reapplied the idea in the form of panels. I made a new panel for my cockpit that fits the forward area or can be used as a bench seat aft. It came out well, but I haven't had a chance to paint it yet.

The extension pole is a clever idea for the aft area. Nice work.

[PinoyPiper]

Hi John,

I was wondering if you have any photos of the bimini and the sail up together? have you ever tried this? I'm seriously considering putting a bimini on the CS17 i'm building and sailing with it up, especially on longer trips. blazing hot summer days down here are pretty much everyday that's not raining.

cheers/roy

....Theoretically, I should be able to sail with it up, but I'd have to experiment with that.  With a reef in the mizzen and the sail head at the mast top, the sail foot should have clearance to swing over the bimini.  I don't see myself doing much sailing with the roof up, but on blazing hot summer days, it might be worth exploring.

[John Turpin]

Hi Roy,

I had several camping trips planned for this Spring, but each one has been cancelled because of some work or weather issue. So, I've not yet been able to use the bimini/tent at all. Hopefully I'll get to try it soon. I need some outdoors time for my mental health.

I'm not sure when I'll get the courage to try sailing with the bimini up. When under way, I spend a lot of time staring at the sails and my wind indicator. I can't imagine sailing with a roof over my head that prevents that. I guess I could put a plastic window in the bimini like big boats do.

John

[FloatingTA]

How, exactly, do the zippers work to attach the pieces together? I mean, do they just zip together as do the front panels of a jacket? Also - will the zippers LEAK in the rain? One more - if the forward end of the tent extends ovet the aft end of the cabin trunk (to increase the size of the cabin), how would it be fastened down?

I'd really like to make something like this!