Bimmi for tiki 26

[patrick lennon]

Would this style of bimmi be possible on a Tiki 26? Planning to build a tiki26 or 30 for trip from gulf of Thailand to Australia.

[patrick lennon]

Should read bimmi for tiki26

[Andrés]

I don't think so. If you scale it to the T26, then it will be very low to be comfortable, and if you keep it's size then  It will be very high (high windage and horrible estetic). A pod-bimini like this will make the T26 very uncomfortable to sail. I think it is better something that you could dismantle when not in use. Here is an example

A bigger bimini could be nice, for this case I'm  thinking on a modification of the structure in the following pic with the tubes at the top straight and not very high.

I think that with a removable bimini and a dodger like in my boat (see the following picture) you can have a wood shelter from sun and spray, and when at anchor you can dismantle all this structure and erect a sun tent.

[patrick lennon]

Thanks for the ideas Andres. What I am concerned about is the sun when sailing. In the gulf of a Thailand it is very strong. The sample pic I supplied is from a charter co in Phuket sailing in a similar climate as the gulf . It seems like a very good solution for the Tiki 30. On the Tiki 26 the bottom of the mainsail must be quite low. Can one raise the sail by lengthening the mast thus gaining enough height for a strongly supported bimmi structure?

[Andrés]

I think a permanent bimini is not a good idea in a T26 because it will be on the way when in port and be uncomfortable for getting in and out of the cabins. In port you live on the central plataform and you need the space for moving around. 

I suppose that you can lengthen the mast a little because the Wharrams have a conservative rig, but in doing so you are rising the centre of gravity of the sail, this decreases the stability and could affect the balance of the rig (perhaps changing the weather helm).  I don't know what can happen.

[Maxim Jurgens]

Nice pic  !

Our T 30's were planned with a bimini in mind from the beginning,hence we made the mast a meter higher .

Frame is alu , bimini  itself 6 mm "plast wood "

Head roomi is still limited ,certainly not "standing". When scaling down to a T 26 headroom will be even less, assuming you want to keep the boat looking good and pretty . Whilst this design works fine for coastal charter use keep in mind that for offshore sailing the big disadvantages  of a fixed bimini  such as our's in combination with a tiki rig  are that reefing is something of a pain as you cannot drop the sail  in the cockpit and , when sailing with a reefed main  you will need to hoist the sail higher up the mast then you would probably want to as otherwise the main sheet does not clear the bimini . You can solve this by fitting a boom but that in turn creates a new set of disadvantages   .

Best solution for you is , I reckon, get a tan and buy a big hat .....

 Cheers 

                                  Makz 

                                                             Siam Sailing, Phuket 

[patrick lennon]

Thanks Jugen for the imput.

So it seems that the Tiki 26 and 30 does not have the possibility of having reasonable protection from the elements with the Wharram Gaff rig. One woud have to have a mainsail with boom and lazy jacks or perhaps junk sail for offshore work for ease of reefing.

I like the simplicity of the hat and tan idea but my celtic skin can not take the sun.

Cheers Pat

[Maxim Jurgens]

You could make a bimini but I'd advise against a permanent one. 

A removable bimini could be made by making sockets ( at least 50 cm long) in the corners of the cabin tops.

The vertical pipes of the bimini frame simply slide in the sockets. The bimini frame itself would consist of four four vertical pipes and four horizontal pipes .If you find the "roof " sags you add more horizontal pipes. The bimini frame would be made using quick -connect joints with bolts ,pins or lashings , so it is easy to assemble and disassemble . Perhaps 4- 6 mm  hold - down ropes are advisable to prevent the whole  bimini lifting out of it's sockets in blow .

For the bimini "roof" : I would not use cloth,  as it flaps in a blow and sags and collects water and leaks when it rains . I would probably use "plast wood : cut in strips of , say , 50 cm wide and the sections joined together  by  gluing on strips of pvc cloth. "Dunlop " glue glues  both pvc and plast wood very well     Leave some 10 mm between the joints. T his way the "roof " can be folded up like a harmonica  when not in use . The roof can connect to the frame with simple rope lashings. When sizing the pipes and the roof sections you have to keep in mind where to store them when the bimini is not in use and you may need to make provisions either inside the boat or on deck where to securely store the disassembled bimini  . You should keep it simple and it is important that the  bimjni is quick and easy to assemble and disassemble otherwise you will end up not using it and the time and money spent on it would be wasted .

Idea ? 

    Cheers & best regards 

                                                      Maxim Jurgens 

                                                             Siam Sailing, Phuket 

  

[Robert Hughes]

Every boat is a compromise in some way.  The T26 is small, cheap, easy to handle & maintain, and remarkably capable.  And of course beautiful.  The downside is a lack of space.  Protection from the elements while sailing is going to be very difficult, except if you sit in a hatchway with a simple hood or a bubble over you, which is what has been done for some ocean crossings.

Here's a suggestion I made on a similar thread early last year ;-)

[patrick lennon]

Thanks Maxim.

Your idea sounds pretty solid.I am not familiar with "plast wood" but sounds like it would solve some of the problems of a cloth Bimini. I just designed a bimini for my sailboat out of pvc impeg cloth quite heavy but does not move around much in the wind. In Thailand they use it for tuk tuk cover ect. has very good abrasion resistance.

I have built a few ply epoxy boats in Thailand and I am presently researching possibilities for a boat to cruise through Indonesia. The design should not take more than a year for a work crew of 3 to complete so it is a toss up between the tiki 26 or 30.

Thanks again for the input I will sketch it up in 3D and post it

Cheers

[boatsmith]

I found it difficult to fit a bimini to the Tiki 8m. We managaed to get sitting headroom under this one. the aft bow makes a nice handhold

[patrick lennon]

Hi Boatsmith

Very nice solution.

Is it a telescoping bimini. It looks like it acts as a gallows for the gaff on the main sail. What do you think of raising the foot of the main sail approx 1' perhaps by lengthening the mast. Does it interfere with any of the running lines? How about a heavy  5cm diam stainless tube to act as a permanent support aft and the bimini can be stored by rolling it up  and tieing to the support?

Cheers

Pat