Shade while underway

[paul anderson]

I have been thinking of some sort of shade arrangement whilst sailing on my cat.As i will be sailing mostly in the tropics some sort of shade seems essential.With the height restrictions due to the foot of the sail etc.All ideas welcome no matter how eccentric/off the wall they may sound.

all the best paul.

[Robert Hughes]

Here you go...    ;-)

[Lee Dilkes]

Hey Paul,

You running a standard rig?

[Russell and Janet Puryear]

I'll be interested in the ideas here as well. I'm running a standard rig.

The umbrella hat is nice, but I don't think my wife will let me bring a rack like that aboard.

[Randall S Anselmo]

While there is much to love about the design of this boat, no design is perfect, and this has been my main complaint with the T26.  I have thought much about it as I've slathered my sunscreen and donned my long sleeves and wide-brimmed hat, and I feel that the best solution is still to build a longer mast, raising the sail foot high enough to accommodate a bimini or similar shade. I have fooled around with umbrellas that have clamps on the base, and while they can be helpful when all of the conditions are aligned, they are generally unsatisfactory. I also thought about building a narrow (maybe 2-3 feet wide) fixed shade spanning the aftermost section of the cockpit, with posts attached to the outboard sides of the cabin trunks.  There is just enough height under that section of the sail foot to sit under such a shade, but it would only offer partial shade and be a bit of an obstacle when entering/exiting the cabin. I also like to stand back there sometimes, particularly when navigating shallows, docking, etc.

[kim whitmyre]

I've always like this shot of James' underway. . .

Some pvc and a split-bamboo shade!

[paul anderson]

Those pvc pipes have a lot going for them Kim,I could see this with a tarp instead of bamboo that could be rolled up for easy storage.Robert does that design come with in a steering mode  too? Lee it is a standard rig but the mast is extended by a foot.I have scupper holes in my cockpit floor that i may be able to rig some rudimentary shelter.I love the word ''rudimentary''I think all the documentaries i watched as a kid had anthropologists blabbing on about rudimentary shelters.Keep them coming fellas.

[Robert Hughes]

Here's another couple of pics of James' shelter, taken about ten or twelve years ago when we had a short holiday on Gaia in Greece.  I'm not sure but I think the pipes may have been something stiffer than PVC.  It's ok in short lengths but longer bits tend to sag after a short time.  I tried using it for a tent once and it wasn't very successful.  Better to buy fibreglass tent poles that are also easy to stow away as you can collapse them into a very short bundle.

Incidentally the boys steering in the pictures are my sons, who both now work at sea.  They're just finishing their training to be merchant marine bridge officers.  One is shuttling a ferry back and forth between Dover and Dunkerque, and the other is on a 100,000 ton P&O cruise ship.  It just shows you where messing about on a Wharran can lead...

[paul anderson]

I think it was Knox Johnson who lauded the British merchant marine as the finest institution to learn the ways of the sea.So having cut their teeth on wharrams surely your sons now are surrounded by topless totty?

[Robert Hughes]

Unfortunately no, it's always too cold in England!  Here's a picture from our maiden voyage on Zest, which illustrates the point:-

[Andrés]

Here are some pictures of a T26 with a shade tent

[paul anderson]

Andres you are a legend this looks like a simple but effective solution.

all the best paul.

[kim whitmyre]

Robert,

Why that looks like a lovely warm bit of Old Blighty from here!!  ;~)

Kim

Robert Hughes said:

Unfortunately no, it's always too cold in England!  Here's a picture from our maiden voyage on Zest, which illustrates the point:-