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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Bimini - 250 for $307.20

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Keith D.
Navigator

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USA
233 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/11/2004 : 23:12:49

Well I spent Saturday putting a bimini top on my 250. I ran my powerboat for 2 years without one and after putting one on, it was the one best thing I ever did to it. I didn’t know why I didn’t put one on from the show room floor. So having had this boat for five months it’s got one. What I haven’t figured out yet is why everyone wants to put a custom top on instead of an off the shelf model. As with the powerboat I took the measurements and went to Iboats.com and got an off the shelf bimini top. They had one which would fit for $307.20 part #4687A and for $25 more they sent it with all stainless fittings. It may not have all the bells and whistles of the custom tops but it works for me. I could probably add a window later if I feel the need. With the money I saved I got a Raymarine st60 series close haul wind gauge so I won’t have to look up at the Windex anyway. The only thing I had to add to the top was two #6 grommets to give the back stay a place to go through. Like all the other tops on the 250’s it will fold up on the backstay if you want the sun. I am a trailer sailor so it goes on and off when I put the mast up. I did also take it off with the sails up by taking one backstay off at a time. I wasn’t under sail but with the sails luffing there wasn’t any problem removing one stay bringing it to the outside of the bimini and reattaching it and then doing the other. There is no real reason you would ever need to do this but I was just looking at the possibilities. It folds forward under the lifelines for when it is on the trailer so you don’t need to take it off completely. Well here is some pictures what do you think?

This first picture is with the mast down and the back stays through the top. It is ready to bring the mast up.

The second picture the mast is up and it is hanging on the backstay the tie down straps are not attached yet.

The next picture the tie down straps are in place and the top is fully up.

Here is a side view. And the next two are details of the grommets.

Keith
Southern California
250wb Hull #8

Edited by - on

Dkn420
Captain

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USA
298 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2004 : 12:13:19

Keith: Good job! How are the front tie down straps attached to the boat? Dan #727

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sailgal
Captain

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USA
400 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2004 : 13:36:32

Looks good Keith!

It appears the front tie down straps are hooked to hull mounted eye straps. Another idea without having to drill is to run them to the side grab handle stantions. If you look close you'll see in my photo.

My dealer also drilled a new hole about a foot foward on the boom for the main sheet attachment. Gave my bimini a bit more length.
Of coarse I didn't get the great price Keith did!

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2004 : 15:05:19

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Keith D.
 Well, I spent Saturday putting a bimini top on my 250. I ran my powerboat for 2 years without one and after putting one on, it was the one best thing I ever did to it...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Good job Kieth!

I, too, went with an off-the-shelf bimini for my C25 and I couldn't agree more with your statement about the bimni being the best thing you ever did.

My family and I do a lot of sailing in the hot sun and the bimini is worth its weight in gold for keeping the cockpit shaded and cool! Underway, my kids often stretch out for a nap in the cockpit, and without the sun beating down on them, they don't have to worry about waking up to a nasty sunburn.

Again good job, Keith.

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Docsparker
Deckhand

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USA
9 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2004 : 15:26:36

Keith,
You bimini looks great! Could you please post your measurements you used for such a great fit?
Thanks,
John Parker

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mday
Navigator

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197 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2004 : 19:22:13

Keith,

This looks good. I especially like how you set it up to shade aft of the backstays. I have what I assume is a "factory" bimini that came with a canvas package listed on the boat purchase order. It's about the same size, but sits in front of the backstays -- not providing much shade to anyone siting on the seat over the fuel box -- which is where you usually are with a wheel steering system. Maybe it's the angle, but your mainsheet looks to be further back on the boom than mine and wouldn't allow the bimini to go any further forward. Suzie's picture looks more like what I see. Difference between a WK and a WB? Or maybe my mainsheet was moved to make room for the bimini? I guess you need that wind guage 'cause you won't be able to see the windex while under the canvas. I've sailed on a boat with a big bimini that had a strategically placed zippered window to allow you to see the sails and windex while at the helm. Anyway, a very nice job.

Did the off the shelf package offer a cover too?

Max

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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2004 : 20:33:16

Keith, you da man!!! It's the last must have item I had planned for the Lady. I heard rumblings earlier of a "proper" (read: good job few dollars) solution to this problem, and as I was hoping, you came up with it. Now, save me the last step and give me the exact details, so I can call in my order........Thanks in advance

..

Max, like so many other things on these boats, there seems to be ambiguity regarding the placement of the main sheet. I even saw a boom with two holes.......Within reason....as in a foot and a half or so, you can put the thing anywhere you want. Just drill a hole.

For your reference, mine is straight up when centered, and lies neatly on the top cross piece of the mid-ship pulpit with the boom all the way out, and does not run by anything sharp on the way in. Play with it, make it work.

Oscar
250WB#618 Lady Kay in Venice Inlet, Florida USA.

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Keith D.
Navigator

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USA
233 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2004 : 20:55:02

Dan the front tie down straps is hooked to hull mounted eye straps, which are put in with stainless sheet metal screws provided with the top. They are outboard enough so if I think I need to put nuts and bolts on them the hole will come through behind the rub rail. The eye straps on my powerboat are on the same way and I go blasting around at 50 mph all the time and they haven’t pulled up holding down an 8’ bimini.
I originally did mount the front tie straps to the front lifeline eye but it looked very strange, too far forward and not enough down. It would look ok if I changed the mount for the main sheet a foot further forward and brought the bimini forward.
I wanted the bimini outside the lifelines so the measurements I came up with are 88” wide 40-46” tall and 6’ long.
Max how long is your bimini? If they moved the main sheet placement on the boom there will be an extra hole in the boom where it used to attach. I brought the back stays through the top with #6 grommets. They need to be that size so the fittings on the ends of the back stay will pass through them. To find out where the grommets should go measure from the floor to the canvas on the binini. Then go to the back stays and mark the same height on the wire with a marker or a piece or tape. This is the point the stays will go through the canvas of the bimini. Then take a plumb bob holding the string at the point marked on the wire and make a mark on the floor for each of the two stays. At this point you will need to remove the two back stay wires. I tied a rope to the junction point and ran it over the mast carrier, at its highest extension, and tied it off on the rear rail. I could have used the main halyard and kept the backstay out of this totally. This got the backstays out of the way so I could mount the bimini wherever I wanted it to be. Mount the bimini and double check the height of the bimini is still what your original figure was. Now you can take the plumb bob and move the string around on the top of the bimini until it is directly over the marks you made on the floor for the stays. This will give you the exact spot the backstay wires will pass through the top so mark the top at this point and install the grommets. You can now reinstall the backstay wires through the top.
The bimini did come with a cover but will have to be modified with two zippers and a flap to get around the backstay wires when it is folded up on the backstay.

Keith

Edited by - Keith D. on 07/22/2004 23:21:03

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2004 : 21:05:29

What speedy service.......thank you. One more question: I assume you can stand under the thing? It's just lower than the boom, and I can stand under it....(barely). FYI, I'm 6' tall.

Oscar
250WB#618 Lady Kay in Venice Inlet, Florida USA.

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Keith D.
Navigator

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USA
233 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2004 : 22:35:20

Oscar I am also 6’ tall but I can not stand under my boom. I had to lower the top down to 63” from the floor to get under the boom. I can stand under the top but I have to lean over a bit. I wish the boom was higher and I would have put the top up higher. I had to take 6” off of it to lower it from its original height.
I did the boom height check with the sail up and the boom vang tight.

Keith

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reuben
Navigator

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USA
202 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2004 : 16:07:39

Man, what a helpful thread... We've been talking all winter about whether we need/can afford a bimini, but so many discussions involve the number 900 it got a little discouraging. Keith, your photos & descriptions are just what we needed to see. Many thanks.

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frejoh
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USA
116 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2004 : 13:28:22

This IS tremendous help! I posted about a bimini last month, and the possibility of getting one for under $400 is great news. I'll check iboats.com ASAP. Thanks!

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frejoh
Navigator

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USA
116 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2004 : 13:28:42

This IS tremendous help! I posted about a bimini last month, and the possibility of getting one for under $400 is great news. I'll check iboats.com ASAP. Thanks!

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