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Home. Association Forum Ships Store Cruising Racing Technical Tips Photo Gallery - New Boat Search - Updated Manuals & Brochures Swap Meet Links Officer Flag Line & Staff Bylaws & Constitution   Members Area Join the Association   Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.	Brooke Willson's Bimini for SK Tall Rig. Here are pics and specs for the bimini system I've installed on "Even Chance" (1985 SKTR # 5050): 1. I moved the mainsheet to the forward end of the cockpit by installing a 2x4 piece of teak just aft of the companionway threshold, and by bolting a Harken small boat traveler to the top of the teak. The traveler has less travel than the one mounted on the pushpit, but not a lot. Mounting the traveler at the threshold level makes companionway egress pretty easy. Generally, because the car is on one side of the cockpit or the other, it's simple to get through the hatch. I also decided not to mount the traveler the full width of the cockpit, because Vicki likes to sit with her back against the bulkhead. The mainsheet is attached to a bail on the boom. The bail is pretty much directly over the traveler when the boom is centered. Even when the boom is far out to the side, the mainsheet line runs fair over lifelines and avoids the cabin. 2. The bimini is a stock Taylor from West Marine, # 62134: 36" high by 4' long by 80" wide. Had I ordered the 6' model I would have had to cut a slot for the backstay. The bimini hinges were TIG welded to genoa track sliders. 3. All this required a new mainsail, one with a shorter luff (and leech) than the stock C25TR sail. I discovered that the Capri 25 sail is exactly the right dimensions, and ordered one from Doyle sailmakers, via catalinaowners.com. After many discussions, I ordered a loose foot and two full battens at the top. I ordered one reef, but they threw in a second for free. It's stiff and beautiful and actually flakes inside the lazyjacks! With the sail hoisted, the boom centered, and the mainsheet hardened, there's about four inches clearance between the boom and the bimini. I can sit comfortably under the bimini with headroom to spare (I'm 6'3"), and there's plenty of room between the front of the bimini and the cabin trunk to easily go on deck. No, the bimini doesn't cover the entire cockpit, but with the genoa sliders I can move it fore and aft as needed. When stowed, it lays against the backstay out of the way. Life is full of compromises, but these look like they're going to work. New traveler aft of the companionway threshold: Mid-boom mainsheet: Hinges welded to genoa track slides (welding discolors the stainless): Bimini from overhead, showing the boom clearance: Vicki under the bimini: Another bimini shot: Bimini stowed against the backstay: For questions or comments you can contact Brian Smith via the forum.