Thanks BG, I agree that a bimini is a must. July and August here on the NC coast gets brutal. Joe ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brian Gilbert" <hammerguy@bellsouth.net> To: <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2009 8:03 AM Subject: Re: M_Boats: Bimini
Hi Joe:
I bought a used aluminum-framed bimini on ebay when I first got the boat, and I believe it is a CRITICAL piece of gear. I never got around to installing one on my previous boats, but now that I've tried it, I'll NEVER go back. Sailing in the inland south, we get a lot of days that are just plain hot and still, and the bimini makes these much more bearable. It's like adding a porch to your house... it really increases your living space.
My bimini was a little narrow when I got it, so the hinges are fastened to the cockpit seats. This arrangement has plusses and negatives... the negatives are I've lost a little bit of space, and the seat backs are obstructed in a few spots.... I can't comfortably seat six in the cockpit anymore, but that's a bad idea anyway. The plus side is that the arms are clear of the winches, and it's easier to peek over the edge to check the mainsail shape.
Still, the eventual plan is to widen the frame and re-stitch the cover (again) to fit the boat better.
Hope this helps
BG
Brian Gilbert Author, Fix It And Sail, The Complete Trailer Sailer
On Mar 18, 2009, at 8:04 PM, montgomery_boats-request@mailman.xmission.com wrote:
Re the bimini, do any of you M17 owners have a bimini and if so where did you find one?
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