Association Forum - Moving the Bimini to the Cat Bird Seats

Assn Members Area · Join

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.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Moving the Bimini to the Cat Bird Seats

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

britinusa
Web Editor

Member Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/09/2010 : 19:26:27

Turned out an easy mod.

The clamp on SS Rail mounts are installed just above the lifeline attachments on the leading edge of the Catbird seat tubing.

Method was a breeze: Disconnected one side of the bimini attachment to the combing. Mark the bimini down tube with a fiber tip pen. Cut the tube using a harbor freight cutting disk.

Remove the lower Bimini connector from the cut off tube and attach to the remaining tube end.

Screw it all together (2 screws) and repeat on the other side.

Whole project took 10 minutes once I had all the tools handy and the positioning figured out.

A benefit of the mod is that the bimini used to fold down and lay forward of the mainsheet tackle. After the mod, it lays down aft of the mainsheet tackle which makes it easier to access the cabin.

Pictures in the morning.

Paul

Joint Decision. (Sold)
PO C250WB 2005 Sail # 841.

Moved up to C34 Eximius

Updated August 2015

Edited by - on

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2272 Posts

Response Posted - 11/09/2010 : 19:48:09

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by britinusa
 ...A benefit of the mod is that the bimini used to fold down and lay forward of the mainsheet tackle. After the mod, it lays down aft of the mainsheet tackle which makes it easier to access the cabin.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

One thing you might consider is lashing it to the backstay. That would keep it up and completely out of the way.

One other possibile modification is to attach rigid support braces in the back. That way you can go strapless:

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

Members Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 11/10/2010 : 04:57:16

Pics of the mod.

Closeup of the Stbd side.
The clamp has been lowered, I figured it would reduce the tendancy for it to try to rotate when the bimini is raised and lowered, but the clamp holds so tight that I'm going to raise it an 1/8" like the port side.

I moved the fwd leaning tubes upwards, but looks like I didn't need to do that, might just move them back to original positions.

I'll adjust the fwd leaning tubes on each side so that things are uniform.

The bimini folds down, now aft of the mainsheet tackle.

Note the leather anti chafe I sewed onto the edge of the Bimini. Wish I had done that when the bimini was new!

The biggest job is going to be the clean up and sealing of the old screw holes where the bimini originally attached to the combing.

It feels like a lot more butt room on the cat bird seats, certainly getting seated is a lot easier now that the bimini tube is out of the way.

Next project in this area is to install a double backstay attached to the catbird seats with Pelican hooks.

Paul

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

Members Avatar

USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 11/10/2010 : 11:22:10

Nice job. I assume those were part you have been waiting so long for?

Note how my bimini is attached to cat bird seats below.
Steve A

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

Members Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 11/10/2010 : 20:38:46

Somehow Steve, I think I would have to duck down to get under the bimini on Piseas II

Paul

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

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.