Bob Another question: For me, a timely discussion, I am looking at replacing my bimini top this year, 8 year old Sunbrella, at end of life. I have been talking with my local canvas shop, and forwarding your comments on fabrics; particularly your use of Shelter-Rite. Your recent posting refers to tops made of Shelter-Rite; specifically lace-on tops. Your postings from August 07 also stated that you had successfully used Shelter-Rite on "conventional" bimini tops. Local shop is questioning the use of this heavy material on a bimini top. His comments: "It will not lay flay on the radius of the bows . It very heavy and may sag between the bows . It would be a very heavy top to install and remove ." My question: have you been successful in fabricating bimini tops with Shelter-Rite? How did you overcome the issues raised by the Local? Thank you Chet DeFever 49 CPMY, Cygnet Daytona Beach, FL

Chet, Go to: http://www.doylecaribbean.com/boats/further.html, a Whitby 58, and http://www.doylecaribbean.com/boats/morning.html, a Gulfstar 40, and http://www.doylecaribbean.com/boats/galatea.html, an Alden 54. The Custom Canvas page has examples of both welded and conventional floppy frames. If you really want to freak them out, tell them we weld the intermediate pockets to the top; first sewing the curved pocket to a rectangular piece then welding the rectangular piece to the top. Even our welder manufacturer says it can't be done, but my guys do it all the time. Welding the center seam and the intermediate pockets means there are no stitch holes in the top except around the perimeter. We do prefer to use the Nylon reinforced 18 oz. tarp for conventional biminis as it drapes better than the polyester reinforced tarp, but have used both successfully. Rather than seeing the weight as an obstacle, they should view it as an opportunity to use a fabric which can be stretched "drum tight". When we install one of our tops, it takes a 200 pound person sitting on the bow in each corner to get the straps tight enough, but once tight the top stays tight enough to play on; no sag, no wrinkles, no movement! Without a stable fabric - Sunbrella, being a woven fabric, is anything but stable having little bias stability - there isn't anything from which to hang enclosure panels without them being a saggy mess. Living here in Paradise where the boats are used year round in high UV and wind has forced us to get well out of the envelope, resulting in superior products. I have a number of ex-Moorings boats for which we have built full enclosures that are now in the Pacific NW, New Zealand, Australia, Northern Europe, providing protection year round, some of them into their second decade of full time use. Robert Phillips, Managing Director Doyle Sailmakers BVI, Ltd Tel: +284-494-2569 Mobile: +284-541-2206 VOIP US Tel: 423-285-8752 Skype: doylebvi On Sep 29, 2010, at 11:22 PM, Chester Brummett wrote: > Bob > > Another question: > > For me, a timely discussion, I am looking at replacing my bimini top this year, 8 year old Sunbrella, at end of life. > > I have been talking with my local canvas shop, and forwarding your comments on fabrics; particularly your use of Shelter-Rite. > > Your recent posting refers to tops made of Shelter-Rite; specifically lace-on tops. > > Your postings from August 07 also stated that you had successfully used Shelter-Rite on "conventional" bimini tops. > > Local shop is questioning the use of this heavy material on a bimini top. > > His comments: "It will not lay flay on the radius of the bows . > It very heavy and may sag between the bows . > It would be a very heavy top to install and remove ." > > My question: have you been successful in fabricating bimini tops with Shelter-Rite? How did you overcome the issues raised by the Local? > > Thank you > > Chet > DeFever 49 CPMY, Cygnet > Daytona Beach, FL