I got this umbrella...

But for real, I got an umbrella that they put on heavy macheen equipment. The kind that you see on the highway crews steam roller and graders. They are really heavy duty and have a nice cuve to them. I think it will be nice to have when at anchor.

Annie wrote:

See Lakatao photos.

Annie,

Lakatao is a very fine ship. I enjoyed looking at the photos I could find online. I think maybe I am suffering from delusions of grandeur. My little boat is not a big sailing ship. It seems the hoop awning is unrealistic for such a small sailboat and maybe what I really want is a bigger boat.

With apologies Stephen Stills I will keep telling myself, "If you can't be with the boat you love, love the boat you're with."

It is probably best for me to buy a 2 bow bimini off the shelf for days when I am anchored and swimming with my family. For sailing I should build a pramhood. Maybe I can get that done during the winter of 2021 to 2022.

Anonymous wrote:

I have not been able to find an existing topic discussing cockpit awnings that fold or roll up on to hoops. I attached a photo I found and saved a couple years ago now.

It seems like this type of cockpit cover would help keep the sheets away from my neck and also provide adjustable protection from the weather.

Is anyone aware of a JRA magazine article or a website that discusses how to build something like this?

Here in New Zealand a sister ship to my previous boat 'Footprints' has a similar arrangement. The curved pipe frame with some cross members, and then an awning laced in place, which also acted as a rain catcher with a guttering sewn in on both sides. In fact Roger Scott, one of our members, still owns Shoestring. On Shoestring the frame is made from about 2 inch galvanized pipe, but that would be too heavy for your little boat  You could probably build the frame up out of curved 1 inch galvanised pipe, but even better would be to have the frame made up from aluminum tube. The amount of strength required in the frame depends on whether the mainsheet is likely to catch on the frame. If the mainsheet is going to exert any pressure on the frame some kind of force and aft, and athwartship bracing would be required. The tube would need to be professionally bent to get the required consistent shape.On Footprints I had a similar frame which the bimini attached to, but that frame had hard corners so I always had to be very careful when gybing or tacking that the sheet did not catch on the frame.