Bimini top made with solar panels

[fxykty]

Work has begun (by Choice Stainless at The Boat Works, Coomera Queensland)! Day 1 began with cutting out the angled side tubes and replacing with the new squared off shape and 90* corner back at the front edge of the new panels, about 750mm back from the front of the bimini frame and salon. The outer tube will be 45mm proud of the panel edges to make it a handrail. All the interior tubes are tacked in place and the shape is taking place.

We’ll be adding a vertical pillar to the front outer corner to provide support and prevent cantilevering. Panels will go on tomorrow as well. There will be a rubber gasket between each pair.

Central walkway and front filler panels will be made of foam cored fibreglass sheets, after the panels and frame are complete.

[OldManMirage]

I'm kinda late to the party but my boat has a DIY stainless frame with 2 panels mounted. It sits above the helm and there is a gap between the panels to let you view the sails. It works well for shade too.

I plan on either adding panels or replacing the existing with larger ones. I also will be making a "connector" between the dodger and the "hardtop," for lack of a better term.

[OldManMirage]

Here is a pic of what I have.

[Cpt Mark]

What diameter are the tubes the walkway is being made from? How far apart are the cross tubes? I'm about to build mine too. A bit different than yours. I'm using a product from Carbon Core, it's their laminated honeycomb sheet. Both faces have FG with Gelcoat on them. 1" thick can handle 225lbs with little to no deflection across a 3/' span and a 4'x8' sheet costs about $212usd plus shipping which is $300 USD in any amount of product. This product will allow for a very fast and easy build.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by Cpt Mark

What diameter are the tubes the walkway is being made from? How far apart are the cross tubes? I'm about to build mine too. A bit different than yours. I'm using a product from Carbon Core, it's their laminated honeycomb sheet. Both faces have FG with Gelcoat on them. 1" thick can handle 225lbs with little to no deflection across a 3/' span and a 4'x8' sheet costs about $212usd plus shipping which is $300 USD in any amount of product. This product will allow for a very fast and easy build.

Originally the walkway spanned the front and rear primary tubes, a distance of 2.60m (about 8.5’) with 2.25” tubes on each side. With a thin cored fibreglass sheet there was sag with my weight.

Same tubes and dimensions for the walkway, with the addition of three 2.5” cross tubes (that continue to the side edges) at even centres. These will significantly stiffen the entire structure, which is necessary to support the 4x 395W panels. The new walkway will be 1” foam with two layers of fibreglass on each side. There should be no sag. Will report the results next week when the work is done.

[fxykty]

Good progress today with all new tubes tacked then welded into place and initial panel fitment started. Work should be complete with panels fitted and mounted tomorrow.

New forward vertical support with a bend to clear the winch handle circles. Without this support we would have had to have used much thicker tube to support the cantilever, so even though it loses a bit of deck area it’s worth it. This will also be a great handhold for entering and leaving the cockpit. We’ve added a sheet guard to the rear corner that also makes a great handhold for the aft deck areas.



Two of the panels dry fit. At the sides and front of the outside panel there is a 50mm gap between the panel and the tube that makes a handhold along each edge. Between each panel of a pair we’ll have 15mm rubber gasket, compressed to 5mm. Over top of that we’ll have a bead of sealer.



Central walkway and forward panels are almost ready for final measurement. Fabrication and installation will be early next week. Between the panels and walkway/panels we’ll have sealer only.

[two-rocks]

Edit: Was a reply to an earlier post, NLA

These forum ads are outta hand…

[Manateeman]

Manatee Bimini. Approximately 11’ x12’. Aluminum tube all TIG welded with rounded corners and crown similar to deck beams. All tubes 1-1/2” I D.
Eight vertical legs angled forward. Connected to 2” angle welded between cross members. Similar to tuna tower.
Walk way composed of two aluminum antiskid planks used for dock ramps.
Four humongous solar panels. LED lights, pizza party lights.
Drop down mount and gunsights for the pizza bazooka.
Happy trails to you.
Mark

[bcboomer]

This is a picture of mine before I put on the Starlink and a dinghy mount.
It's been great to never need to run the engine for electricity and I took the Honda generator off the boat.

[Cpt Mark]

Originally Posted by Manateeman

Manatee Bimini. Approximately 11’ x12’. Aluminum tube all TIG welded with rounded corners and crown similar to deck beams. All tubes 1-1/2” I D.
Eight vertical legs angled forward. Connected to 2” angle welded between cross members. Similar to tuna tower.
Walk way composed of two aluminum antiskid planks used for dock ramps.
Four humongous solar panels. LED lights, pizza party lights.
Drop down mount and gunsights for the pizza bazooka.
Happy trails to you.
Mark

1 1/2" pk. What was the wall thickness? Is your traveller or mainsheet attached or just solar panels and a walkway? I'm very curios about the detaials

[fxykty]

All stainless work completed and 4 solar panels mounted. Walkway and forward cover panels to be made this weekend and next week.



Handrails built in!

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by fxykty

All stainless work completed and 4 solar panels mounted. Walkway and forward cover panels to be made this weekend and next week.

Attachment 254574

Handrails built in!

Attachment 254575

Looking good, obviously skilled fabricators.

[RaymondR]

Both my bimini and dodger have solar panels built into them. I used an aluminium frame and fitted 1 mm aluminium sheet sealed around the edges on the underside to seal against leakage and protect the panels from boat hooks, gaffs etc.

[fxykty]

Completed today!!

Well, the hardware and panel wiring. Now “all” that is left is the soft panels to enclose the cockpit.

Top view from forward:


Side view from underneath:


We have two drains/water collecting spouts at the two forward outer corners to which we’ll attach Gardenia quick connect fittings.

We’re really looking forward to having a dry cockpit finally. That is generally very common on catamarans but unfortunately the first generation Outremers were designed for Europe and hard core sailing and didn’t bother with sun/rain covers. Once we’ve built full front/side/back covers we’ll be all set.

[Rocinante33]

Originally Posted by mickand

I lost my canvas but wanted to keep the frame.
Laid out 2 - 4x8 shower panels ($80 from Home Depot) side by side on a flat concrete floor, laid 2 layers of 1.5oz fiberglass and bolted what was now a hardtop to the frame using pipe clamps. Reinforced the frame with a couple of stainless struts and fixed 8 100 watt flexible solar panels on top.
It's worked well for 2 years but not convinced as to the efficiency of flexible solar panels

I did the same thing. Replaced the ratty canvas with two Home Depot shower panels that I cut to fit using the old canvas as a template and then u-bolted onto steel frame. I have two holes in the top for a split backstay and one to allow passage of electric cables from solar panels and I had to fiddle around with a way to make the seam watertight (thanks, pvc trim piece plus 5280) and around the backstay holes. Those holes weep a little because of friction but far far less water goes through now than came through the canvas

The roof looks attractive from the cockpit and stops anybody from accidentally grabbing at the solar panels or their electric lines and adds much stability.

By the by, I also replaced the web straps with ss struts so everything is much more stable and grabable.

Two years in and they still look clean and bonus is the rain cleans it well. I’m sure the florida sun will do it’s thing, but the shower panels seem to be outperforming canvas in the SoFlo sun

One other note. HD sells a few varieties of that panel and some grades are much more moldable and flexible.

As to solar panels, after using 2x150 flexible panels, (which crazed and lost efficiency very quickly) it was explained to me by a non sailor that those panels are meant to be flexed once, not continuously, the way that they tend to be on a boat roof. I replaced with two rigid panels which have performed much better.