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[email protected] koosvander@gmail.com is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Aug 2007
Posts: 14
Default Forming rounded corners with Fiberglass and ply.

On Aug 23, 3:07 pm, "Lew Hodgett" wrote:
OK.

You build the hard bimini on the ground, then put it in place with a
crane since it will be about 12 ft x 12 ft, maybe more, and weigh
250-300 lbs.

It will be totally self supporting requiring only some 2" pipe posts
in the corner to support it.

It will be totally clear underneath, part of the beauty of foam core
construction.

You will probably have to raise the boom about 12" and recut the main,
especially when you include the solar panels.

Get a copy of Fred Bingham's book, Practical Yacht Joinery. It has a
lot of info that will be useful for this project.

You will need a roll of 17OZ double bias glass (Knytex DB170),
probably about 6 sheets of 3/4" Divinycell, a 500 lb drum (55 gal) of
laminating epoxy and a couple of 5 gal pails of hardener.

You will also need a couple of 30 lb bags of Dic-A-Perl, HP500, to
make fairing putty.

As far as the front "windows" are concerned, have to think about that
a while.

This is a simple, straight forward process, but a hell of a lot of
hard work

Are you sure you want to open up this can of worms?

Lew


If you want to scare me off, tell me about the itch of fiberglass, I
dread it..

I think I'll adjust the dodger downward rather then adjust the boom
upward. It's a tall dodger now, so there is room for adjustment.

I was imagining that it would be built in place, is that a bad idea?
My boom and six dock apes should hold 350 pounds, but will use a crane
if we have to.

I'm surprised at the amount of epoxy needed. Thanks for the warning.

-Koos.