Bimini Shade Curtains

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Has anyone made or purchased zip in/out shade curtains for their bimini/camper back? If so, what type of shade cloth did you use, and how did it work for you?

We have just used spring clamps to attach sheets to the bimini to block sun at places like Lake Powell, but it would be nice to have something that would just roll up like the camper back side.

 

[thataway]

Steve,
As you know we have also used clamps and light tan Sunbrella. One of the nice things about the clips, is that you can move as the sun moves--yet still allow the breeze to get in.

Sailrite has a host of fabrics Here. Page 7 or 8 gets into some of the meshes. I think that light colors are best.

Phifertex is the classic shade cloth. You can get all sorts thru the fabric shops, from 50% to 90% shade. I have used fabric from the Home Depot to make large shade cloths, for example when working on the Tom Cat we shaded the entire boat.

You should be able to get the YKK zipper that matches your bimini at Sail rite. If you have a machine which will handle Sunbrella t should handle the mesh also.

One of the issues, I see is that zippers start and stop different places--for example for the back it might be in the middle, the side at the back. So we have never taken the time to make shade cloths for the C Dory. On our sailboats we used the tan Sunbrella (got a bolt of a discontinued tan, before we left on our trip Calif. to Europe and back--Make covers and shades for all sorts of things, and still a few square yards left.)

 

[OffLeash]

Zip in Curtains made of Screen are great, especially if you live in an area with lots of mosquitos.
Phifertex Plus works pretty well at keeping the blood suckers out as well and provide plenty (95%) shade but blocks almost as much breeze as Noseeum screen. Regular phifertex (75% shade) is a good compromise but does let a few misquitos in. The low cost alternative is some garden shading at lows about $2or$3 /yard but kind of tacky looking unless you make zip in panels. Even better price is Harbor freight netting to keep dirt and gravel from jumping out of the back of your truck.

To keep us shaded and let the breeze in we ended up using a single curtain of sunbrella (or phifertex plus) that only covers the top half. This lets the breeze come in the bottom half and still keeps the majority of heat down. To keep things simple we only carry one general use shade curtain. We have added some strategically placed snaps on the bimini and curtain so we can move the same shade to any of the 3 back sides. ...The only problem is if we are at anchor and we move around a lot.

If you cruise in the land of the noseeum's...buy an air conditioner!

 

[thataway]

TEXTILENE® also comes in 80 90 and 95% shade.

Phifer's specific shade fabric are from: SunTex 95 (only 5% openness) , to Sun Tex 90 (10% openness) and 80 which is 25% openness. The openness referring to the amount of breeze let thru..

Our experience at Powell was that we wanted the entire side of the boat's cockpit shaded.

We also have bubble foil/ sheets cut to fit the windows to reflect the light and heat on the side where the sun comes from...One piece will fit either window. It is a good idea to have this in two pieces if you want to have some ventilation.

I think you have to separate out the issue of insects from the various sun block products. Phifer No-See-Um 20X20 Insect Screen Mesh is specifically for no-seems. The "Clear Vue" by Phifer is a bit courser mesh, with better air flow. These two have virtually no sun block effectt. Our pool cage has a mesh which keeps no see-em out--has a fair amount of wind resistance, and some shade effect, but I would not consider it a shade product.

Phifer does make a "solar insect screen"--with only 65% solar block.

On the boat, we use a military no see-em mesh which keeps them out--but it does decrease the breeze significantly. We usually use this at night--with a fan sucking the air in. No--no see--ems get in.

 

[brooks&judy]

We had light tan Sunbrella snap-on covers made for each of the camper-back windows on The Ticket (22 Cruiser) that worked really well. The covers allowed complete cockpit privacy for showering, partial privacy when snapped in on the dock side leaving a view out the other side, and they were a money-saver as covers for the plastic windows when leaving the boat out - saved them from sun deterioration.

When not in use, the collection of covers rolled up to about 4" x 4', easy to stow against the hull under the table or in the V-berth. When rolling up the side curtains with the covers in place, we did have to unsnap all but the top snaps to facilitate the rolling - not a big deal.

If you PM an email address, I'll send a photo.

When hot and we sought temporary shade, we used flimsy, colorful nylon serapes we got in Mexico clipped to the camper-back or wherever needed. Two of those 3' x 5' scarf-like panels were all we ever needed. One was often clipped in the companionway to the V-berth instead of that zipper thing the boats come with. It let light and air through but left the forepeak private.

We had snap-in curtains for the interior of all the cabin windows of the same tan Sunbrella we rolled up when not in use and secured with small cord loops dropped over little aluminum tabs screwed to the top of the window frames - quick to let down and snap tight to the windows or roll up, with no looking around for the one for That window.

May your solution please you!