Taylor Anchor Shade

[BoxedUp]

Anyone use this in place of traditional bimini?

[Izzy1414]

The anchor shade is an aptly named product. Ours works very well in light wind on the hook. Gotta stow it when sailing or if the wind comes up. It's portable, so you can take it to the beach. Whether it is a good alternative to a bimini would depend on the conditions where you sail and how you want to use it. If you need shelter while sailing or in higher winds, then no. If you're just waiting out the dead calm with your coldie and chips, then it works great. Below is a thumbnail of ours in action. Sorry it is so small, it's the only pic I could find, but maybe you get the general idea.

[BoxedUp]

We're in the NE on Long Island Sound and while at anchor or mooring during the dog days of summer, is exactly when I would plan to use it. Difficult to justify the expense of a bimini installation for 2 months of use.

It seems that Taylor has released a revised version called AnchorShade II which claims better support ribs and increased size from 6' to 7'

Thanks for the feedback!

[Izzy1414]

Sounds like it might be a good fit for you. I can't see anything wrong with revisions to beef it up unless it adds a lot to the weight. The increased size would depend on your boat. The anchor shade uses 4 guys (1 on each corner) for stability. You'll need enough beam so that the guys can attach to a point outward to work properly. My 7.5 foot beam provides just enough for my 6 foot umbrella. You could fashion some type of extensions for your stanchions or rails to get extra width if you need it but with a cost of extra complication and ease of rigging. Also, standing rigging can get in the way (especially the back stay). Just from experience, I know that on my 26 footer, bigger would not necessarily be better.

[sailingdog]

Hmm... I could probably rig one that was 15' wide... since I have an 18' beam.

Originally Posted by Izzy1414

Sounds like it might be a good fit for you. I can't see anything wrong with revisions to beef it up unless it adds a lot to the weight. The increased size would depend on your boat. The anchor shade uses 4 guys (1 on each corner) for stability. You'll need enough beam so that the guys can attach to a point outward to work properly. My 7.5 foot beam provides just enough for my 6 foot umbrella. You could fashion some type of extensions for your stanchions or rails to get extra width if you need it but with a cost of extra complication and ease of rigging. Also, standing rigging can get in the way (especially the back stay). Just from experience, I know that on my 26 footer, bigger would not necessarily be better.

[Izzy1414]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Hmm... I could probably rig one that was 15' wide... since I have an 18' beam.

Ya, I heard that next year's Super Bowl is gunna be played in the Dog Dome. It's nice to see those extra thingys on either side of your hull are good for something.

[BoxedUp]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Hmm... I could probably rig one that was 15' wide... since I have an 18' beam.

Go ahead, make us all feel inadequate......

[jbondy]

From the pix, it looks like it has a center post that will touch down in the middle of the cockpit. In addition to the backstay, another possible problem would be a topping lift, if it would go over the boom. On my 32 footer, I wouldn't have the headroom to deploy it under the boom. I'd prefer to find a way to rig one that uses the boom as the center support, maybe with a zipper to allow it to surround the topping lift, and then use the corner guys to secure it.

[BoxedUp]

This looks interesting but over 3X the cost...
Ronstan Sailboat Hardware | AIR ARCH Video

[jbondy]

The Ronstan Air Arch lloks more like what I'd like, but it IS expensive. It looks easy enough to make using poles or battens instead of the inflatable supports.