Pearson Boats - Common Systems > Sails and Canvas

Raising Boom

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Seductress:
Hi,

Julie and I just took delivery of Seductress, a 1982 323 we bought sight unseen in an EBay auction. You can imagine our apprehension but we're delighted and excited with what we found. Sure she needs restoration and re-fitting but when we're done, we'll have exactly what we need.
We love the boat but find the bimini / dodger situation to be a problem. The bimini is too high and doesn't cover the front of the cockpit (only up to the boom). I contacted a sailmaker about raising the boom (and shortening the main) to accommodate a full length, full height (I'm over 6') reconfiguration underneath. He tells me the 323 depends most on the Genoa and shortening the main will not have a measurable effect of speed or performance. We don't plan to race (at the moment) but plan to cruise the Great Loop this summer. Any experience you may share with biminis, dodgers or boom raising is appreciated.
thanks,
Joe (and Julie too)
941-7O5-2OOO

Dolce_Vita:
Congratulations on a great purchase and welcome to the forum!  Lots of good information here, and plenty of knowledgable people to help out.  You're going to love the 323.  It's the perfect size for a cruising couple.

Our Bimini is similar to yours, limited by the boom-end sheeting.  You would have to convert to cabin-top sheeting on the boom in order to be able to extend the bimini further forward.

selene:
I can confirm that the 323 is very foresail-driven.  Surprisingly so - I have been experimenting with sailplans, and she points as well with jib alone as with jib and main.  We quite often end up leaving the main luffing so we are not overpowered.

Other than that, no advice on raising the boom...I am not to tall so it works for me, but I can imagine the dodger being inconvenient at your height.

Bill1188:
I have a dodger and bimini. Where the front zips to the rear edge of the dodger, I have a double ended zipper that I can configure wherever the top of the main sheet is. Tell you the truth, I think sailing with a bimini is like driving a convertible with the top down and the windows up. I only put the bimini up in port or sailing in rain.

Rusty Pelican:
I don't like sailing with the Bimini either. Use it mostly when the temps are high and the sun is burning down and we have a long way to go.
We have a "connector" that connects the dodger to the bimini, used in port.  We also have side "rain" panels that completely enclose the cockpit. We can use the entire cockpit in all kind of rainy conditions while being completely dry. Lux  I got pics if you need them
BobG

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