Our first Shade Tree setup and in the Bahia de Navidad lagoon - 2013

 We set up our stern ShadeTree (ST) for the first time and it took quite a while to get set up. We had to read the instructions as we went. It is hard to complain so we will not as we are on the Mexican Riviera (Gold Coast) in the most beautiful weather and scenery you can imagine.

 Anchored in Bahia de Navidad  lagoon – January 2013

 Any way we did break a sweat as it was getting warm in the sun but we got it up. We need to make some cuts by the aft side stays for the Shade Tree to get by these stays. We wanted the ST to fit up against the mast and then to the topping lift before the solar panels on the bimini. A lot of people we see just get them from the stay to the back stay or however far to the stern they wish, eliminating the cut for the side stay. There may be other cuts that need making though.

 This Shadetree boat awning systems(ST) sure helps keep the sun out.

We could then open up the dodger by removing the windows and getting all the breeze!

 We want maximum shade for summering over during hurricane season so next to the mast on the forward one and the stern one.
 Remember we posted that Debbie got these from Shadetree boat awning systems as over stock and saved us big. We were able to get the aft and forward ones. They are not custom for our boat though.

 This one seems custom. It is the right length and seems to be a good height.

The first day we had it up the winds picked up and we got 12-19 knots at anchor most of the afternoon. We were more concerned about dragging in the lousy holding of this lagoon than of any damage to the Shadetree boat awning systems. As it turned out the next afternoon we got 15-23 knots all afternoon.

 We covered the solar panel on top of the dodger with a blanket (Debbie was kind enough not to protest) so the Shadetree boat awning systems would not get torn on the edges of the solar panel. The Shadetree boat awning systems flexed although as we do not have it set up properly yet.  Even though the wind was strong, the ST did not make us drag anchor.

 

 

 

Wind blowing ST side ways. 

  There were two other boats here in this anchorage a couple days ago that had stern ST’s on their boats but we did not get a chance to check them out. One was the Spectra Water Maker rep Chris on S\V Legacy. 

There is a new boat at anchor here now that set their Shadetree boat awning systems up at the same time and the Shadetree boat awning systems did move around as much, we will dinghy over today.

The Shadetree boat awning systems came down easy as Debbie suggested we remove it rods and all then remove the rods. Debbie even got it folded up and back into the same bag. We folded it like a sheet (Debbie said).

We did make water and did not lose any AMPS. We wanted to test out power as we lose one whole 135 WATT solar panel (Top of the dodger) and parts of another as the boat turns and shades part of one.

We made water from noon to 4PM and we started at 13.04 volts and ended at 12.90 volts so still at 100 percent charged. We would start at about 10 am till 3 pm next time for better sun with the Shadetree boat awning systems up. Still very impressive as the Spectra Ventura 200T uses 10 amps per hour to make 8 GPH. We also used the electronics to track the wind and radios. The refer is always on and we were charging the pads and laptop etc. Just electric a usual. It was a test and passed nicely.

By topping lift.

 We did the measuring for the side stays and took down the Shadetree boat awning systems and will do the cuts and sewing at a later date.

Now for the forward Shade Tree!