?Brian,
Attached are the photos of my masonite templates for solar panel backing plate plates. ?Four photos show the templates mounted on top of the Bimini. ?Note the problems with gaps between the canvas and the template. ?One photo shows the template mounted under the Bimini and over the center ridge pipe, and one photo shows a template (simulating a solar panels) mounted directly over the backing plate under the Bimini in the previous photo. ?This is the plan I will use. ?The tech guy at Custom Marine Products thinks it¡¯s an excellent idea and gave it his blessing, for whatever that¡¯s worth. ?My local canvass guy likes it too, and says modification to the center pipe zipper can be done at reasonable cost.
As previously stated I plan to make the actual backing plates out of 1/4¡± StarBoard with the edges rounded off because I think it is much better suited to the marine environment. I will mount the backing plates and the panels with appropriate length 10x24 bolts a washers in the fashion of the bolt kit available through Custom Marine Products. ?I will also have some grommets and 2¡± squares of reinforcing canvass add to the bolt holes, again at minimal cost.
Don Fleming
Duet
S-38-1 #77
Hudson River
