Replacing 26 year old Bimini Top

[phatdaddy]

well, after only 26 years in the harsh florida sun, my top has decided to call it quits. actually material is ok, stitching failed. I considered sending it to inaforty for a make over, but all the hardware is frozen to the rails. by the time i replace all of that and get it re-stitched, it would be too much sugar for a dime.

i did a search and saw a site destroyer recommended(feb 2017), looked good and price was right. just wondering if you guys had and recommendations , pros and cons of certain ones, etc.

Destroyer or Jeb, if you see this, which one did u get from the marine & rv direct site.

at my age, if it last 5 years, its like a lifetime guarantee.

[Destroyer]

I got the one with the four cross bars. It's still working well, although in truth the material is starting to show it's age (maybe from my cat sleeping on it in the warm sun?) But the hardware is still in in great shape and works as it should. For the price I'd have no problems recommending it to anyone.

[Jeb]

Originally Posted by phatdaddy

well, after only 26 years in the harsh florida sun, my top has decided to call it quits. actually material is ok, stitching failed. I considered sending it to inaforty for a make over, but all the hardware is frozen to the rails. by the time i replace all of that and get it re-stitched, it would be too much sugar for a dime.

i did a search and saw a site destroyer recommended(feb 2017), looked good and price was right. just wondering if you guys had and recommendations , pros and cons of certain ones, etc.

Destroyer or Jeb, if you see this, which one did u get from the marine & rv direct site.

at my age, if it last 5 years, its like a lifetime guarantee.

What's up?



I got:
BIMINI TOP 4 Bow Boat Cover Blue 79"-84" Wide 8ft Long With Rear Poles

Coming up on a year, I'd say that for $150, I think the quality of the materials is excellent. It's a steal.

The only cons: doing it again, I'd get the smaller one. On the V20, the one I got feels like it covers the entire boat. I have two young daughters, so I imagine the sun protection will be nice, but when it's up, it feels a little long. The width is right.

Also, I'm going to replace the hex screws that attach it to the gunwale with an easily removable carriage pin. Otherwise, you can't easily fold it forward onto the windshield.

Lastly, and maybe it's how I set mine up, but the straps that keep it forward are too long. I'm replacing those with some nice 3/8" double braid straps with stainless quick release clips. I'll post pics when I get a chance to do that.

All in all, I'd def buy from this guy again. If I get 4-5 years out of it, it's $150 well spent.

Note: Looking at my picture, I realize the bimini is sort of "pitched forward". I just like it that way. But, you'll notice that the arms that mount to the gunwale sit pretty damn aft. The big issue here is that it actually makes it a little harder to jump in and out of the boat. This is why, I'd get the smaller one.

[phatdaddy]

Thanks for the replies. I was able to cobble mine back together for a little while. I was more concerned about the plastic fittings holding up.

Also, is there any way to shorten the length of the pole? I d prefer the pole on the front and straps to the back. That way you can let the top down and run with it out of the way.

[Destroyer]

Yes. You can shorten it. The pole (I take it you mean the main crossbow that the folding crossbow attaches to) has the bottom fittings pop-riveted to it. Simply measure the length you want to shorten it, drill out the pop rivets, remove the plastic base, and cut to size. (Use a pipe cutter to get a nice square cut on the pipes, not a hacksaw). Then reattach the bottom piece, drill out the holes and pop rivet the base back on. Not a lot of work. I actually did the same thing for mine.

[phatdaddy]

thanks,D..

[inaforty]

That Bimini top at $150 is a great deal.

4 yards of Sunbrella will run you about $130 and that's just the material.

[phatdaddy]

I paid $500 26 years ago, so thats about $20 a year. This one is $150 and might get 5 years, so thats $30 a year. So the cheaper one is actually 33% higher

Problem with the equation is , i probably only have 5-7 years of boating left.

I ll just keep zip tieing