Bimini - for foofer b

[larglo]

Could you tell the dimensions of your bimini top? I have been thinking about buying or making my own, and saw you had one on the your boat. It sure would be helpful to know what size you had on yours.

Thanks,

Larry

[foofer b]

Larglo, I strongly recommend you have one made professionally. You have a very nice looking boat and a quality bimini made by a pro would make it even better looking. It takes special tools and lots of detailed measurements to do it right. Plus a good canvas shop can buy the materials for (probably) a lot less than we can.

I did noy want mine to look homemade, so I had mine made for $600 by Racine Design here in Jacksonville and am thrilled with the results. They used heavy duty sunbrella, 1 or 1 1/4" stainless tubing, zipper-mounted it to the hardtop ensuring 6'4" headroom, it stows standing up towards the stern and is easily removed for deep sea fishing trips.

With this economy, you can likely beat that price too.
Think about it, and let me know and I can measure it for you.

[vabeach1234]

Okay Foofer, I'm sold. I want one.

Can you post a picture of how it's connected to your hard top? You say it's zipper-mounted to it but a picture would explain it a lot more.

Also, how close does the spearder (bow that folds forward to help support the canvas) come to the hard top? Do you find that it is in the way when you enter the cockpit from the sides of the boat?

I'd like to enclose the whole cockpit, but still be able to fish so the ablility to remove the top seasonally is definitely a selling point.

Thanks man.

[larglo]

Thanks foofer b for your reply. Ken, you have some great thoughts also. I would like to see some pic's too.
I was given some real nice canvas when I bought the boat, so really looking at making my own top. I don't what to copy yours foofer, but the pic's may give me some good ideas on how to do it.

I was thinking of a fixed frame and have the canvas snap on an' off it. I could use the same material used in the railing & fittings.

Thanks,

Larry

[foofer b]

Larglo and VaBeach, I will try to get some pics Sunday when I get back in town and a picture or two will show all. Roy

[foofer b]

Here are some pics of my bimini. Sorry they were at night. If you cannot see them well enuf I will gladly shoot some more in the daytime. Roy Oh and I just snapped the end snaps-did not zip it up.

[vabeach1234]

Thanks Foofer, the pictures are great.

I am guessing that you use your bimini mostly for shade and the occasionaly rain shower. I plan on leaving my top up for months at a time so water tightness would be a concern for me, I would be a little hesitant to use a zipper along the hardtop in fear that it would be a potentail leak point.

With your set up, do you find that water enters along the zipper at the hardtop during rain?

I'm thinking that I would possibly make the Hardtop to Bimini connection the slide and bolt connection and then wrap the frame with a zipper connection, but that would be an all or nothing type set up. In order wrap the bimini around the frame to stow it like you are able to do very easily, I'd have to completely remove the bimini frabric and the reattach it to just the frame and then wrap it.

Thanks again.

[foofer b]

Yes, we use it mainly for shade and the occasional rain shower. Also helps keep the dew off the back deck. No sir, have had no leaks at the zipper. They made it with a covering flap and a downhill slope away from the zipper.

[larglo]

foofer,

Thanks for the pic's, they were much help.

Larry

[vabeach1234]

Thanks for the pictures and info Foofer. Now if I can only find someone in Southeastern Virginia that can do quality work at a reasonable rate.