Bimini Tops

[viper1216]

I am looking to upgrade my current bimini top. The pictures attached are not my boat but show what I have and what I am looking to do. The one I have now (like picture 1) works well and is in great condition, however I do not like being enclosed as it attaches to snaps along the top of the windshield. I would like to have a setup like picture 2 where it is just over the top. Is this something that my current setup can do, or do I need to buy a whole new top?

Thanks for any advice!!

 

[ezmobee]

You currently have a "convertible top" and yes what you want is a bimini. My buddy with a similar boat just made the same switch. You typically would replace all the poles and rails as well. Complete setups with aluminum poles are real reasonable. Consider going with an 8' top instead of the usual 6'. I upgraded mine from 6-8 and LOVE IT. So much more shade. Lots of reasonable ones

 

[airshot]

I have the Sharkskin bimini top in 8'
Had it for 4 yrs now with no issues. Do your self a favor and use sliding side rails to mount your bimini as this will allow you to move it fore and aft to suit your needs. A couple hrs work to install, it folds up and fits in a boot laying across the front of the windshield.

 

[bruceb58]

And consider buying one with stainless steel poles and fittings if you can afford to.

 

[viper1216]

Awesome, thanks for the info. Not seeing anything available in an 8' for my boat. Its an 04 Maxum 1800SR3. Every option I look up is 6' or less.

 

[jbcurt00]

If you find a top thats specific for your boat, get the specs for width and height for it.

Then shop for an 8ft bimini that matches the width and height you need for your Maxum, but wasnt specifically made to fit your boat.

As long as the width and height are correct, the fore, aft and gunwale anchors should mount and work just fine.

Iboats sells biminis, and you dont have to search by boat maker. Quite a few 8ft long 73in +/- wide 42in +/- tall biminis that should work

 

[viper1216]

Ah perfect. I was looking on iBoats but assumed I needed to get something boat specific.

 

[ezmobee]

Nope. Biminis are definitely not boat specific. Just measure from the center of one gunnel to center of the other and figure out how tall you want it.

 

[Rookster]

Interesting that you are making the switch - I just bought my very first boat and it has the convertible top set-up. I see it as better than a Bimini, since I can boat in the cooler whether (I live in Canada), of May and September, blocking out the wind chill. Also, the front windshield part of it unzips to open that up more of desired (although not quite as much as a Bimini would. Also protects if it rains while out on water (I know - why am I concerned about getting wet from rain when bowriders are not really about staying dry!).

 

[southkogs]

Convertible and bimini tops are two different things. The bimini is primarily for shade where I am. It may provide a little protection from rain, but probably not much. They allow you to fully stand up and function on the boat, just with some shade.

A convertible top is really designed to provide shelter from rain/weather. It can provide shade, but typically restricts standing up a little more.

It's not really an apples to apples comparison.

 

[bruceb58]

My bimini is custom made and I have clear panels that I can zip and snap on that extend it to the windshield. WAY better than a convertible top in the rain and preserves the best parts of having a bimini.

 

[bruceb58]

 

[viper1216]

So I have been looking around at the 8' ones, and found a really nice Sunbrella, but it was only 35" high....and my rails are 29" up. Being 6' tall I would need to tilt my head all the time, so that's out. From my measurements, I need a minimum of 43". The sizes I am seeing that will fit are 54" high. Is that going to be too high and cause an issue and I should keep looking?

 

[ezmobee]

I have a bimini that came with my Hydra-Sports that I consider to be "too high" but I don't have any issues with it. I would just prefer it to be lower.

bruce, your dropbox pic links aren't working.

 

[jbcurt00]

The dropbox pix were, I say them earlier

 

[viper1216]

That's weird, his pics were there earlier. Odd.

 

[bruceb58]

Very weird. And I can't edit my post to see if the links are still there or not.

 

[bruceb58]

I left out the img code and just have the links...seems like an iboats issue.

MOD EDIT - Per Poster request the nonworking photo links due to Dropbox changes have been deleted. Left the remainder so following posts referring to this post still make a little sense.

 

[jbcurt00]

Very weird. And I can't edit my post to see if the links are still there or not.

IMG code is there, but the address isnt the same as the links you just posted.

Lets see if I can edit IMG code into the 2 you just posted

I left out the img code and just have the links...seems like an iboats issue.

EDIT: nope, maybe dropbox is blocking the Img code links?

Havent noticed dropped pix elsewhere today...​

 

[viper1216]

Bruce, do you happen to know how tall yours is?