Association Forum - Replacement Bimini

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Replacement Bimini

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

jesse camp
1st Mate

Member Avatar

USA
84 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/18/2008 : 11:26:08

I would like to replace my patched and well worn bimini. I would like to know where anyone can suggest I could buy a new frame and sunbrella
cover. The bimini now, was with the boat, it is an aluminum, four bow
side mount which is about the right length, width and height, I will try to duplicate the size as best I can. Since I sail on open water and the ICW in Florida, the Bimini stays up year round.

Questions:

1) Is it worth spending the extra money on SST over Aluminum frame?
2) Do the plastic fittings hold up over time? or false economy?
Thanks for any suggestions or advice.
Happy sails!!

Jesse Camp

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 03/18/2008 : 11:43:51

Jesse,

I've had an aluminum framed bimini with plastic fittings for about 5 or 6 years now, and like you, I leave it up almost all the time. Although the vinyl has held up well, it is fading just a bit, but the fittings and aluminum tubing look great still. Keep in mind, I'm in fresh water.

As to what you should do? If all that's wrong with your current bimini is the sunbrella, I'd be inclined to take the tattered cover to a canvas guy to have them make one to fit your current frame. That's if your frame is still in good shape.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 03/18/2008 : 12:58:47

Is there actually anything wrong with the Alu frame? Why not just continue with it and have a canvas guy make you a new cover? I am on freshwater, so maybe things are different for me, but I would just have a new canopy made up.

(If you are tossing your frame, and its in good shape, put it on the swap meet)

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 03/18/2008 : 13:06:23

I'd go one step cheaper and keep the frame and buy a replacement canvas from the original manufacturer. That's gotta be less boat bucks than a custom made one from a local canvas shop. On the other hand, you can make some mods to allow for backstays, telltale windows, etc. if you have it custom made.

Edited by - on

jesse camp
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
84 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2008 : 09:11:11

Hello 25 Fans
I bit the bullet and bought a new Bimini, 304 SST Frame,
46 high x78 beam x72 Length to replace my twenty year old
bimini. The replacement is a Westland 3 bow from GO2 Marine
see link
http://www.go2marine.com/product.do?no=113661F
Very competitively priced.

Happy Sails
Jesse Camp

Edited by - on

newell
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
113 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2008 : 11:31:25

I made a new Sunbrella cover for my bimini. If you have any sewing machine skills at all it can be a satisfying project. If not, I suspect that your local tent maker can help you out at less price than a new one.

Another thought is to purchase from a place like Cabellas or Boaters World....they are usually less expensive than other places.

newell

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1520 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2008 : 11:40:34

Personally, I would have sewn my own, like I did out of an old roller furling jib I didn't need, but that's only me.

You are going to be happy with that beautiful bimini top as long as you own the boat! Sun protection is important for health and comfort, too.

New sunbrella is so nice! Happy cruising.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2008 : 14:38:43

Nice move, Jesse... I felt that the SS frame and mountings would make a stronger hand-hold if ever needed--no need to say "Don't hold on to that!" (On a sailboat, you should be able to hold on to anything you can grab.) I added telescoping struts instead of straps from the aft legs to the stern rail to hold it up when folded.

Edited by - on

ct95949
Captain

Members Avatar

Aruba
300 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2008 : 20:23:10

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jesse camp
 Hello 25 Fans
I bit the bullet and bought a new Bimini, 304 SST Frame,
46 high x78 beam x72 Length to replace my twenty year old
bimini. The replacement is a Westland 3 bow from GO2 Marine
see link
http://www.go2marine.com/product.do?no=113661F
Very competitively priced.

Happy Sails
Jesse Camp
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Good luck with that. I bought the same Westland bimini from GO2 Marine only an 84" wide version. They sent me not one but two
frames with 468472 stickers on every piece, both measured 54" tall from attachment point to the middle bow with the straps tight. After endless phone calls and emails I got both frames for free and only paid for the Sunbrella, I have a spare frame in my garage. As you can see below the bimini mounted fine, but only after I cut the bows to fit.

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.