Bimini and other deck options

[NODAKID]

Great boat photos.
I am looking for some additional experienced advice on canvas. We are in an area that does not have good custom suppliers of canvas products. The current thinking is that our 19 Angler needs a bimini for fishing and cruising and a mooring cover similar to the picture of the two boats docked. The bimini storage with the mooring cover in place looks perfect. We have seen less than satisfied postings about King Marine products which were referenced as the OEM supplier. Is there some positive experience with some good suppliers that have patterns? Also what about experiences installing your own hardware once you have your canvas shipped to you?

[thataway]

A google search shows Bismarck Canvas and Bill's Upholstery Specialists listed as boat canvas shops in Bismarck ND.

Although my impression of King's Canvas that is there are better, they do have patterns and if you explain exactly what you want, and how you want it built I am sure that they can do a decent job. My complaint was that it was not as good as my local canvas shop for a unit I ordered from the C Dory 25. It worked fine, but fit and finish was not as good. The canvas which came with my current C Dory 22 made by King is not bad--again maybe not quite as good as a custom job, but acceptable for a slant mooring cover, and the Bimini top.

[Sunbeam]

Not sure if this is an acceptable (and maybe even useful) tangent or a hijack, but for those of you who have biminis, I'd be interested to hear what you do with it while trailering.

So far I've just been taking the whole kit and caboodle down (bimini and frame) and stowing it in the cockpit. The good is that it's out of the wind and most of the dirt, nothing chafes on the boat or the bimini, and there is no stress on the brackets*. It fits pretty well with the legs aft. The bad is that it's a bit of a pain to take down with one person, and once it is down I can only open the door a wee bit, and have to sort of "suck it in" to get in and out of the cabin. While not great, this is acceptable because I don't camp in the boat while trailering. However, once I fasten the fiberglass covers in front of the fuel tanks.... the legs won't be able to extend aft like they do now (I made temporary canvas covers for while I let the new tanks expand - I can just flip them up and get to the tanks to adjust the shimming).

I just spent an hour or so experimenting with other ways to trailer the bimini and frame, and didn't come up with anything too exciting, so I'd be interested to know how others set things up when trailering.

For that matter, how do you handle it with a full camperback/frame? I hope to need to know that soon (waiting to be in the right place at the right time vis-a-vis a good canvasmaker and scheduling).

Sunbeam

*My bimini frame is aluminum and the brackets plastic, so while I have taken care of the boat in the way of the fasteners, the parts themselves are not as sturdy as they could be. I would like to get a camperback in future, and that would have a stainless frame and brackets; so I don't have a lot of motivation to modify this bimini.

[potter water]

Still Crazy came with a nice bimmini installed. The frame stays in place, though, I could release the whole thing if needed as it doesn't use screws to hold it to the feet. The whole frame is stainless. The bimini front edge snaps to the top of the cabin rear. When stowed, the frame that supports the canvas midway just folds back against the rest of the frame, and the canvas wraps around that bow, then a nice cover zips over the canvas, and I tow to my hearts content. The bimini in towed store allows me full access to the door on or off the water. The bimini has the sippers sewn in for the camper back. I do not and would not tow at my normal 60 to 65 with the camper back zipped into place. That would just be plain suicide on the canvas within a few miles.

I'd be very quick about doing away with the plastic parts of your bimini as they will deteriorate pretty quickly with the solar UV. Stainless or aluminum is best, but I like stainless a lot and think it is well worth any premium costs. The cost of the frame is a small part of major canvas work on a boat in my experience.

Good luck.

[Sunbeam]

[ssobol]

My boat came with a generic 3 arch bimini. It fits well. There is one pivot on each side and straps at the front and back with attach hooks. The bimini has a boot. The arches fold together and the boot zippers over the whole thing. When stowed the bimini swings forward and goes just over the cabin top and against the back end of the roof handrails. I lash the thing to the hand rails when towing or when cruising with the bimini stowed. Works fine for us.

[Sunbeam]

Thanks for the alternate suggestion. I may go to that method. I had tried it some time ago but dismissed it because it ends up blocking my usual way in and out of the boat when trailering. But to the good, I wouldn't have to handle the bimini out of its mounts (which is a bit of a pain when solo, since I can't reach both ends at once, and the middle is way over my head) and the frame wouldn't need to be "cat's cradled." I'll try that again over the next couple of days to re-evaluate it.

[thataway]

I normally take the entire canvas off the frame. It only takes a few seconds to zip it off, and saves a lot of wear on the canvas. Only one time did I leave a canvas up with a boot Sunbrella cover over it (King Canvas), The boot began to fray where the edges were not properly sealed or bound.
One can also over wrap the canvas boot with a line. I do this on the Caracal, but the bimini with boot fits flush in back of the bow deck and no air drag. However it is not only prudent, but there will often be more air drag with the boot up there, even though you might think that the cabin gives some shelter--this is an area where there is a lot of air turbulence.

My opinion--short distance, low speeds, probably OK. Long distance, too much wear and risk.

[Sunbeam]

Thanks for that. Actually, that's what first made me take it down (nothing like buying your boat and then your first tow being ~3,000 miles) - I was worried about it flapping and wearing up there in the breeze. It was only later I realized it would probably also be a bit much for the frame/mounts (although cat's cradling it with line stops the motion).

However, my bimini didn't have zippers, so the only way to remove it from the frame would have been to remove the foot ends and some of the brackets that are on the tubing, then slide it off. Unappealing. So that's when I started my habit of just taking the whole kit and caboodle down and stowing it (awkwardly) in the cockpit. But with the new, solid fuel tank covers I won't be able to put the legs into those "holes" anymore. So I experimented with a bunch of different ways.... none really seemed all that great... and I figured I'd see what others have done (seems like oftentimes other Brats come up with something I didn't even think of!).

Now, to add another "wrinkle," I want to get a boat cover, and so the canvas makers want to know how/where my bimini frame will go, and if the cover will need to accommodate it.

[thataway]

I take the Bimini off when the boat cover is in place. Since the aft support has quick release pins, and the main frame has one bolt (with plastic knob on the head) it is easy to take off. As for the canvas, have zippers put in. Most all of the Bimini's I own have had zippers for removal. (Probably the ones from "Taylor" or other prefab units don't have a zipper.

[Chuckpacific]

I felt best served by a custom-made bimini that offered full cockpit coverage (sides) yet could be easily detached and stored in the cockpit when not needed. Check out my album for pics and if you want to see the real thing contact Jerry on C-Nile (he bought my boat last year).