Adding a powerboat bimini?

sailnoproblem · Nov 1, 2015

skutsje said:
I wouldn't mind adding a bimini to our Hunter 23.5, but they seem pretty costly new.
I found quite a few for like $200 on kijiji ( Canadian Craigslist) from power boats.
Has anyone retrofitted one of those to your sailboat? What would the difference be?
I know as long as the width is the right size and we can always cut it so it would fit underneath the boom, we are set to go correct?

Is it possible to ad a bimini top from a powerboat or pontoonboat to your sailboat?

Sure you can. You have to find one with the required height, width, and length. Just remember if you have to cut down on the height, you may have to move the secondary arm. Which would not allow you to fold the frame. Hope this helps.

Sailm8 · Nov 1, 2015

Years ago I bought one from the Sears catalog for our C22. Lasted for years. Like has been said, they are all the same just need to fit.

centerline · Nov 1, 2015

its a bimini, they arent powerboat or sailboat specific... if it fits, it will work just fine for the task.

njlarry · Nov 2, 2015

Overtons has a lot of biminis in size and colors. They are all for power boats so no cutout for a backstay.

Bob 04 H260 · Nov 2, 2015

I bought a bimini for our Mac when we owned one. I think it was Overtons. It was only about $200 and I was able to buy exactly the size and colour I wanted. It was quite low to clear the boom and provided good shade. I replaced the straps with struts that stiffened it up and provided a bit of a handhold.
Bob
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Brian D · Nov 2, 2015

I too have been eyeing budget biminis. The issue was mentioned about about cutout for the backstay. I guess if one's backstay is not an issue then there is no reason not to get one. Try a used one from craigs list first. One will save money in the long run and if it doesn't work, at least one will have a template for the correct size and any cutout one might need.

Ken Cross · Nov 2, 2015

One thing I have noticed about the cheap ones is aluminum tubing.
If you are on salt water the life will be way shorter.
If you want it to last, SBO has pretty good prices.
Ken

njlarry · Nov 2, 2015

Ken Cross said:
One thing I have noticed about the cheap ones is aluminum tubing.
If you are on salt water the life will be way shorter.
If you want it to last, SBO has pretty good prices.
Ken

Not just better for salt water. The thicker walled stainless is much more sturdy. I leave our stainless bimini up all the season. Would never do that on our aluminum bimini on our powerboat. Also makes for a more secure handhold.

Benny17441 · Nov 2, 2015

Yes, you can but you have to take into consideration a few things. If it runs under the boom it would need to be a couple of inches lower than the boom. If it runs aft of the boom then it could be higher but limited in length and position by the end of the boom and backstay. Make sure your main sail sheeting mechanism has room to freely operate. Check your favored seating arrangements to insure that what you want can be covered as have seen boats where the helmsman has to sit out in the sun because the bimini has to fit to far forward. Check for needed versus attainable headroom. Usually the taller the bimini the shorter it has to be, look for a balance between not having to duck excessively and having adequate coverage. The width is the easiest to accommodate for the frame but make sure there is enough fabric to come over the sides to help with sun and rain. Check that there are no obstructions at the attachment points for the frame and the straps. Also check that the straps will not interfere with entry points into the boat. If you want to fold the top when the boat is not in use you may have other install considerations. I kind of like the top to protect the steering pedestal so it stays up all the time until replacement or until a hurricane comes.