Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

[menglor]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

I say spend the money and do it right. You don`t want to be the boat that everyone points to and laughs. I`d rather go without that to half asp it.

Well said.

however, Right doesnt have to be expensive. you also dont want to be the everyone points out and says he paid ....

 

[jacoboregon]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

I say spend the money and do it right. You don`t want to be the boat that everyone points to and laughs. I`d rather go without that to half asp it.



however, Right doesnt have to be expensive. you also dont want to be the everyone points out and says he paid ....

Which would be better though than getting pointed at and saying, He SHOULD have paid...!

 

[halfmoa]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

Netdoc? You still there? Just wondering what your thoughts are at this point.

FWIW I think this is worth a try. My boat has an ancient top (read: original top) that attaches to the windshield that would be PERFECT if it didn't rip off at WOT and I'm thinking about using the hardware and mechanisims to make a bimini....but you go first

 

[NetDoc]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

Oh, I'm still here. Still evaluating my options. My favorite posts are the ones that show me how they did it. Sure, there are a lot of people who start vast projects with half vast ideas... but American ingenuity and skill often prevail together in style. In spite of the many nay sayers, a few have produced incredible results. I love it! I have been inspired and will be thinking both short term and long term.

 

[halfmoa]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

Good for you Pete! I've found a few posts on some of my topics, shall I say, less than encouraging as well.

Go for it, man!

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

10 years ago Cabela had a Sunbrella Bimini top for my 16' Aluminum fish boat.
All summer. No wrinkles yet.
NEVER hit a spider on any cloth or seat material. Hard to remove. I have killed more spiders than there are $ 1 bills in circulation.
Forget the company name. But they have EVERY black plastic hinged fitting you would ever need. Did some modifications to their top on my boat over the years. They only use Aluminum & SS hardware.

Very cheap prices for the quality.

 

[island mike]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

Heres what I did...
P.s be a good sport and listen to the positive critisism AND the "negative" ,We all just want to help you..


Removed bimini ,Constructed a pilothouse out of honeycomb,Lightweight strong,u.v and rot proof,And good looking if I may say so myself.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

Honey comb waterproofed is great stuff.

 

[kmarine]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

I am a marine canvas fabricator and if you are handy you can make up your own top. just make sure you use the proper materials. some suggested web sites are sailrite.com and great lakes skipper.com for bimni tops. rochford supply.com has pre made frames kits and you can hold the frames in place with straping tape whille using doubble sided tape to hold down clear plastic to draw your templates. There are other web sites with bimini making tips.

 

[island mike]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

Honey comb waterproofed is great stuff.

Honeycomb aka nidacore is a waterproof product as is.
You can by them pre glassed or as in my case glass them yourself.

 

[kmarine]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

As a marine canvass fabricator I suggest a few web sites sailrite. com, rochford supply sells frame kits and other supplys rochfordsupply.com. great lakes skipper has closeout bimini tops. Make sure to use the right materials and alliw for a 1/2 inch seam allowance I use straping tape to hold the bows in place and doubble sided tape to secure clear 4 mil plastic to the frames when making patterns. take your time and make lots of measurements and you will have a good top.

 

[halfmoa]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

Heres what I did...
P.s be a good sport and listen to the positive critisism AND the "negative" ,We all just want to help you..
View attachment 125054View attachment 125055View attachment 125056View attachment 125057

Removed bimini ,Constructed a pilothouse out of honeycomb,Lightweight strong,u.v and rot proof,And good looking if I may say so myself.

Wow island mike, that's an amazing result for a DIY project. Looks sleek and factory! Nice!

 

[island mike]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

Wow island mike, that's an amazing result for a DIY project. Looks sleek and factory! Nice!

Thanx moa.
It took me a while but I also like the result.Did not want it to look like a box I stuck ontop of a hull...
Being a boatyard employee helped a lot,Had all the tools at hand
I am still not finished with the boat though,I redid the stringers(replaced them with nidacore) and replaced the balsa encased in fiberglass on the inside of the hull-replaced with honeycomb-transom,Refurbished cuddy...So I am almost there but rainy season and time are whats keeping me from doing the last thing -The deck..(exuse the hijack)
I just posted the pics for the o.p to show him that there are other posabillities,I dont care much for bimini tops myself.
Anyways thanx again for the compliments

 

[V153]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

Far be it from me to suggest folks shouldn't try to save a buck these days.

However being in the boat canvas & cushion business I'm sick and friggin tired of people bringing me crap they bought elswhere and expecting me to make it fit their boat. Please stop!

Ouoted a guy a price to fix his a few days ago & he looked at me like I just backed up over his new puppy. Started speaking what sounded like Chinese, though I believe he was actually Ukranian ...?

 

[NetDoc]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

That's a nice look Island Mike! I like it!

 

[island mike]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

That's a nice look Island Mike! I like it!

yeah thanks.
If you decide to go this way I can guide you through the construction but its gonna cost you plenty of time and money .
Regards island mike.

 

[island mike]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

Far be it from me to suggest folks shouldn't try to save a buck these days.

However being in the boat canvas & cushion business I'm sick and friggin tired of people bringing me crap they bought elswhere and expecting me to make it fit their boat. Please stop!

Ouoted a guy a price to fix his a few days ago & he looked at me like I just backed up over his new puppy. Started speaking what sounded like Chinese, though I believe he was actually Ukranian ...?

Yeah,Tell me about it.
The thing (I am a former boatyard employee) What gets to me too and I am not saying that the o.p is one of those people,That concerning boats ,some people always looking for the "cheap fix" I know that with boats this is simply impossible.There is no cheap way to go aboat with boats,a boat will always cost money.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

Everything is easy to do. That is why 50 years ago everywoman had a sewing machine & could have sewn all the curved cloth tubes pretty well with Chalk marks only.

Today no one can do very much of any trade. & people are complaining about the costs.
There are a lot of spoiled children the same size as adults.

Whinning, because their mommies will not buy them what they can not afford.

Life goes on.

 

[NetDoc]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

Pros built the Titanic, Amateurs built the ark. If you care about quality and workmanship, it will show. If you don't, well, you'll expect everyone else to produce the same crap you would produce. Most of the BImInIs I have seen aren't worth what they are asking for them.

 

[island mike]

Re: Homemade Bimini??? Has anyone tried to do this?

So,Whats your plan, net doc?