Bimini Tops
 

I had purchased recently a 2000 Mariah 202 Shabah and when I put up the Bimini it was not what I expected. The front part attaches to the top of the Windshield and goes straight back about 3 ft.
I want to repalce it with the walk around under type. I found on a couple of sites that sell one that fits the Mariah but they are 3 pole/style that is 6ft in length. There are 4 pole types that are 8 ft but none listed for the Mariah.
My question is: Has anyone out there fitted a 4 pole 8ft length bimini on their Mariah? 2 more feet of coverage makes a difference down here in GA. Last Sat. it was 94 degrees with a 104 heat index with 68% humidity.
Thanks, Peter

Re: Bimini Tops
 

Peter - pop by a couple of canvas shops and talk to them about what you want to do and get their opinions.

Re: Bimini Tops
 

Go to overton's or iboats. I've just ordered an 8 footer from iboats.com. I'm going to try to mount it to the railing first, with support poles in back. If that doesn't work as well as I think it will, I'll have to get the drill out and mount it just outside the windows. My glass is already a little loose, so I don't want to put it there.
You don't have to get one "for your boat", just measure, and get that credit card ready!! Mine was $421. Good luck.

Re: Bimini Tops
 

I am on my 3rd year with the one I bought from Iboats. Mounted it outside the windshield and used support poles on the back and just the straps on the front. I went with the sharkskin and have been really pleased with it.

Re: Bimini Tops
 

You seem to reinforce my suggestion. Is it your premise that $421 for a generic bimini that you need to figure out how to make it work is significantly cheaper that having a good canvas person make a bimini that will be known to work for the boat? I don't believe that to be true - I would still opt for a custom solution.

Re: Bimini Tops
 

What is there to figure out? I've put one on an older Webbcraft, wondered why I didn't do it years before.
Granted, I don't have a local canvas shop, but my guess is that a custom one will be no better. My other guess is that it is also June, and he could have it up and running in 5 days or so.

Jay

Re: Bimini Tops
 

It all depends on what you want and what you can afford/justify to spend.

Less expensive, "generic" biminis are likely to be constructed of inferior materials (Sharkskin instead of Sunbrella, aluminum instead of stainless, plastic fittings instead of stainless), require you to permanently mount new hardware where you might otherwise not, and, for colour, well... you'll take the least mismatched they have.

We had a canvas shop quote a bimini for our boat last season. Would have been Sunbrella. Would've kind of more-or-less "matched" the boat's colour. I don't recall if the frame was all stainless--probably just the ends and the deck hardware. Solid poles in the rear. I believe that incl. the cover for when it was stowed aloft. I think he included the modifications to the mooring cover he'd just made for us. A bit under $1,000.

ISTR pricing-out the biminis at iBoats and, if you went with the better materials, they didn't get all that much cheaper.

Hell, I'm sure that if you really wanted to get the price down, you could fabricate your own. How hard could it be? ;) Some aluminum tubing, a tube bender and some fittings; webbing and buckles; the material, a sewing machine and thread, and Bob's your uncle :).

Jim

Re: Bimini Tops
 

I got my bimini off the internet... Generic.. I guess, but it was made of Sunbrella. I could have spent more on SS tubes as well, but chose not to.

You can pick your material just like when ordering a cover... and you can get a Sunbrella cover off the internet that comes from a pattern of our boat... Mine first cover was practically custom. I got both of mine from coverquest.

My bimini was $400

Dave

Re: Bimini Tops
 

I was shocked when I put of bimini top up today. The previous owner just told me it went on like others, but that they had never used it ( I think he was telling the truth. When I flipped open the seat ( 2001 Diable 180) it still had a plastic like sleeve around it. I pulled it off snapped the rails on each side and was shocked when I unrolled it. Mine also snaps to the windshield and has a section in the front center that can unzip ( I suppose to walk through the windshield). However.. mine has Zippers on the sides and back? Did Mariah offer some type of extentions or sides for these factory tops?

Just curious,
Will be following this thread to see what other members are doing. This top worked well for myself and the person beside me.. plus it cut down on the wind.. but it does limit sight to the windshield only.


Thanks,
Nick

Re: Bimini Tops
 

That's not a bimini top. That's a "convertable" top.

Jim