Speed limit with bimini top

[ced]

I wonder if I have to respect a certain speed limit if I equip my boat with a bimini top. Does the tissue allow high speed or does it "tear apart" over a certain speed.
I have just bought a 97 ski nautique, but my little daughter (and we too)need to be protected from the sun.....
Thank you for helping me out.

[AbunDiga909]

RE: Speed limit with bimini top

Which bimini do you have? I've gone 55 w/ our TowerBimini and that was pushing it. I wouldn't do it again. If it is a generic one or from the factory, I'd go a bit slower. The TowerBimini ones are the sturdiest and strongest I've ever seen, I'd never have any other one.

[bkhallpass]

I had a 98 ski nautique, and never had a problem with
the bim at any speed.

I've got a towerbimini on my Super air, and again no problem.

I've been 60 in an I/O Sanger with No issue, and
I've been in the mid 80s in a Fountain with a Bim, no problem.

So long as you have a good quality bimini, with secure mounts,
there should be no issue.

I don't generally tow on the highway with the bimini open. I figure
why take the chance of something hitting it, etc. at speeds of
70 or more.

BKH

[AbunDiga909]

I don't think the issue would be in the mounts. I could go 100 on the highway w/ TowerBimini's mounts and I think it would be fine. The issue to me is stretching out the Sunbrella. This season I have to adjust my mounts to make it more taught b/c over the course of just one season, it stretched out a lot.

[bkhallpass]

Agreed AbunDiga.

They do stretch a little in the wind, and in the Sun (As do
Canvas boat covers). But the canvas will handle a lot of
speed as well, so long as it is of good quality, with good stitching.

I have a tower bimini as well. Very strong mounts.
I have seen some cheaper mounting attachments which make
me leary. However, I can't even say that I've seen one of them
fail. The only time I've actually seen a bim fail was when the
owner failed to put it up properly (straps too loose, or bim leaning
back so that it is taking all the wind like a sail).

Anyway, I think we're in accord. Buy a decent bim, and it'll
handle all the speed a nautique can put out.

Do you agree one should fold up the bim while trailering on the
highway?

BKH

[AbunDiga909]

Do you agree one should fold up the bim while trailering on the
highway?

Absolutely... 100% of the time...

[ced]

Actually, I haven't bought one yet. Mine will not be a tower bimini, caus I haven't got a tower.....Any good adresses to buy one of these (see photo) and, did I understand you right...no speed limits with bimini top....?
(sorry for my english, I'm from Luxemburg, Europe...)
Thanks a lot

[AbunDiga909]

As long as the bimini is folded up, no speed limit. If it is open and you have the one on the red 196 above, I wouldn't go more than 50 MPH. But again, anything folded up is good to go.

[bkhallpass]

Actually, I haven't bought one yet. Mine will not be a tower bimini, caus I haven't got a tower.....Any good adresses to buy one of these (see photo) and, did I understand you right...no speed limits with bimini top....?
(sorry for my english, I'm from Luxemburg, Europe...)
Thanks a lot

Well, I'm sure your English is much better than my French.

Anyway, yes, you understood correctly. Your boat will not
go fast enough to create an issue for the bimini top. Your boat
will only go 45-50 miles per hour. The bimini could withstand
speeds of nearly twice that much.

I have not purchased a bimini top for a boat without a tower
in 8 years. Someone else on this site can probably provide you
with a better referral than I can.

If you do not see any other responses, then here are some websites
to examine for potential purchase of your bimini top.

biminitop.net
coverquest.com
overtons.com
skilimited.com
barts.com
boatcoversdirect.com

Dawnine's Custom Canvas - A local shop in Pleasanton, California
that does very good work and has made bimini's such as
you are looking to purchase for a number of my friends with Ski
Nautiques. I do not have a website for Dawnine, but the phone
number is 925-846-1707.

I hope this is helpful.

BKH

[TylerO]

Personal experience:

My old boat did 60mph with the Bimini no problem.

85 mph on a friend's Eliminator Daytona with Bimini with no problem.

105 MPH on a friend of a friend's twin 300 merc DCB Mach 22 w/o bimini. The owner of the boat said anything over 80+ makes him nervous about the bimini so he takes it down prior to high speeds.

So IMO, there isn't any wakeboard boat out there that needs to be concerned about speeds and bimini's.

[Adrian]

Hi
Another SN owner in Europe, Spain.
No problems at all with speed and bimini on the lake.
I don't recomend you to tow the boat with it open, what for?
Your english is much better than mine. Yellow_Flash_Colorz:
I bought my bimini in a Correct dealer in Europe. I've sent you a PM with the web page of the dealer.

Regards and I'm sure you're going to enjoy your new nautique. If you need any kind of information of dealers in Europe or any other thing I'll be happy to help you.

[SkiNautique2001]

I have a bimini on my 2001 that has a zipper in the top allowing you to use your pylon with the bimini. It's made by Taylor and works like a charm. The material is Premo fabric instead of Sunbrella, but after one season of use it seems to be very good fabric. I'll post some pictures as soon as I get a chance to take some with it up.
You can buy these at West Marine and Overtons. Here's a link to the top for Sport Nautiques:
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...roductId=73282

[Mikeski]

Don't forget to "tune" the bimini, change the angle until it doesn't stress the fabric while motoring. Adrain's bimini looks to be too far back to me. I have found the front needs to be a little lower then the back for them to work best.