So, you bought your new sailboat and can’t wait to set sail and explore the seas? Or are you thinking of ways to make new adjustments and install new gear on it? As you already know, weather conditions play a crucial role in sailing. Therefore, it is important to install some kind of protection on your boat so as not to get sunburned, wet, overheated, and drained. Because if you head out on the water without proper protection from natural phenomena this will likely put you at risk. So, installing a bimini top on your boat is a great choice so as to ensure protection from the sun and rain. Let’s see what exactly is a bimini top, how to install it, and some useful info about them. Keep reading!

What Exactly is a Bimini Top?

Bimini tops basically protect you and your sailboat from the elements. They create shade and at the same time retain visibility from the helm and allow the air to circulate. Generally, they’re inexpensive and easy to install on pontoons, powerboats, and sailboats. Most of the time, a bimini cover is an open-air canvas canopy that has sturdy metal frames supporting it. Moreover, it’s waterproof, free-standing, and has an open-front cover that protects several areas of your boat from the sun or rain. They also offer protection from the wind, spray, and saltwater when sailing.

There are biminis that have side panels to the top and are attached with either zippers or snaps. These biminis refer to a fully-enclosed bimini. You can choose between a wide range of colors, sizes, configurations, and fabrics that will suit your boat. Furthermore, biminis improve your sailboat’s cockpit, deck, and overall appearance. Lastly, accurate width, length, and height measurements are essential before installing a bimini on your sailboat.

What to Consider Before Installing a Bimini Top

1. Length: Your bimini’s length can be calculated by measuring the fore and aft area of the mounting point. For instance, a 6ft bimini covers 3ft in front and 3ft behind the mounts. You can also tailor the bimini’s length from 3 to 10ft. Usually an 8 or 10ft bimini is used on pontoon boats.
2. Width: Width is the most important measurement to take for installing a bimini. Your bimini’s frame width is estimated by measuring between the points where the mounts are connected to the gunwales. Remember, that this measurement is not equal to the boat’s beam. Widths are available in 6” ranges and frames can extend to 3″.
3. Height: Installing a high bimini means that you’ll have more headroom, especially in boats with low gunwales. In order to ensure an accurate height measurement, you can stand inside the boat and measure the vertical distance upward from the mounting points. Like this, you’ll determine how much headroom you can have. For instance, a pontoon boat uses a taller top whereas a ski boat will normally have a shorter bimini.
4. Fabrics: Always choose the bimini’s fabric according to the weather conditions that it will be exposed to. Also, the material has to be waterproof, strong, and able to withstand UV rays, and preferably double-stitched. Fabrics include canvas, vinyl, acrylic, mixed blends, and polyester. Keep in mind that sun exposure deteriorates the fabric’s water repellency and protection from the elements. So, regular maintenance of bimini tops will prolong their lifespan. Always, choose the right fabric treatment that will repel water, prevent staining, and restore UV resistance.

Bimini Configurations

Bimini tops come in two-, three-, and four-bow configurations, as described below. Remember that the maximum distance between the bows is generally 42″ or less. Bear in mind that you have to keep the spread between bows from getting too wide and thus preventing water from puddling between them. Let’s see the basic bimini configurations:

• Two-bow: This configuration goes for jon boats as well as for shorter V-hull. They’re really cheap, lightweight, and provide protection for the whole boat’s area.
• Three-bow: Three-bow configuration suits for V-hull, open deck boats, cuddy cabin boats, center consoled boats, and for all medium-sized vessels.
• Four-bow: Four-bow configuration goes for pontoon, cabin cruiser, and longer center console boats. You can find them at 8ft or more in length and that is why they’re adequate for longer vessels.  

Bimini Top Materials

In case you’re sailing in humid and hot climates then you should prefer a breathable fabric with high mildew and UV resistance. However, if you’re sailing in northern climates, where ice or snow is likely to accumulate on your bimini, you have to choose a highly waterproof fabric. Moreover, choose a material color that will match the boat’s hull or superstructure colors.

• Woven acrylic: This fabric has a soft appearance and is water-resistant. Acrycil can endure UV rays and has excellent fade resistance and strength. However, every few years, the fabric has to be maintained or replaced. Also, woven acrylic is prone to leaking. Therefore, it has to be re-waterproofed after a thorough cleaning. Acrylic tops tend to be more expensive and not really abrasion-resistant like other fabrics. On the other hand, woven acrylic offers great breathability and resistance when exposed to the elements.
• Vinyl: Vinyl fabrics for bimini tops, like Stamoid, are basically vinyl-coated fabrics. This type of fabric is highly preferred by sailors because when there’s too much water on top they immediately lead it for runoff from the sides. This material is durable, easy to clean, and has a long lifespan. A great advantage is that the composite’s vinyl component is highly water-resistant thus can withstand the rigors of the sea. It’s also less expensive than woven acrylic. However, vinyl biminis aren’t breathable.
• Polyester: Polyester fabrics such as Top Gun, are solution-dyed fabrics and can excellently withstand exposure to UV-rays. Polyester bimini tops are strong and resist stretching thus they always maintain their shape. They tend to fade faster than other materials but are more abrasion resistant and water repellent. 

Threads, Frames and Fittings

Generally, UV rays, rain, moisture, and other elements can damage the thread. And that’s why the thread that holds the bimini can be a weakness in the whole system. So, always choose a high-quality thread, like Tenara, that may be expensive but has a long lifespan and is extremely durable.

As for the bimini top frames you can choose between stainless steel or aluminum ones. Stainless steel is a sturdy material, corrosion-resistant, and more expensive than aluminum. Moreover, due to stainless steel strength, you can sail at high speeds and upwind without worrying about it falling apart. On the other hand, if you’re sailing in freshwater environments, aluminum is what you should choose and is generally more economical than stainless steel. Keep in mind that aluminum tubings have to be anodized in order to resist pitting and corrosion.

Fittings hold the bimini’s tubes and should always be made of high-quality stainless steel. Stainless steel fittings are durable and extremely strong; that’s why they’re always more expensive than others. For instance, coated brass fittings are cheap but they aren’t corrosion-resistant and are prone to breaking or deforming.

Bimini Tips for Maintenance

• Once a month, check all deck fittings to ensure they’re tight enough.
• Once a month, check screws and straps in order to see if the frame and canopy are properly secured to the boat.
• Remove debris and dirt regularly from the fabric using a hose and then brush it with a soft sponge and biodegradable soap.
• Depending on your bimini’s fabric, it’s advisable to remove the bimini when sailing over 30 knots. This is because some fabrics are unable to withstand high speeds.
• Never leave the bimini top up year-round. Fold your bimini down when not in use and consider purchasing bimini boots in order to store the cover and protect it in the long-term.
• Make sure that hold-down straps are tight. There should be minor or no slack at all in the hold-down straps when they’re attached to the gunwales.
• When trailering consider folding the bimini to its lowest profile and then stow it in the storage boot.
• A good tip for cleaning is to use a solution of lukewarm water and biodegradable soap. Then rinse thoroughly and allow it some minutes to dry. Moreover, a marine-grade fabric or a vinyl cleaner can efficiently remove dirt and stains.
• In some cases, the combination of the bimini size, the boat’s position and weight, and the wind’s direction and strength might affect the boat handling. This is because the top tends to act as a kite which is a totally unsafe condition.
• Make sure that the bimini’s position allows for 360-degree visibility from the helm, when deployed or stowed. It’s crucial to have a clear vision to the stern, forward, and to port in order to ensure safe operation.  

Conclusion

So, why you should install a bimini top on your sailboat? Because bimini tops offer overall protection from the elements without enclosing your boat. Having a bimini top will provide you shade and protection both for you and for your sailboat’s cockpit and other areas. Biminis can be adjusted and you can also choose from a wide variety of sizes, fabrics, colors, configurations, and characteristics. They can also be mounted in different places on the boat so as to provide as much shade as possible. They can be deployed and folded down quite easily when needed. Additionally, you can use bimini boots for efficient storage so as to keep the canopy protected. So, installing a bimini is worth the investment especially if you’re sailing for most time of the year. Wish you safe and shady voyages!