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Boat Forum / Cruising / July 2004made a cheap bimini top for '16
Here in Washington the summers are great and I bought a '16 aluminum boat. It didn't have a bimini top though and after spending the $ on the boat I didn't feel like spending $150 - $200 for a bimini top. So I made my own out of 1/2" copper pipe and 45-degree elbows from HomeDepot. I bought some Sunbrella type material ($15/yrd for 60" wide) from Seattle Fabrics on Hwy99 in N Seattle and my mom-in-law and I stayed up late Saturday night sewing it up so we could use it on Sunday. It's about 4 1/2' long and 65" wide. The middle sags slightly since there is no tension in the middle but it doesn't make noise (flapping) while running WOT on the 30hp Johnson. I may have made the side poles too long (easy to shorten), but it came out pretty good and it only cost approx $50 to make. Pic of it is at http://home.comcast.net/~ryanw59/bimini_top.jpg I used elbows because my first attempt at bending didn't come out too well and I don't have a pipe bender, although this one looks interesting, http://www.lindsaybks.com/dgjp/djgbk/pipe/index.html. Maybe I'll build this bender and build a frame out of aluminum or SS, then make the bimini top longer so that it'd cover more of the boat. >Here in Washington the summers are great and I bought a '16 aluminum >boat. It didn't have a bimini top though and after spending the $ on [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >Maybe I'll build this bender and build a frame out of aluminum or SS, >then make the bimini top longer so that it'd cover more of the boat. Keep a close eye on any place the copper touches the aluminum... BB Or touches the air and water. > >Here in Washington the summers are great and I bought a '16 aluminum > >boat. It didn't have a bimini top though and after spending the $ on [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > BB Hope the green oxidation from the pipe goes well with the canvas :) Doug s/v Callista > Here in Washington the summers are great and I bought a '16 aluminum > boat. It didn't have a bimini top though and after spending the $ on [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Maybe I'll build this bender and build a frame out of aluminum or SS, > then make the bimini top longer so that it'd cover more of the boat. I've been wondering about a similar project using cpvc (plastic) pipe. Stephen > Hope the green oxidation from the pipe goes well with the canvas :) > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >>Maybe I'll build this bender and build a frame out of aluminum or SS, >>then make the bimini top longer so that it'd cover more of the boat. I did like the shape, kinda neat. Maybe consider PVC if the copper don't work out. PVC won't hold together for long in wind and waves. Aluminum tubing is probably the next best choice, with stainless being the best. Doug s/v Callista > I did like the shape, kinda neat. Maybe consider PVC if the copper don't work > out. |
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