Hey there, folks! Lenny Rudow here for BoatUS Magazine.
Today we've come to Waterfront Marine in
beautiful Edgewater, Maryland, to check out bimini tops. Now, any new boat buyers should know how to look for signs of quality and a bimini.
So, let's see what to look for. Here's the first thing to do: Grab the bimini and give it a little shake.
Virtually all biminis are gonna rock side to side to some degree. In fact, I'd call the movement
this one shows about average. And this is a 21-foot Chaparral runabout,
so you have to expect some movement in a bimini like this. What you don't want is
excessive movement. When you shake it, you don't want it coming way out here. That's something you want to check on.
Construction materials are obviously something you'll need to look at. You know, in this case, we see aluminum pipework.
That's what the vast majority of tops are made with. That's just fine.
It's light, its strong. In some cases on much larger boats that can handle heavier rigs, you will see stainless steel there,
but what's really key is that the high-stress areas where you have hardware attachment points, that these are stainless steel.
Naturally, the material of the fabric itself is also very important. You really want to look for a high quality
acrylic marine canvas, like on this top you'll see Sunbrella. That's considered really about the best in the industry
and you really like to see that kind of material.
Now, you also want to check it closely and look at the seams in the stress areas. Make sure that they're double stitched.
Double-stitched seams will last for much longer. And, here's a little tip folks,
you might not love the darker colors of some biminis; you might want a bright color.
The truth of the matter is the pigment in those threads
that turns it black or dark actually also helps fight against UV damage.
So as a general rule of thumb, a dark-colored bimini will tend to last a little bit longer than a light-colored bimini.
Obviously this top does not have any clear canvas,
but if the boat you're looking at does have clear canvas, a couple tips. One thing, you want to make sure that there are no
points where the Isinglass itself rubs up against the supports. That will lead to damage in the long term. Another item is,
particularly up forward, near the windscreen,
remember the track systems and zippers as a general rule of thumb are better than snaps. They tend to be a little more
water-resistant. They don't allow quite as much spray to get through and get to you.
A key design feature I also really like to see is a quick-release system. On this top
you can see you just pull a pin in order to make it possible to remove this strut. In some cases,
there will actually be a screw running through here, and you need a screwdriver in order to release this.
The adjustment points in the top are another spot where you can look to see how well the top itself has been designed. You want really
easy adjustment, right? These straps
and, for example, this thumb screw, can both be operated just with your hands.
You don't need any special tools to adjust this top. Here's a nice upgrade. Instead of a strap up front, you've got a strut.
Finally, you certainly want to have a top that's easy to put up and take down, right?
So be sure to give it a try. Test it.
See just how easy is it to put up and take down the particular top that you're looking at.
Now I'm not going to do this whole thing right now because
we do have a separate video on how to put up and how to stow a bimini top.
Be sure to check that one out. Well, boaters, we hope you've enjoyed this video and we hope you found it helpful.
Don't forget to subscribe to the BoatUS Magazine YouTube channel and
one last tip: When you get a new boat with a bimini,
don't forget folks,
to stow it before you tow it! These bimini tops are not made to take
the beating that the wind gives them moving 60, 70, 75 miles an hour down the highway. OK?
Enjoy!
[GENTLE WAVES SOUNDS]