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RG RG is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 438
Default Pretty damned cool bimini enclosure


I had the same thought as you, what is so cool about it? It is a creative
use for a fully enclosed bimini, but a fully enclosed bimini none the
less. I guess I haven't seen one used this way before.


I found it riddled with flaws, both in concept and execution, when compared
to a T-Top. When the side and forward curtains are up, forward access is
severely restricted, limited to walking the gunwales with only the wobbly
bimini stanchions available for support. Not a great solution in seas. A
roll-up zippered door in the forward curtain would alleviate this problem
somewhat, but there is no evidence of one in the photo. In terms of
execution, the side and forward curtains were cut too large, allowing a
sloppy fit. While this makes the curtains easy to install, it allows for
bends and wrinkles in the curtains after installation, making for poor
visibility through the eisenglass. The curtains should have been finished so
that they would stretch taught when installed.

Even without the side and forward curtains, the bimini top is sub-par on a
mid-sized open fishing boat like this one when compared to a T-Top. Unlike
a T-Top the bimini stanchions get in the way when trying to walk a fishing
line around the boat. Odd, since the ability to easily walk a fishing line
around the boat is a key design benefit of a center console rig. Also, the
bimini top offers no opportunities for antenna installation or overhead
storage of gear or electronics, like a T-Top will. The only advantage to
the bimini over the T-Top is that you can make it go away easily.