Toon Bimini top question. Do most people just run two tops?

[Booshy]

I just purchased a new 25' Crest Caribbean Tri Toon. It only has a rear Bimini that covers the back half of the boat. I am not sure what to do with this as most Toons it seems like you just add a second Bimini to the front of the first one. So essentially your running two Biminis tops? I was going to see what Crest offers to see if I can find a matching one but could not find anything. So I started searching threads for custom Biminis to see if anyone could build one really large one that could close and be out of the way. Or a matching one to the one on my boat? It seems like if you run two tops and you wanted to lower the front one then where does that top close to? Is it in the way? I assume you would just take it off the boat?

So before I come up with a plan I figure I would ask what others have done on there Toons.

Thanks B

 

[Waffles]

I just purchased a new 25' Crest Caribbean Tri Toon. It only has a rear Bimini that covers the back half of the boat. I am not sure what to do with this as most Toons it seems like you just add a second Bimini to the front of the first one. So essentially your running two Biminis tops? I was going to see what Crest offers to see if I can find a matching one but could not find anything. So I started searching threads for custom Biminis to see if anyone could build one really large one that could close and be out of the way. Or a matching one to the one on my boat? It seems like if you run two tops and you wanted to lower the front one then where does that top close to? Is it in the way? I assume you would just take it off the boat?

So before I come up with a plan I figure I would ask what others have done on there Toons.

Thanks B

What kind of railing do you have? I think your biggest obstacle might be mounting the frame more than the canvas itself if you have the newer style rails that curve

 

[Booshy]

 

[DLC]

I have a 24ft Crest 3, with the double Bimini and they work great ! My thinking on the Bimini is just leave it up and don't look back!

But

I had a problem with the ht of my garage its only 12' tall and the toon on the trailer with the Bimini up is of course like 12'2". Plus there is a little slope to the drive way.... After putting the Bimini up and down a few times, I'm like the Bimini is just way to tall, just zipping the 2 tops together is a pain in the ass, so I'm going to get an all new lower profile (flat top type ) SS top.

I'm like 5'10" and the original top is like 7'+ above the deck, it's way up there.

Looking at your floor plan I would think you would want the whole boat covered, so I'd do dual Biminis....

Congratulations on the new toon!

 

[HavaToon]

I have a 25 crest Caribbean as well with a factory double bimini.
Their fabric is crap, I had it all replaced with a custom 3 color with center mesh. Much better and they also adjusted and flattened out everything. I don't have a pick of the new top, but Cover Me Customs did it.

 

[DLC]

View attachment 585201 I have a 25 crest Caribbean as well with a factory double bimini.
Their fabric is crap, I had it all replaced with a custom 3 color with center mesh. Much better and they also adjusted and flattened out everything. I don't have a pick of the new top, sorry.

Who did the new skin/canvas and adjusted the ht for you?

Thanks

 

[HavaToon]

Who did the new skin/canvas and adjusted the ht for you?

Thanks

Michele with Cover Me Customs. (928) 505-1001

 

[DLC]

Thank you!

I'm Going to call her

 

[MissHavasuCig]

Our's are made from Sunbrella and zip together. I think it looks much better than the factory ones. Main Stitch did ours.

 

[Lavey29]

Looks nice, you can't even tell it is 2 pieces zipped together. Looks like one clean top. Like the boat colors also. :thumbsup

 

[nordic454]

I built a badass hard top for ours before I sold it. 👍🏻

 

[Patyacht]

Who builds a nice Bimini that goes forward off an arch like these new pontoons.

 

[TCHB]

I have two tops that zip together. Custom Canvas built mine.

 

[throttle]

I liked the way this one fit. Need to have one made also.

The Berkshire, trifecta and South Bay manufacturer uses a channel like piece of molding that is screwed into arch. It holds a hard round piece of rubber in the channel that is stitched to top. So the rubber slides into the channel and then uses a zipper on bottom with Velcro over the top. There are two snaps at the ends to keep it in place. However I have found it doesn’t hold all the time. Here is a pic of the end popped out and the round piece of rubber popping out of channel.

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[2FORCEFULL]

here's my take on the bimini tops,... what the fuc good is a top that the only one getting shade is the ducks out in the water...I went out and sat in all the toons at all the dealers for 2 days, and every one of them the tops were so high that you had to pick a spot to not be in the sun...I say this..cruising up the river and back... I want shade all the time.. and don't want a 7' tall bimini ...I have 2 pontoons to deal with,... and they are both gonna get lowed bimini's that give total shade to the rear area, my wife doesn't like the shade in front and she likes to lounge in the sun, and also lounge in the shade... she's only 5'2'' tall,.. but when I get doine she'll probley have to duck to get in the shade part... for me...if I'm driving. I want every one to sit down...if you wanna stand up in the sun...i'll just leave you on the dock....

 

[outboardrick]

here's my take on the bimini tops,... what the fuc good is a top that the only one getting shade is the ducks out in the water...I went out and sat in all the toons at all the dealers for 2 days, and every one of them the tops were so high that you had to pick a spot to not be in the sun...I say this..cruising up the river and back... I want shade all the time.. and don't want a 7' tall bimini ...I have 2 pontoons to deal with,... and they are both gonna get lowed bimini's that give total shade to the rear area, my wife doesn't like the shade in front and she likes to lounge in the sun, and also lounge in the shade... she's only 5'2'' tall,.. but when I get doine she'll probley have to duck to get in the shade part... for me...if I'm driving. I want every one to sit down...if you wanna stand up in the sun...i'll just leave you on the dock....

Pretty much my take on it as well..... I'm 6'4" so I had to make the bimini that tall, I would have liked it shorter. And I want some sun in the front so I just had a 14ftr made and it works really well.

 

[TCHB]

I have two tops up all the time.

 

[boatdoc55]

here's my take on the bimini tops,... what the fuc good is a top that the only one getting shade is the ducks out in the water...I went out and sat in all the toons at all the dealers for 2 days, and every one of them the tops were so high that you had to pick a spot to not be in the sun...I say this..cruising up the river and back... I want shade all the time.. and don't want a 7' tall bimini ...I have 2 pontoons to deal with,... and they are both gonna get lowed bimini's that give total shade to the rear area, my wife doesn't like the shade in front and she likes to lounge in the sun, and also lounge in the shade... she's only 5'2'' tall,.. but when I get doine she'll probley have to duck to get in the shade part... for me...if I'm driving. I want every one to sit down...if you wanna stand up in the sun...i'll just leave you on the dock....

Steve let me know when you've figured out how to lower your Sweetwater top and I'll do mine also. They are up there a ways and what you say about the ducks getting the shade isn't to far from the truth. Paper signing in the morning, boat next Thursday.

 

[throttle]

Pretty much my take on it as well..... I'm 6'4" so I had to make the bimini that tall, I would have liked it shorter. And I want some sun in the front so I just had a 14ftr made and it works really well. View attachment 759136

That looks great!


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[LowRiver2]

I just had Main Stitch redo my canvas. I have an older toon with a tall frame. I run the front bimini closed when it's just the lady and I and open when kids are onboard.

Advice to new toon owners: Close up the front bimini when loading the boat on the trailer. You will be surprised how much a little wind can "kite" your toon when putting it on the trailer, especially in a cross wind at Windsor.
Also remember a little extra throttle when backing out of the island side of the channel with both biminis up with some wind. The bow will move sideways much more than a fiberglass boat backing out in a crowded beach.

 

[2FORCEFULL]

Pretty much my take on it as well..... I'm 6'4" so I had to make the bimini that tall, I would have liked it shorter. And I want some sun in the front so I just had a 14ftr made and it works really well. View attachment 759136

Looks cool!!!!

 

[DRYHEAT]

Pretty much my take on it as well..... I'm 6'4" so I had to make the bimini that tall, I would have liked it shorter. And I want some sun in the front so I just had a 14ftr made and it works really well. View attachment 759136

Really like how that looks, can you tell us who did it for you?

 

[outboardrick]

Really like how that looks, can you tell us who did it for you?

Lee Brown, Cover Me Custom did it. I've heard he's doing tops again out of his garage but I really don't know. Michelle at (can't remember her business name now) worked for Lee for a lot of years and I'm sure she can do it too.

 

[boatdoc55]

Lee Brown, Cover Me Custom did it. I've heard he's doing tops again out of his garage but I really don't know. Michelle at (can't remember her business name now) worked for Lee for a lot of years and I'm sure she can do it too.

Michelle's Custom Boat Covers 928 505 1001

 

[2FORCEFULL]

the best way to lower a bimini is to do it the correct way.... have a longer canvas sewn up,.... on the coach toon,,,,we went with the one piece that is just in the back......it was 7'2'' tall....now it's 5'10''.... I cut the double rail section off,... re mounted the support poles,..and gonna have a new canvas sewn up...gonna go with the mesh down the center...

 

[2FORCEFULL]

Myth and facts of canvas color...… yes it's true.... black tops are cooler...and how it works!... the black top does get hotter to the touch, but... what happens is heat rises, with the black top it is constant pulling cool air under the top as the hotter air rises... this making it cooler under the top...white tops trap the heated air in and release the hot air at a slower rate making the air more stuffy hot feeling

 

[TCHB]

Myth and facts of canvas color...… yes it's true.... black tops are cooler...and how it works!... the black top does get hotter to the touch, but... what happens is heat rises, with the black top it is constant pulling cool air under the top as the hotter air rises... this making it cooler under the top...white tops trap the heated air in and release the hot air at a slower rate making the air more stuffy hot feeling

Nope the black top is hotter. No reflection of heat just absorption. Just put your hand a couple inches away from the black top and you feel the heat. Next time tough your black car after driving it. It is smoking hot compared to the lighter colors.

Any shade is better than no shade.

 

[outboardrick]

Nope the black top is hotter. No reflection of heat just absorption. Just put your hand a couple inches away from the black top and you feel the heat. Next time tough your black car after driving it. It is smoking hot compared to the lighter colors.

Any shade is better than no shade.

This is correct. The darker the color the more sun it will block making more shade, but will retain more heat. Mesh down the middle will let the trapped hot air under the top escape.

 

[TCHB]

This is correct. The darker the color the more sun it will block making more shade, but will retain more heat. Mesh down the middle will let the trapped hot air under the top escape.

I had the mesh about 18 inches down the center of the boat. My wife would say it is hot in here and floor was hot. It was the typical mesh not sure of the stats on sun protection. I ended up having it all covered with canvas. Wife was happy. This summer I have side mesh covers from the boat and will use them more often in the afternoons.

 

[outboardrick]

I had the mesh about 18 inches down the center of the boat. My wife would say it is hot in here and floor was hot. It was the typical mesh not sure of the stats on sun protection. I ended up having it all covered with canvas. Wife was happy. This summer I have side mesh covers from the boat and will use them more often in the afternoons.

When I had my big top made it was solid and I found that the hot air got trapped under the top. When you stood up it would almost choke you
I had the mesh installed and it was much better, but as you said, it will let sun (radiant) heat through. If you're constantly moving the air won't heat up, of course, and a solid top would probably be better. I'll add that those that think adding mesh will let air pass through while cruising, and keep the top from trapping air, are pretty much fooling themselves... The mesh isn't going to let enough air through, at speed, to make much difference.

 

[TCHB]

When I had my big top made it was solid and I found that the hot air got trapped under the top. When you stood up it would almost choke you
I had the mesh installed and it was much better, but as you said, it will let sun (radiant) heat through. If you're constantly moving the air won't heat up, of course, and a solid top would probably be better. I'll add that those that think adding mesh will let air pass through while cruising, and keep the top from trapping air, are pretty much fooling themselves... The mesh isn't going to let enough air through, at speed, to make much difference.

What I need is air conditioned seat for the wife. She handles the hot weather pretty well but the air conditioned seat would be nice.

 

[TCHB]

When I had my big top made it was solid and I found that the hot air got trapped under the top. When you stood up it would almost choke you
I had the mesh installed and it was much better, but as you said, it will let sun (radiant) heat through. If you're constantly moving the air won't heat up, of course, and a solid top would probably be better. I'll add that those that think adding mesh will let air pass through while cruising, and keep the top from trapping air, are pretty much fooling themselves... The mesh isn't going to let enough air through, at speed, to make much difference.

My mesh would whistle above 40mph. I guess it was the right angle hitting the mesh. If you look at a airplane wing you want smooth smooth not a mesh for efficiency. These tops are pretty big and at speed the wind load is pretty high for these support bolts.

 

[outboardrick]

My mesh would whistle above 40mph. I guess it was the right angle hitting the mesh. If you look at a airplane wing you want smooth smooth not a mesh for efficiency. These tops are pretty big and at speed the wind load is pretty high for these support bolts.

Yes, I angled mine to be level while the boat was running on plane. What I didn't figure was air coming over the bow and pushing down on the front of the bimini. A slight angle change and it worked great.

 

[2FORCEFULL]

I have a 24ft Crest 3, with the double Bimini and they work great ! My thinking on the Bimini is just leave it up and don't look back!

But

I had a problem with the ht of my garage its only 12' tall and the toon on the trailer with the Bimini up is of course like 12'2". Plus there is a little slope to the drive way.... After putting the Bimini up and down a few times, I'm like the Bimini is just way to tall, just zipping the 2 tops together is a pain in the ass, so I'm going to get an all new lower profile (flat top type ) SS top.

I'm like 5'10" and the original top is like 7'+ above the deck, it's way up there.

Looking at your floor plan I would think you would want the whole boat covered, so I'd do dual Biminis....

Congratulations on the new toon!

I lowered my top on the coach 14", it now is 5' 11"....I had a new canvas sewn with high block mesh in the center..works well at speed with no shaking or rattles..