Bimini top height?

[low277]

I am looking at bimini tops and I see that many are listed as 46 inch in height. I am guessing that they mean the tube is 46 inches. Has anyone installed one of these? I am wondering if the 46 inch model will be tall enough to stand under when it is mounted on my gunnel ( 28" above the floor )


Thanks

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Bimini top height?

Guess it depends on how tall you are

FWIW - the guide that I found at O Vertons says that height is measured from gunnel to the bottom of the bimini.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Bimini top height?

28 plus 46 equals 74. That's 6' 2".

Bimini's should be a LOW as you can tolerate.

Do you spend most of your time standing?
Would ducking your head slightly when moving around drive you crazy?
Is there a 42" Bimini at 5' 10" option available?

 

[QC]

Re: Bimini top height?

Totally agree with Willie!!! +1000. Lower is better, think of the visor in your car.

I also disagree with some here. I boat in 110+ plus ambient often. I prefer a dark bimini. They are not hot, they give darker shade and to me cooler. I hate dark gelcoat, but I love dark biminis.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Bimini top height?

28 plus 46 equals 74. That's 6' 2".

Bimini's should be a LOW as you can tolerate.

Do you spend most of your time standing?
Would ducking your head slightly when moving around drive you crazy?
Is there a 42" Bimini at 5' 10" option available?

5ft 10? Even my 15 year old daughter would barely fit under that.

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: Bimini top height?

Well we do alot of watersports with the kids, I am 6'3 and got one that I can stand under, I can not imagine ducking 50 times a day every time im out on the boat. I would rather just deal with the sun, if we are cruising all day i just use the convertable as im in the drivers seat 99 percent of the time. Guess it depends on what you do and what you can put up with, in both looks and functionality.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Bimini top height?

5ft 10? Even my 15 year old daughter would barely fit under that.

no, that's the lowest part of the frame--think of a 7' doorway into a 8' room.

I agree the lower the better and dark is cooler. it also seems taller (old South trick is to paint the porch ceiling dark)

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Bimini top height?

no, that's the lowest part of the frame--think of a 7' doorway into a 8' room.

I agree the lower the better and dark is cooler. it also seems taller (old South trick is to paint the porch ceiling dark)

Ducking under that would be a pain. I guess if all you do with the boat is lay in it then it might work, but if you are skiing/boarding constantly then no way. But then again, I don't understand the concept of a bimini top in MN - we get about 2 weeks of decent weather why hide

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Bimini top height?

It is strictly your call.

In a 22 footer the only time people will be standing is to change seats and boarding.
Everyone will be seated while underway.

My head just touches the supports but clears the canvas by a hair.
Standing up, but leaning against something will shorten you by an inch or two.
The women are all under 5' 7".

If you are going to go tall, then also go large.
A 4 bow, 8 foot length Bimini would compliment the larger boat nicely.

 

[emilsr]

Re: Bimini top height?

If you are going to go tall, then also go large.
A 4 bow, 8 foot length Bimini would compliment the larger boat nicely.

That's exactly what I did (8' bimini) and couldn't be happier. If you need shade, and we definitely do boating in the desert, then try to cover as much of the cockpit as you can. Ours goes from the instrument panel all the way back about 1' past the back of the rear seat. It's tall enough to stand under (if you're less than 6' 4") and also to open the motor hatch while the bimini is deployed. Just about perfect for our needs/wants. Although I had this one custom made with 1" stainless tubing for strength and fancy quick connect fittings, unless you expect 75mph winds you could probably get away with something less expensive.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: Bimini top height?

I'm 6-3 and I stand a lot when I'm driving. There are enough things in this world low enough for me to hit my head on, that I'm certainly not going to install yet another on my own boat! Since I'm the dad as well as the driver, I spend much of my non-driving time helping kids and and out of the boat, fetching things, etc. I don't want to duck 100 times a day when I'm on the water. I installed mine so I can just walk under it without whacking my head.

 

[bekosh]

Re: Bimini top height?

But then again, I don't understand the concept of a bimini top in MN - we get about 2 weeks of decent weather why hide

In the northern climates like we live in, I would go with a full canvas enclosure, Bimini top, front, side and back curtains. It lets you extend your boating season by 2-3 weeks at each end of the year. A good canvas shop should be able to make one for a 21-22 ft boat for under $1000. The set I had on my Wellcraft was about $800.

 

[emilsr]

Re: Bimini top height?

There's another downside to "low profile" bimini tops. Here's one mounted on a boat exactly like ours; the owner tells me it creates a "wind tunnel" effect at cruising speeds. We don't have that problem with our taller bimini.

 

[BobGinCO]

Re: Bimini top height?

Pontoon people go with "Taller is Better".

 

[Outsider]

Re: Bimini top height?

I am guessing that they mean the tube is 46 inches.

46" refers to the distance between the mounting point and the top when the bimini is deployed. Knowing that, 'tall enough to stand under' requires a little math on your part. High or low profile is a matter of choice, almost all biminis are speed limited to 35 kts (including wind component). Lots of good info here, Carver Bimini Tops: | Carver Industries ...

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: Bimini top height?

I am guessing that they mean the tube is 46 inches.

46" refers to the distance between the mounting point and the top when the bimini is deployed. Knowing that, 'tall enough to stand under' requires a little math on your part. High or low profile is a matter of choice, almost all biminis are speed limited to 35 kts (including wind component). Lots of good info here, Carver Bimini Tops: | Carver Industries ...

And those guys make a really good bimini, too...

 

[riptide09]

Re: Bimini top height?

I can absolutely recommend the Westland Sharkskin Bimini's sold here on iBoats. I bought one in 2011 and it is top quality with no problems.

 

[low277]

Re: Bimini top height?

Thanks to everyone for the input, this has helped clear up all the questions that I had.