Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

[Expidia]

As I was pulling up next to the dock a few days ago my Overtons.com Sunbrella Bimini frame snapped in two as the boat jumped up from a passing wave and just caught on the top of a post right where the back third bow connects. This caused the whole top to collapse

Now in hindsight, there is something to be said for getting a stainless frame instead of aluminum. But I'm mostly fresh water and I went with aluminum to save a few bucks and less weight too!

So I thought I'd have to replace a good portion of the frame (which is made by Westland).

So I took it down to my basement work shop to see if I could fix it somehow since I needed it for today's outing. No bimini means no place to attach my enclosure and thunder showers were predicted for today.

I'm posting this thread for others to make a note how I luckily came up with an amazingly simple fix. So now I had the right side of the main frame tube in two pieces and had to figure out a way to connect them back together. I looked inside the frame tubing and there is actually another smaller diameter tube inside the frame.

For the hell of it I grabbed a 3 foot length of copper tubing that I keep around in case a copper water pipe freezes and splits open over the winter.

I tried to insert it into the inner tube and to my amazement it was a "perfect" fit. A standard what looks to be 3/4 (measures a little less) copper tubing fits was like it was ordered special for this repair! Had to twist and turn it cause it's a very snug fit, but I was able to get 1 1/2 feet of the 3 foot tube into each section. I slid the plastic jaw slide back on which holds the 3rd bow to the frame and drilled a starter hole into the frame and thru the copper tubing to hold the slide stationary like it was originally. I drilled two small extra holes 1 above the slide and one below to keep the copper tube from moving inside the tube and used 3 stainless steel self tapping screws.

Used the bimini and the enclosure all day today and the repaired side is probably stronger than new and it can't be seen that it was ever broken.

I don't know if copper is going to react with the metal inside the frame tube over time, but if it does I would have had to buy a replacement frame section anyway, if I couldn't repair it myself.

So just a tip . . . if you snap your 3/4 inch bimini frame a length of standard copper tubing can be inserted into the frame for a perfect repair

 

[oops!]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

good idea....thanks for that......


but...now what happens if your pipes break?

 

[jennis9]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

awesome tip...

I like your enclosure. did you do that yourself? I am looking to make a bug screen/camp top so we can sleep on the boat - but only have a bimini at this point and want to add an addition - but don't know how. any tips on that would be great too!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

Great idea...... you should google aluminum - copper reactions.... this may be temporary.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

awesome tip...

I like your enclosure. did you do that yourself? I am looking to make a bug screen/camp top so we can sleep on the boat - but only have a bimini at this point and want to add an addition - but don't know how. any tips on that would be great too!

I used a local canvas shop. Bought the Bimini at overton's for about $230 and then had the shop do an enclosure for me.

They first sewed four heavy zippers into each edge of the bimini and then they made the front piece and 2 side windows out of the same Sunbrella material.

I also had them make up a Sunbrella zippered bag up ($30) and all 3 pieces fold up nicely into the bag into the same size as the top of rear bench seat which is where I store it. I keep it held down with two shock cords so it won't fly out. I of course don't sit on that bench when it's stored there.

They did sew in the 4th zipper on the back of the bimini in case I wanted to add a storm enclosure. But that was another $500 for that back piece.
I've found I don't need it anyway cause you can't use it while you are underway due to fumes.

My side windows go very far back so no rain comes in on us anyway. If I had to I could always head into the rain if it was blowing in from behind.

Making up a bug net would be a good idea too for that back piece. The shop said they could make it up as a big window with a flap that rolls down in case it rains.

It's not the money why I didn't get the back piece. It's this boat is only 15 feet and we don't stay overnight on it.

I'm getting a 2nd boat which is a 24 ft cuddy (when I find the particular model and year I'm looking for) and I'll have this shop make up this same enclosure but a full one so we can sleep out on the deck or in the cuddy.

I'd have a canvas shop do it for you though. This one costs me about $700 which he said should last 10 years. So even if you sell the boat before that it increases the resale value so you will get some of that back or you could sell it separately to someone with your boat model.

Either way $700 divdided by 10 equals $70 a year. So for me we were on the water by April on several 70 degree days this year. Will use the boat into Oct like we did last year if it's not too windy or bitter cold.

So for about $6.00 a month, I've extended our boating season in the "Great Northeast" (weather-wise it's not so great when you're a boater) another 4 months. Up here it's not uncommon to see a 2 month boating season! Even in May and June this year as we cruised around the lakes most boats were still up in drydock.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

Great idea...... you should google aluminum - copper reactions.... this may be temporary.

Ya, I thought of that. It's called a galvanic reaction. I'm sure salt water would raise hell with it. But I might get a few seasons out of it.

If repair fails in future I would have had to replace the broken frame pieces anyway, so I already pulled out the papers showing the parts list that top came with and will check if they are available from Westland.

Maybe the copper to aluminum galvanic response will get me 12 volts off it and I can hook up some clips to to the frame and power my stereo

Either way I was back on the water the next day. Without losing two weeks in Aug waiting for the parts and being without an enclosure or bimini.

We tend to run much more with the bimini up now to keep the sun off us. Don't need any skin Melanoma's

It was such a sweet fix though when that first try piece of pipe fit exactly, I hope there is not much of a metal to metal response! I'm going to order the two frame pieces anyway.

I'll google around later to see what I can come up with. I could probably get Westland to replace the pieces for free anyway and keep them as backup because it's probably less than 12 months and that part should not have snapped so easily IMO.

The top simply collapsed when that support snapped which could have been dangerous while underway! I was almost at dead stop when it happened. I was just stepping onto the dock to tie the bow up.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

Oh no I don't disagree.... I would have done the same exact thing..... I just thought I would mention it!

 

[INJUN]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

I once had a similar problem. I used a wooden dowel insert with gobs of 5 min. epoxy. Works fine.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

Great idea...... you should google aluminum - copper reactions.... this may be temporary.

I did! Seems it affects mostly roofing materials like copper flashing touching aluminum. Throws off that green stuff. But this is over long periods of time and it's exposed to acidic elements.

This copper tubing is pretty much water and air tight inside the framing tube.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

I once had a similar problem. I used a wooden dowel insert with gobs of 5 min. epoxy. Works fine.

Ya, I thought of trying a wood dowel but I fear it snapping while I'm cruising along at 35 mph.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

So I called Overton's and of course I purchased the Bimini in July of 07 which puts it a month over the warranty period.

They can ship me the "whole" rear bow assembly with the hardware for $41. They will pick up the shipping, since I was so close to the 12 months warranty.

I thought that was fair since it was my fault that it caught the tip of the piling.
My rigs quite low being only 15 feet and I've touched the pilings when bimini was up so I didn't want to push the issue further.

Either way, now I'll have the new one as a back up if my repair does not hold.

They said two weeks cause it's shipped directly from Westland. For $41 better to have the backup bow piece in case they stop making the same design later on and my repair fails due to future galvanic deterioration.

See I told ya I wouldn't see a replacement piece for 2 weeks! That's why I tackled the repair myself and had no bimini/enclosure downtime!

Thx for all of your responses

 

[Expidia]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

Update: not such a great fix. Probably got 5 trips and the inside copper tube repair just snapped as I grabbed the bimini when I was trying to move the boat towards the trailer this past Sunday.

Tip: never try to guide the boat by grabbing your bimini. And don't let anyone grab the frame for support as they board on and off either.

I was glad at least it snapped right near my trailer rather then when I was going around 30 mph. I had already ordered the replacement tube anyway from Overton's just in case my copper tube fix broke. Had the spare in my basement already.

I installed it today. All is good now, but I would recommend if you are buying an aftermarket bimini I would pay the extra for a stainless steel frame (if an option) even if you will only be using your boat on fresh water because the typical manufacturer (Westland in this case) who makes Overton's frames uses a real thin grade of aluminum (China Crapola). I will never purchase an aluminum frame again.

 

[timdan94]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

why not try an EMT coupler for conduit?

 

[Expidia]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

Thx for the reply.

Too late now thoough. Already snapped it twice now. Replaced it with the OEM frame part today. It was only $40.

EMT part in a pinch would be OK, but I wanted to keep the look stock so I bought the replacement piece.

My first fix was the copper tube which slipped inside so no one could tell it was repaired. Too bad it let go again though, it was a sweet and cheap fix (for awhile).

 

[MikDee]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

3/4" EMT tubing is almost the same size as the copper, but is much more rigid! Plus whatever it's made of, (not aluminum it's stronger) it doesn't rust or corrode very easy either.

 

[solarfry]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

As I was pulling up next to the dock a few days ago my Overtons.com Sunbrella Bimini frame snapped in two as the boat jumped up from a passing wave and just caught on the top of a post right where the back third bow connects. This caused the whole top to collapse

Now in hindsight, there is something to be said for getting a stainless frame instead of aluminum. But I'm mostly fresh water and I went with aluminum to save a few bucks and less weight too!

So I thought I'd have to replace a good portion of the frame (which is made by Westland).

So I took it down to my basement work shop to see if I could fix it somehow since I needed it for today's outing. No bimini means no place to attach my enclosure and thunder showers were predicted for today.

I'm posting this thread for others to make a note how I luckily came up with an amazingly simple fix. So now I had the right side of the main frame tube in two pieces and had to figure out a way to connect them back together. I looked inside the frame tubing and there is actually another smaller diameter tube inside the frame.

For the hell of it I grabbed a 3 foot length of copper tubing that I keep around in case a copper water pipe freezes and splits open over the winter.

I tried to insert it into the inner tube and to my amazement it was a "perfect" fit. A standard what looks to be 3/4 (measures a little less) copper tubing fits was like it was ordered special for this repair! Had to twist and turn it cause it's a very snug fit, but I was able to get 1 1/2 feet of the 3 foot tube into each section. I slid the plastic jaw slide back on which holds the 3rd bow to the frame and drilled a starter hole into the frame and thru the copper tubing to hold the slide stationary like it was originally. I drilled two small extra holes 1 above the slide and one below to keep the copper tube from moving inside the tube and used 3 stainless steel self tapping screws.

Used the bimini and the enclosure all day today and the repaired side is probably stronger than new and it can't be seen that it was ever broken.

I don't know if copper is going to react with the metal inside the frame tube over time, but if it does I would have had to buy a replacement frame section anyway, if I couldn't repair it myself.

So just a tip . . . if you snap your 3/4 inch bimini frame a length of standard copper tubing can be inserted into the frame for a perfect repair

You can also use electrical conduit in 3/4 or 1/2 size to repair a broken bimini. The copper will eat the aluminum. Conduit is galvanized and might just work better. BTDT also.

 

[skargo]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

Holy old thread revival!

 

[NorthportTroller]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

Good tip, thanks.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Snapped my bimini frame, but great fix . . .

You can also use electrical conduit in 3/4 or 1/2 size to repair a broken bimini. The copper will eat the aluminum. Conduit is galvanized and might just work better. BTDT also.

In the end, I got a few more trips with the copper and it snapped again in the same place

So I ordered a replacement bow from Westland for about $50 with shipping and it's fine now.

Don't even think about grabbing your aluminum bimini frame to pull the boat towards the dock or you are going to hear SNAPOLA! Don't let passengers use the frame for support as they are getting into the boat.

If I have to buy another . . . I would only buy stainless!