Anyone know of a cheaper place to buy a Bimini cover/boot?

[haknslash]

So my Bimini cover has been deteriorating since day 1 of ownership. I highly doubt Yamaha is going to warranty even within a year per my dealer/salesman. Probably a wear and tear item to them. I just checked the price for the OEM Bimini cover and holy sh*t it's freaking $212.58!!!! It's a cover for Pete's sake, not anything special just some fabric, plastic buckles and a POS zipper that breaks. You'd swear by the price it was made by Gucci . I can't remember the manufacturer's name of the tower for my boat but I'm wondering if they also make the Bimini for it and if so perhaps they sell it without the Yamaha markup?

I was hoping the cover would be around $40 or so. I think my best bet is to just take it to an upholstery shop and let them put on a new/better zipper. The fabric of the cover is ok, it's the threading/stitching that is suspect and the poor quality of the zipper.

 

[Paul Early]

Amazon has these at the price you want. Double check size though. I have not ordered one and do not know if they will fit our bimini.

https://www.amazon.com/Survivor-Marine-Products-Storage-Zippered/dp/B00GQUSRKS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493744899&sr=8-1&keywords=bimini+cover+boot

 

[haknslash]

Does anyone know if anyone makes a cover that wraps around and uses heavy duty Velcro versus a zipper? I don't know about you guys but putting the cover on by myself is a pain. I have to rest the Bimini on my head to keep it from unraveling and then hold my tongue right so I can get the zipper started in a delicate balancing act. Not sure there is such a thing as a Velcro cover but sure would be nice.

 

[micj]

I have had to replace boot on my previous boat and found it on ebay. All the boots I have seen use a zipper.

 

[Matt Phillips]

That seems like the thing is deteriorating fast! Here's a couple of thoughts:

Check Yamaha Sports Plaza...their prices are usually the best around.

Also, how do you use the bimini? The bimini on my 232 lasted the 5 years I owned it...it did need to be sewn up near a seam once and could probably get a couple more seasons out of it before I sold the boat. A couple of things I always did: 1) always took it down while towing; and 2) even though I stored the boat in the lake for 10-12 weeks per summer, it was always stowed while in between trips to the lake. Although it took 5-10 minutes at the beginning and end of each trip, I think that helped save it quite a bit.

 

[mraz72]

Same here Matt, I wet slip my boat and I always close the bimini and bag it, like you said, it does add to time in the beginning and end. Usually I have someone else doing the bimini while I untie the boat while launching, and same on the other end, that person does the bimini while I tie the boat down.

 

[haknslash]

That seems like the thing is deteriorating fast! Here's a couple of thoughts:

Check Yamaha Sports Plaza...their prices are usually the best around.

Also, how do you use the bimini? The bimini on my 232 lasted the 5 years I owned it...it did need to be sewn up near a seam once and could probably get a couple more seasons out of it before I sold the boat. A couple of things I always did: 1) always took it down while towing; and 2) even though I stored the boat in the lake for 10-12 weeks per summer, it was always stowed while in between trips to the lake. Although it took 5-10 minutes at the beginning and end of each trip, I think that helped save it quite a bit.

I checked there but it's only cheaper by a $1. Still though that's $211 for a small duffel bag. Insane money IMO .............and I've owned a Harley Davidson, so I know what glorified pricing looks like but this is unreal pricing for a small cover that uses poor manufacturing and parts!

My issue is not the bimini but the actual cover you use to zip it up in for transporting (item 3 http://www.yamahapartshouse.com/oemparts/a/yam/56017d1587a86615687af99b/bimini-top-carpet). I would never tow with my bimini open as it would probably get ripped off even though I remember that pic of someone towing theirs down the highway on the bimini trip lol. I think it even warns about max speed when deployed of like 45 mph or maybe less...can't remember. I will post some pics of what my cover looks like. First weekend I took it out and got back home the threads were already ripped from the zipper on one side and now the other side is beginning to lose teeth of the zipper. My guess is wind flapping is pulling on the zipper and the threads are too weak. That or I got a defect which my dealer doesn't make me feel like Yamaha is going to warranty it.

Yes this is not an issue if you're boating with family or friends but I often boat solo on my off days and sometimes on the weekend and it's a real chore doing this by yourself while trying to keep the bimini from unrolling while you try and zipper with a hand and a half lol.

 

[bumpy]

When you do get a new/repaired boot, wrapping the bimini with a dock line will help keep it tight to the poles while zipping the boot. I have to use this trick until my new custom boot is made for the new Sunbrella bimini we have now.

 

[Matt Phillips]

Ah...that makes more sense....on the bimini cover, not the bimini. I actually read that wrong.

When I first got my 232 and was towing it from LA to the Bay Area, I got just over the Grapevine (like 60 miles or so north of LA) and noticed a flapping back at the boat. We pulled over, and the zipper had worked loose on the bimini cover. I quickly got it re zipped and then wrapped some bungee cords around the ends of the cover on each side. My ultimate fix ultimately was to keep small bungee cords wrapped around the ends of the bimini cover whenever towing, and then later had some more toward the center. Additionally, I also ran some safety pins between the cover material and the holes in the ends of the zippers...this essentially locked the zippers closed and stopped them from flapping in the wind. Again, I only this while towing.

 

[haknslash]

Yup that's how I noticed mine the first time it happened. I was driving on the highway at 70 mph and looked back to see the cover flapping in the wind lol. Thankfully it has buckles attached to the tower or it would have been gone. I think I'm just gonna take it by a local upholstery shop and see what they would charge to install a good zipper with strong stitching. Safety pins is a good idea to keep it from coming loose.

 

[haknslash]

Here's pictures of my cover. You can see some of the teeth have broken on one side and on the other side the zipper track itself has separated from the cover stitching. I also just noticed the small rip that is developing near the threads too. Awesome.

 

[Matt Phillips]

Come to think of it, I think I had a zipper rip out of mine as well. I took it to a local tailor shop and had them out in the largest black plastic zipper hey had. If memory serves me correct, then only charged like $10-15 for the repair including the cost of the zipper.

 

[Bill D]

@haknslash let me know if you find a good canvas shop. I'm in need also.

When I have he too in the boot, I use four pieces of Velcro one-wrap to help secure it. Works awesome.

VELCRO Brand - ONE-WRAP Roll, Double-Sided, Self Gripping Multi-Purpose Hook and Loop Tape, Reusable, 45' x 1 1/2" Roll - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JWU77N2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_itrczbE10D5CA

 

[blacksapphirez]

contact the manufacturer apex or whomever....they will warranty it

My boot zipper is being repaired at the moment by the manufacturer in CT(not Apex apparently)

 

[jameskeller76]

Use the straps with clips to hold everything together and then you can zip it up. My dealer screwed up and gave me two covers, woohoo!

 

[captainhook]

Did you ever find a cheaper one? I am absolutely not spending $211 plus shipping on it, even for the new bimini I just bought.

 

[haknslash]

Not yet but I also haven't been looking during the season. I'll be looking for one if my dealer doesn't warranty mine. In the meantime I've been using zip ties to hold it together.

 

[Beachbummer]

Look for the Attwood or Marpac replacement. They make several based on size and color. I got a red replacement for my SX230...bought a size too small so it's on tight, but works great and has a very good feel to it. I paid 37.96 for it on ebay

Like I said, don't get this one, it's on too tight, but fits. Find the 81+ size and get that.

What I got:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/190795065456?ul_noapp=true

What you should consider:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Attwood-Bimini-Top-Storage-Boot-82-88-Pick-Color-/200891363025?var=&hash=item2ec60eeed1:m:mHX4_UhBg_pYrY8NC6qhrow


Good Luck!