AR190 Bimini Top

[Maslin]

Picked up our 2023 AR190 a few weeks ago, we've had it out every weekend since. Thinking about trying the wakeboard today and had a question about the bimini top.

Obviously stowing the top would work, but that's a pain and we appreciate the shade. The manual says to lock everything together with the posts in the first hole, then tension the top to the second hole. It also says to drop to the last hole if using the tower. The second hole pulls the top tight, tight tight, there is no way I'm getting to the third hole. Pulling the rods down would dip the rear of the cover to clear the rope, it has a bit of a ramp up at the rear. There's just no way that's happening, the cover isn't stretchy and the front rods don't seem to be adjustable in any way.

Is there something I'm missing? Run it in the second hole and hope it doesn't rub too bad? Pull hard and hope the ball ends don't bend?

 

[mrcapi937]

If your in a 2023 that lower third hole will be a bear. The new Bimini probably has not stretched out yet enough to reach. I was not able to use that third lower hole until the end of our first summer with lots of use before the cover would stretch that far down. And even then it was difficult. We used the first upper hole and put the rope under the Bimini with the zipper flap open. It worked fine for us and the rope did not rub on the Bimini at all.

 

[Maslin]

If your in a 2023 that lower third hole will be a bear. The new Bimini probably has not stretched out yet enough to reach. I was not able to use that third lower hole until the end of our first summer with lots of use before the cover would stretch that far down. And even then it was difficult. We used the first upper hole and put the rope under the Bimini with the zipper flap open. It worked fine for us and the rope did not rub on the Bimini at all.

Yes, it's a fresh out of the box 2023. There are 4 holes, one is easy, tightens on two, three and four are impossible at this point. I got one side down to the third and absolutely could not get the other side to match. Folded the cover and tucked it out of the way, through the zipper would have worked fine. We'll give that a shot next time out, thanks.

 

[212s]

Obviously stowing the top would work, but that's a pain and we appreciate the shade.

The bimini on my boat is essentially the same. First half of the first summer (3 seasons ago) I could only run it in the 1 or 2 notch. 1 was too loose, 2 was snug until a month or so later when it stretched enough in the hot sun to drop to the 3 notch. In the 2 notch it looks like the photo you posted, with the back of the bimini curved up. My avatar pic is from June 2020 and it's curved up. By late July or August it stretched to notch 3 and is now straight like it the stock Yamaha photo below (click to enlarge) which looks proper. I should find a more recent pic of my boat with the bimini straight and update my avatar pic.



As for water sports, tubing is done from the lower tow point on the back of the boat above the transom so not an issue. Wakeboard or skiiing should be done from the tower, but if it rubs on the bimini, I'd fold it up. I wouldn't run it through the zipper in the event you make a sharp turn and the person following doesn't - might rip the bimini.

 

[Maslin]

It has become a nonissue, we are almost exclusively surfing now with a surf rope looped to the left side of the tower. Tube goes on the lower hook and the bimini stays out all day!

Probably the last warm day of the season this weekend, we’ll be out enjoying it. Sunny and 80 in the middle of October, I’ll take it.

 

[212s]

It has become a nonissue, we are almost exclusively surfing now with a surf rope looped to the left side of the tower. Tube goes on the lower hook and the bimini stays out all day!

Oh yeah someone else on the forum suggests that too...totally forgot about it. Glad you found an easy solution!

Probably the last warm day of the season this weekend, we’ll be out enjoying it. Sunny and 80 in the middle of October, I’ll take it.

Where are you? Up here it's going to be in the low to mid 50's...bleah...