Looking for Bimini top for 26M

[vmohome]

Anybody know where to find a Bimini with the following options at a reasonable price?

-clear top to be able to sail with top up and see the sails
-high enough to be able to stand under (at least for the rear area around the helm
-must work with the rear rail seats (be able to sit in them with the top up)
-good size to cover most of the cockpit
-reasonable price

Thanks in advance
Mike

[wallville]

@Phil M: Could you explain why BWY Bimini's vs. KH? I was flipping a coin on which I was going to consider and...between the two. @vmohome: I like the idea of the clear vinyl on sewn into the bimini, you have to care for the bimini that much more though to keep that vinyl in good shape.

[vmohome]

I've seen some pictures of bimini's that get taller behind the boom for standing room but dont know where to get on unless they are custom?

[Terry]

Dowsar Marine of Ontario makes a SS bimini that raises and lowers to stand under and it fits onto the genoa tracks of the M, I have one. I doubt that you can sail with it up but in raised position you can sit on the stern rail seats under it. When down it leans on the stern seats and is a bit in the way but my wife still manages to sit on the seats.

[Russ]

I have the BWY bimini and really like it. The window (if you want one) will have to be custom fit, but I'd try it without first. I don't really need a window on the M. We sail with bimini up all the time. It fits just under the boom.

I have the seats and it works fine with them.
Notice the passenger sitting on the seat on the left of the picture.




Folds all the way back and out of the way.

[Catigale]

"boat" and "reasonable price" ??

[vmohome]

Hi RussMT your bimini looks pretty good. I will look into the Dowsar one.

When it is folded back out of the way can you still sit on the stern seats? Did you get the "large" bimini from BWY? Did you also get your dodger from BWY? Were they easy to install?

Did you know what boat stands for?

"Bring out another thousand" !!!!!

Thanks for all the input
Mike

[Phil M]

The bimini I bought from Kelly Hanson has no matching dodger available. The company that makes their bimini does not make any other Macgregor product. I bought my non-matching dodger from BWY. Also, I've seen dodgers from BWY, and they look a bit taller where the rear seats are.

Phil M

[vmohome]

Thanks for your honest input Phil

Mike

[jschrade]

I have the BWY large bimini and you can sit under the bimini in the stern rail seats - comfortably. You cannot fully stand behind the wheel and have to crouch under the bimini when moving about the cockpit - this makes moving around the cockpit rather challenging. This is not a knock of the BWY bimini, it's true with all of them. The BWY bimini provides a tremendous amount of shade and in Florida that is a very good thing.

I have had a real time getting this bimini setup correctly and being able to easily fold it up. The kit that comes with it requires that you drill holes in your combing when it appears it could easily be mounted to the genoa track - it literally right next to it. You will replace the teeny little hooks that come with it to clamp to your stantion legss to hold it forward as they are a complete pain to attach and take of as they are barely wider than the small legs on the stantions.

Note this is not a quick remove item like the smaller ones, you will have to unscrew things to get it off.

It does what I bought it for - it keeps the sun off of us and does that well!

Jim

[Russ]

When it is folded back out of the way can you still sit on the stern seats?

Yes. Most of the time we have it back and it's not in the way at all. It has a vertical pole that holds it up when retracted up high out of the way. It is high as the mast roller.

Did you get the "large" bimini from BWY?

Not sure. It was the bimini that was part of BWY cruising package. Seems large. They installed it. Also it came with the dodger (in pic above). It has all the zippers to add the full enclosure. We actually don't use the dodger anymore.

Were they easy to install?

It was installed when I bought the boat. But it looks pretty easy to install. Two brackets screwed to the deck next to the genny tracks. Two brackets that clamp to the seats.
Removing it requires 2 screws and 2 pins. Pretty simple.

I can stand while at the helm. The boom is low so when lowered you have to duck to get under the front of it as I'm sure any bim for the Mac would be as the Mac doesn't have a tall boom.
This is my only reference point and can't comment on other biminis.

Did you know what boat stands for?

"Bring out another thousand" !!!!!

Yea. Why nobody mentioned inexpensive as an attribute.


--Russ

[vmohome]

Thanks again Guys

[Highlander]

Here's my Dowsar Bimini only avail if you buy the full enclosure ,its wider & higher than the one Terry has from Dowsar
http://s235.photobucket.com/albums/ee20 ... 010101.flv

the nice thing about the BWY system is you can buy each section seperatly & gradualy buy the full enclosure which you can not do with the dowsar one

J

[flyboy26m]

I purchased one from my dealer and I think it is this one: http://www.softopper.com/Bimini_Top-details.aspx .

It shows it on a 26 X but I have it on my 2010 26m.

I am 6' and just fit under it while sitting at the wheel. I can sail with it up.

Part of it attaches to the G-track and part to 2 brackets you install.

Comes off quickly and you can disassemble it for storage below.

Comes with a boot and packets for cell phone and stuff.

Has Velcro on edges so you can add screen enclosures.

Anybody know where to find a Bimini with the following options at a reasonable price?

-clear top to be able to sail with top up and see the sails
-high enough to be able to stand under (at least for the rear area around the helm
-must work with the rear rail seats (be able to sit in them with the top up)
-good size to cover most of the cockpit
-reasonable price

Thanks in advance
Mike

[Phil M]

I purchased one from my dealer and I think it is this one: http://www.softopper.com/Bimini_Top-details.aspx .

It shows it on a 26 X but I have it on my 2010 26m.

I am 6' and just fit under it while sitting at the wheel. I can sail with it up.

Part of it attaches to the G-track and part to 2 brackets you install.

Comes off quickly and you can disassemble it for storage below.

Comes with a boot and packets for cell phone and stuff.

Has Velcro on edges so you can add screen enclosures.

Softopper? That sounds familiar, especially if they are from the state of CO. Read my previous post. That company does not make any other products, such as screen enclosures, or matching dodgers. But if you just want a bimini, then it is a good product.
Phil M