Marinette Boat Forum

Are there any standard replacement bimini tops for a 32' express, mines seen its better days. Have looked online and there is a multitude of choices stainless, aluminum, round and square tubing not to mention fabrics, have Sunbrella on my fishing boat which has given great service. The width is a given but lengths run from short to long.

Long, long time ago there was an upholsterer in Louisville who did a lot of M's but since the tubing can vary, you'll have to use a custom top maker. Go w/Sunbrella which lasts and cleans up well. I'd advise using the best thread since that's the thing that unravels under the punishment of the sun and reinforce wear points for longer life.

You can take the old material to a upholster shop if your frame is ok. If they want too much I will coach you on how to make a new one or I can make one with the old one to go by.
Wayne

Oh I need plenty of couching, no my frame has seen its better days, thought I'd just bite the bullet and replace it all. Now on our pontoon boat we did use corrugated plastic sheeting, with H joiners, over the frame which has proven to be very durable as well as cost effective.

Look at Sailrite.com. They have all the hardware and can can make bends for you.
Wayne

I put a new bimini top on my 32' fbs last summer. It fit perfectly, covers the whole flybridge and attaches mostly to the rails. I can' find the purchase order here so it is probably on the boat. I got it from amazon or ebay and it was well under $200. Point is you may want to just buy the whole bimini if the price is right. I have to visit my stored boat soon and if I find the order I will post it.

I have the dark blue bimini off of my 32 express for sale, frame, cover and all. Pm me and I can send pictures.

I used plywood when my bimini rotted away. Ugly but efficient. Survived a brutal snowstorm.

Jeff

I am in the process of making a replacement top for our 32. After looking at a number of different 32 Ms, I can tell you most bimini tops are different in meaningful ways. They all look the same until you look at the details. Our bridge bimini happens to be the original from a shop in Jeffersonville, IN. It has a nice little sewn on patch with the makers name. Crazy as it seems, I have the 30 year old original receipt. It has held up remarkably well.

Don't get hung up on Sunbrella. There are a number of similar performing less expensive fabrics on the market. I've been working with Surlast the last few weeks and it is very nice fabric. Top gun, Sea Mark, Coast Guard, etc. are other names to consider. I bought the Surlast for $6 / yard (Sunbrella is $20+ / yard). If you're not doing it yourself, find a reputable canvas shop. There's a lady named Tammy at Port Royale that does good work. If you want, I will find her contact info. I've seen some work from others in the Gainesville / Cumming area that looks ok on the surface but lacks quality in the areas that count.

For comparison, I've spent about $2,500 in material to replace the bridge cover, bridge bimini, aft deck bimini and enclosures for both areas. The quote to replace them was over $10,000. It's a solid three month project.