SEW IT YOURSELF - Make your own bimini with the Sailrite Bimini Kit Complete 3-Bow 7/8" Aluminum Frame, Fittings and Sunbrella. A bimini top is an easy and affordable way to provide protection from sun and shelter from rain and spray. Bimini complete kits come with everything you need to complete a bimini for your boat including top-quality Sunbrella fabric, patterning material, binding, thread, zippers, webbing, frame, fittings, and DVD instructions. Only a sewing machine, scissors, and basic hand tools are required.
The Sailrite 3-Bow Bimini Kit features zippered tubing sleeves for easy removal and storage and tails at the forward and aft edges to act as attachment points and to prevent water from wicking back under the cover. Also facing along the sides keep the cover from stretching and webbing straps offer additional support to the bimini. Not only will this completed bimini kit rival a finished bimini from any canvas shop, but it is more affordable when you do-it-yourself.
The adjustable 3 bow frame is made from 7/8" bright anodized aluminum. All tubing bows are prebent in a custom jig mounted on a wall in our shop. To keep shipping reasonable and to allow for greater customization, the bows are cut just beyond each bend creating three sections — two curved and one crowned. The crown in the center bow increases rigidity and improves the appearance of the finished bimini. Once the three pieces are assembled with splines that can be riveted in place, the bow has more strength than the uncut original. Sailrite bimini frames compare very favorably with custom welded frames but cost 2 to 3 times less! All fittings are stainless steel and secured with set screws. Bimini kits include Universal Deck Hinges (#103120) which features a pivoting hinge to compensate for the many different angles of decks, coamings and even vertical surfaces.
To select the appropriate kit, first determine the width and desired height for the bimini and the desired Sunbrella color. Width - Decide where the bimini frame will be mounted on the starboard and port sides of the boat. Measure across the boat from one mounting point to the other. Height - Maximum height is limited to the length of the longest bow and dependent upon the angle of the bow when the frame is in place (actual headroom will vary). The length of the bimini's top also varies depending upon the angle of the bows. Frames can be easily reduced in size by cutting the tubing with a hack saw or a tube cutting tool.
3-Bow Bimini Frame:
Maximum Width: 106 inches Longest Leg Length: 57 inches (before crown and fittings, add about 5") Nominal Height at maximum Spread: 41 inches (As height increases above nominal height, the maximum spread decreases) Maximum Spread (fore and aft): 84 inches Maximum Distance Between Bows: 42 inches Bimini Kit Complete 3-Bow 7/8" Aluminum Frame Kit includes:
Sunbrella fabric Sunbrella binding White thread White zippers Patterning material Webbing Seamstick Loop locs Webbing sliders Snap hooks Eye Ends Jaw Slides Universal Deck Hinges Strap eyes Frame Tubing Stainless steel rivets Screws Stainless steel zipper stops 3M Filament Strapping Tape Make your Own Bimini DVD (Includes PDF Instructions) Add window material or extra zippers to your kit to make optional curtains, bridge panel attachments, backstay slits, or windows.
Recommended Items for Bimini Cover & Frame Assembly:
Riveting Gun (required) Drill Steady Tubing Tool (not required) Tube Cutting Tool or a Hack Saw (required) Soapstone Marking Pencil (not required)
