Bimini blowing in the wind

[HPskier]

I just put a bimini on my SSLXI. I know your not "suppose to" drive at slalom speeds with these but I'm not taking it up and down. Has anyone ever had the Balloon effect and figured out a way to keep it tight. It's sunbrella material so it's a good quality but at about 30mph it really balloons up. The straps are as tight as I can get them. It doesn't look like it is hurting anything but I would like to have it tight.

[wienrdog]

There is typically a middle loop that can be used to snug up the bimini when well adjusted.

Mine is nice & tight all the time - at speeds up to WOT - or slightly higher when I forget to put it down before trailering home.

Can you cant it forward a bit so the air is pushing more on the top than catching under the front of the bimini?

[tomas]

That just means its producing lift for a smaller slalom wake

[HPskier]

That just means its producing lift for a smaller slalom wake

I already thought of that, it doesn't help my sking.....

[HPskier]

There is typically a middle loop that can be used to snug up the bimini when well adjusted.

Mine is nice & tight all the time - at speeds up to WOT - or slightly higher when I forget to put it down before trailering home.

Can you cant it forward a bit so the air is pushing more on the top than catching under the front of the bimini?

I've adjusted that tight but it doesn't seem to work. I might try leaning it forward more.

[Aquadisiac]

If your Bimini is free mounted ( no tower ) then dip the front a bit and tighten the straps. I've had a few this style and not had flapping.

PS The top can't be to flat

[Faceplant409]

If your Bimini is free mounted ( no tower ) then dip the front a bit and tighten the straps. I've had a few this style and not had flapping.

PS The top can't be to flat

Yep, drop the front slightly...

[Levi900RR]

You really have to snug the snot out of it. I just put a bimini on my skier and I was surprised at how tight I had to pull the straps. Mine is angled down in the front which I think helps.

Edited August 5, 2010 by Levi900RR

[Interacsol]

I just put a bimini on my SSLXI. I know your not "suppose to" drive at slalom speeds with these but I'm not taking it up and down. Has anyone ever had the Balloon effect and figured out a way to keep it tight. It's sunbrella material so it's a good quality but at about 30mph it really balloons up. The straps are as tight as I can get them. It doesn't look like it is hurting anything but I would like to have it tight.

Get one of these:

http://www.bare-foot-international.com/bimini.html

Good to 70 mph and looks great.

[Sixball]

Get one of these:

http://www.bare-foot-international.com/bimini.html

Good to 70 mph and looks great.

Now that is nice are you using one? How long to put it up or take down? Do you have a picture of it on the boat?

Tell me more! May need to get one.

Edited August 29, 2010 by Sixball

[Interacsol]

Now that is nice are you using one? How long to put it up or take down? Do you have a picture of it on the boat?

Tell me more! May need to get one.

Yes, I am using one. I have it on a '99 Sunsetter LXI and I love it. It looks very clean and there are no straps or poles around the edge of the boat. I get asked about it everywhere I go.

It just clamps to the pylon with two large cap screws (included). Height can be adjusted by sliding the clamp up or down the pylon. No other installation necessary. No straps. No stainless deck eyes to screw into the boat. No frame attached to the windshield or gelcoat. The lack of straps and frame make it easy to reach the dock from the driver's seat when docking and easy to board the boat from either the dock or the trailer.

It is airfoil shaped so it can withstand trailering in position at highway speeds. I was concerned the pitching encountered going through monster surfing wakes but it is no problem.

I took it down after each use for the first few times I used it, then just started leaving it up. It only takes a few minutes to put is up and down but I got tired of doing it since there is really no reason to. It is constructed very robustly and it is not lighweight tubing like the traditional bimini (it is designed and built by the company that makes the barefoot booms). I was afraid I would gack my upholstry putting up up and down all the time and it is large enough, even when folded, that there it is not convenient to store it in the boat.

I had a local upholstry shop put a hole in the cover and add a zipper so I could put the cover on and leave the top up and make a padded cover to prevent knee bashing by my kids.

Here are some photos:

http://www1.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=2963936017/a=146553313_146553313/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

Edited August 30, 2010 by Interacsol

[DONTW8]

As others have said: angle the bimini top forward. I run mine at 49 mph on the water. I have it up from at least 9 am to 4pm because I am a candidate for skin cancer. I take it down every time for trailering. Keep the straps tight and make sure you have the same tension side to side. When I installed mine about ten years ago I put serious backing plates under the fibreglass and ran bolts, washers, and double nutted. No worries ....