Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

G3 Bimini-- if you could do it over


rugger

Recommended Posts

If you bought a Bimini for a G3 today, which would you get?

 I'm not thinking of cargo rack, looking at the standard with surf straps but also wondering if there's a bigger version (more shade) or another manufacturer that would be better.  I don't know who Malibu uses to make theirs for 2016. 

Any input would be appreciated!  Thanks

Edited by rugger
Link to comment

I know you said that you weren't interested in the cargo rack but... our boat came with a Z5 cargo rack and I kind of love it... 

Edited by APoko
Link to comment

I have the CS slider Bimini for the G3 and I like it on the water. It is very easy to deploy in the sun or collapse if it's a bit chilly and you want more sun.

 

Unfortunatley I have to collapse the tower and remove the racks to fit in my garage, which requires removal of the Bimini too (the sliders stick out too far like a rack). It's a real PITA to mount and unmount each time we go out. I assume we will eventually wear out the mounting blocks as it causes additional stress installing/removing. But I can't really complain on this detail since I'm not using it as intended.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Sorry, have been busy lately, but here are a couple of images of the CS slider bimini and how it might effect garage clearance.  If you can fit into your garage with the tow hoop on then you should be fine, but if you have to remove the hoop you will also need to remove the bimini.  URL]

a>IMG_6323_zpseyxl0w6u.jpg

 

Here is an image with the tower down - you can see the bimini bars are folded, but would be the highest point for garage clearance (I have not removed the tow hoop yet, but it is removed before putting her away).IMG_6324_zpsr8wikhbl.jpg

 

Here you can see just how tight my clearance is, which requires the removal of racks, tow arch, and bimini.  The top block on the tower (left most in the picture with the four bolts showing) is the plate the bimini mounts to.  It basically slides over the top of this plate, then has a single machine screw to hold it in place.  Good design, just sub-optimal for my specific situation.

IMG_6335_zps858kfqjh.jpg

Link to comment
  • 4 months later...

Not to bring this old thread up but I found out that CS has an adapter kind of like the Pistol Grip for the G3.2 tower.  It doesn't fold the Bimini into the boat but instead allows it to float over the windshield.  I have a pic attached.  I don't think it will help me out (I will need to measure it but it might help some out from having to remove the bimini completely.

IMG_4456.JPG

Link to comment
Just now, gahvey said:

Not to bring this old thread up but I found out that CS has an adapter kind of like the Pistol Grip for the G3.2 tower.  It doesn't fold the Bimini into the boat but instead allows it to float over the windshield.  I have a pic attached.  I don't think it will help me out (I will need to measure it but it might help some out from having to remove the bimini completely.

 

Yeesh, that might get it into the garage but would make it impossible to raise the tower once inside the garage.

Link to comment

you could slide the bimini back all the way and that would help with that.  My garage ceiling is too low anyway for the tower to stand up.  I am just more interested in getting it in a garage.

Link to comment
3 minutes ago, gahvey said:

you could slide the bimini back all the way and that would help with that.  My garage ceiling is too low anyway for the tower to stand up.  I am just more interested in getting it in a garage.

I can just barely get mine in the garage with the garage clearance hoop but once in has just enough room to stand it all the way up which makes cleaning the boat a lot more pleasant. 

Link to comment
  • 4 months later...
On 10/28/2016 at 2:36 AM, gahvey said:

Not to bring this old thread up but I found out that CS has an adapter kind of like the Pistol Grip for the G3.2 tower.  It doesn't fold the Bimini into the boat but instead allows it to float over the windshield.  I have a pic attached.  I don't think it will help me out (I will need to measure it but it might help some out from having to remove the bimini completely.

IMG_4456.JPG

Hi,  do you know where to buy these parts online.. cheers nick

Link to comment

I'm in the same situation where my garage door (post remodel) limits my clearance and I need to remove the bimini to get in the garage unless I change to the pivot bracket. On the 23 LSV the tower & bimini will fold down inside the windshield. To purchase the pivot brackets you need to call Apex/Commercial Sewing like @gahvey stated or go through your Malibu dealer. You're looking for part number MAL10221 and the list price is $880 + shipping (for just the slider brackets & metal parts!)

Here's the instruction sheet and zoom-in on part numbers:

MAL10221.jpg

MAL10221-parts_list.jpg

Link to comment

@rugger You may already know this, but the two companies that Malibu uses to source biminis and covers are Commercial Sewing/Apex and Great Lakes Boat Top. Apex/CS is just up the street from Malibu at 500 RPM Drive and they make the "slider" bimini that seems to be the default bimini on the G3 tower. GLBT is next door to the Mastercraft and Yamaha plants at 15 Quality Cir, Vonore, TN, and they make the Z5 cargo bimini and the dust cover/mooring cover that Malibu ships with each boat.

I toured both operations in 04/15 when I watched my boat being built. Both are quality operations, but run a "thin" crew so it's hard to contact them directly. GLBT responded to my emails after a day or so, but CS/Apex I had to call numerous times to get an email address that someone would respond to. It's a "rush" season for them right now so getting in touch may be (will be) difficult.

Another option is to use what you have from the frame and modify it (bend new poles/frame) to achieve what you want and get a local canvas shop to stitch a new bimini cover. Both CS/Apex and GLBT use Sunbrella that is easily available, however CS/Apex also use SurLast (named on their website) for the bimini material. If you modify the bimini keep in mind where the rope will touch the bimini when connected to the tower, if you add length to the back of the bimini then you'll need to have some way to tilt it down so the top doesn't rub. @Fman made some adjustable bimini height poles:

 

Link to comment
On 3/2/2017 at 9:33 AM, mikeo said:

@rugger You may already know this, but the two companies that Malibu uses to source biminis and covers are Commercial Sewing/Apex and Great Lakes Boat Top. Apex/CS is just up the street from Malibu at 500 RPM Drive and they make the "slider" bimini that seems to be the default bimini on the G3 tower. GLBT is next door to the Mastercraft and Yamaha plants at 15 Quality Cir, Vonore, TN, and they make the Z5 cargo bimini and the dust cover/mooring cover that Malibu ships with each boat.

I toured both operations in 04/15 when I watched my boat being built. Both are quality operations, but run a "thin" crew so it's hard to contact them directly. GLBT responded to my emails after a day or so, but CS/Apex I had to call numerous times to get an email address that someone would respond to. It's a "rush" season for them right now so getting in touch may be (will be) difficult.

Another option is to use what you have from the frame and modify it (bend new poles/frame) to achieve what you want and get a local canvas shop to stitch a new bimini cover. Both CS/Apex and GLBT use Sunbrella that is easily available, however CS/Apex also use SurLast (named on their website) for the bimini material. If you modify the bimini keep in mind where the rope will touch the bimini when connected to the tower, if you add length to the back of the bimini then you'll need to have some way to tilt it down so the top doesn't rub. @Fman made some adjustable bimini height poles:

 

Hey @mikeo thanks for the input! I did end up getting one at the end of last season.  Craig hooked me up at Larson with the standard CS I believe (with the slider, pivot point, surf straps, rope pockets).   I just went with the default top that would have come with that 2016 tower.  It took Malibu a long time to produce and ship, but it worked out in the end.

Overall I really like it.  This was for my 2007 247 that came with the illusion tower, which I ended up swapping for a G3.2 that was meant for a 2016 VLX.  The swap was a lot of work; I didn't expect a direct bolt-on but it definitely didn't line up, requiring a bit of creative thinking and gelcoat --but a very worthwhile project!  

I'd never owned a G3 or a factory bimini (or a lake limo) so I was looking for info before ordering the bimini.  But I'm totally happy and we got some time on it at the end of last season.  

This is what I ended up with, standard CS I believe, but does have that pivot mentioned above:

image.thumb.jpeg.cb4ef2185e27437103464648d07601dd.jpegimage.thumb.jpeg.4e8d76ed4cd9852146a2fde0c0ce7593.jpeg

 

Appreciate the info.   Cheers

Edited by rugger
Link to comment
  • 4 weeks later...
On 3/2/2017 at 11:10 AM, mikeo said:

I'm in the same situation where my garage door (post remodel) limits my clearance and I need to remove the bimini to get in the garage unless I change to the pivot bracket. On the 23 LSV the tower & bimini will fold down inside the windshield. To purchase the pivot brackets you need to call Apex/Commercial Sewing like @gahvey stated or go through your Malibu dealer. You're looking for part number MAL10221 and the list price is $880 + shipping (for just the slider brackets & metal parts!)

Here's the instruction sheet and zoom-in on part numbers:

MAL10221.jpg

MAL10221-parts_list.jpg

Hi mikeo,

Do you have any pictures of this installed? 

When you have the bimini pushed forward and pivoting over the bow, what holds it in position? How do you pivot it in general? Pull a pin?

Overall, do you like it? Was it worth the $?

I also have a garage door clearance problem with the bimini on the G3.2 tower... so I have to take it off every time which requires two people, PITA!

Did you buy if from CS directly? 

Link to comment
On 3/3/2017 at 10:36 PM, rugger said:

Hey @mikeo thanks for the input! I did end up getting one at the end of last season.  Craig hooked me up at Larson with the standard CS I believe (with the slider, pivot point, surf straps, rope pockets).   I just went with the default top that would have come with that 2016 tower.  It took Malibu a long time to produce and ship, but it worked out in the end.

Overall I really like it.  This was for my 2007 247 that came with the illusion tower, which I ended up swapping for a G3.2 that was meant for a 2016 VLX.  The swap was a lot of work; I didn't expect a direct bolt-on but it definitely didn't line up, requiring a bit of creative thinking and gelcoat --but a very worthwhile project!  

I'd never owned a G3 or a factory bimini (or a lake limo) so I was looking for info before ordering the bimini.  But I'm totally happy and we got some time on it at the end of last season.  

This is what I ended up with, standard CS I believe, but does have that pivot mentioned above:

image.thumb.jpeg.cb4ef2185e27437103464648d07601dd.jpegimage.thumb.jpeg.4e8d76ed4cd9852146a2fde0c0ce7593.jpeg

 

Appreciate the info.   Cheers

Hi rugger,

Do you have any pictures of the tower down and the bimini extended out front? 

I am curious how low the tower can go before the bimini hits the top of the windshield? 

Thanks! 

Link to comment
On 4/2/2017 at 2:06 PM, dpbremer said:

Hi rugger,

Do you have any pictures of the tower down and the bimini extended out front? 

I am curious how low the tower can go before the bimini hits the top of the windshield? 

Thanks! 

@dpbremer... I don't have pics of that, but will try to get some for you.  I don't ever really take my tower down.

Link to comment
  • 3 months later...

So glad I stumbled across this post... this is exactly what I need!  I have a garage issue with the slider bimini and I have been taking it off and the corners of the mounts are so sharp they scratch the black powercoat on the tower if they touch it :-/  So hopefully I can get CS or Malibu to ship some new mounts out quickly.. it will be a happy day! These should have come as a standard part with the bimini!

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...