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!

The Wonderful Malibu Bimini


TallRedRider

Recommended Posts

On 7/3/2019 at 4:53 PM, TallRedRider said:

I was going to come out really swinging on how much frustration the bimini on my 2019 Malibu has given me, but decided to first consult the crew and find out if maybe I am doing something wrong, or there is a better way to set it up and take it down.  

Instead of throwing big punches, I will say this bimini is super amateur and rocks it like it is 2005.  The other modern wakeboats I have been on have far easier to set up and put away biminis.  

Some background...my last 2 boats have been Nautique G23's.  The bimini is a masterpiece.  It takes all of 30 seconds to set up, is rock solid, and plenty big.  So Malibu is suffering a little from me coming from Cindy Crawford...and now it feels like I am with Nurse Ratchet.  

1.  You can barely set it up with one person.  The bimini slides forward and then the entire bimini opens up 16 feet in the air and opens over the tower and lands over the cockpit.  Being 6'9" tall with 38 inch sleeves, I can do it, but more often than not, it sort of slams clumsily over the cockpit unless I am standing uncomfortably extending arms like a stork ready for flight.  There is no way someone 5'9" tall is avoiding it crashing rearward unless they stand precariously on the gunwhale.  

2.  Once you have slammed the bimini down over the cockpit, then there is an arm on each side that slides into a bracket and is supposed to lock into place.  The locking mechanism is the worst piece of $*$&$& I have ever seen, and is the source of most of my frustration, actually. If you were lucky enough to have dainty fingers that can fit between the arm of the support and grasp the microscopic half circle, you can turn it to lock it in place.  If you have regular fingers, it is extremely difficult.  I turned it upside down, hoping that being outside the mount might make it easier, but there is a fraction of an inch between the bimini mount and the upper rack, so it is perhaps a tiny bit better.  I think I am going to buy a pick tool that will let me do this, but I cannot believe that I have to do this.  I also have to have one person put downward pressure on the bimini while I turn it, and having a second person makes this easier.   

3.  Putting it away is the reverse of putting it up.  It was pretty awesome today with a 20 mile wind coming directly from the front trying to lift the rear of the bimini and flopping it forward in the stow position.  The bimini is like a giant sail and required 2 people just to push it down.  This usually results in a nice crash as it falls forward if you are alone, unless you have abnormal body proportions or risk life and limb standing on the gunwhale in the parking lot after done boating.  Or just plan on putting it down before you come into the marina.  

4.  Cramming it into the boot is very difficult with 1 person.  It is tight, as it probably should be, but requires one person to hold the zipper shut and stuff the fabric inside while the other zips.  I suspect most boot contained biminis are this way, so I probably shouldn't complain.  This may not be an issue unique to Malibu, but I remember my 2006 MC being easier.  Maybe I just accepted it then, because there was nothing better.  No I don't put the bimini extension in the boot meant for just the bimini.  

5.  This is laughable.  I bought the bimini extension.  It has a tag that says that it should not be used while the boat is moving.  It really does, picture attached, and also says it has no warranty.    It actually worked fine for a week I had it set up at Lake Powell, but don't sell me crap that has a tag that says it is not intended to be used on a moving boat.  You have to be kidding me.  

 

Here are some pics.  

First pic...just laugh with me a little here.  

Second pic: You see the little ring that sits in the C curve of the support?  You have to rotate that 180 degrees while simultaneously trying not to let the arm slide out.  It rotates easier if you push on the button on the other end of the pin. So turning the ring, pushing the pin and holding the arm in place requires three hands.   Nautique had a pin that you insert there to hold it in place.  It was easy and worked every time.  There is no upper rack in this picture, or you would see the button is a few mm away from the upper rack mount.  

Third Pic: I turned the bracket mount upside down and swapped it left to right.  Notice how the ring is now a lot easier to get to, unless you have upper racks (I now have upper racks on both sides) it again is very difficult to squeeze your fingers in here.  I think my curved pick tool from Lowe's might make this a lot easier.   Is there another way to do this?  

 

Here is a video I found:  My support arms are not like these, and it is obvious they skip the video forward when he crashed it back like I do.   Another video from Singleton Marine made it look easier to deploy, but even with me standing on the seat, it isn't easy, particularly when it is windy.  My 25 LSV may be significantly taller.   The Singleton Marine video is dishonest by not showing him release the ridiculous pins.  And BTW, if I don't engage the pins, the arms pop out.  

I am happy to take all criticisms, both constructive and unconstructive.  Am I the only one to find this engineering to be subpar for a boat of this caliber?  Maybe I am doing it all wrong, but it does not look like it based on the videos.  I have gotten better with practice, but I did not think biminology was a skill I would have to hone.  

 

 

 

 

 

20190504_171424.jpg

20190601_084708.jpg

20190601_213117.jpg

Try moving the bracket foraward and up and put the bottom bolt in, with d-ring downward. See if that will still mate up and pull Bimini tight and be easier to get to ring without board rack hindering. And if so then just drill and tap new upper holes??  

Then you can sell the fix to Malibu 😂😂

Edited by spikew919
  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
3 hours ago, BigCreek said:

 

It occurred to me that maybe they have different bimini models over the years so I did a quick PlanetNautique search. My experiences have obviously been with the z5 version. 

Man these things are way lower than the regular Bimini...
Has anyone modified the z5 Bimini so that it sits taller on a G23? I can't believe how low they actually sit. I'm 6'0 and it the back it hits me right in the forehead where it's only 5'7 tall from floor to the Bimini and the front where you walk through at the windshield is only 4'10" and hits me in the shoulder. Looks like you could make a bracket or two and raise it 6". Any help is appreciated.

 

That explains it!  We are both right.  The Z5 Cargo bimini is a beast, but does mount a good ways below the level of the top of the tower.  The factory Nauti bimini is much higher, but that also means that when the sun is at an angle, it protects less.  

Link to comment
14 hours ago, ahopkinsVTX said:

@hethj7 you need a new truck to match your boat... :Tease3:

@TallRedRider, I still agree that there is probably a better solution for the bimini but I’ve found a few tricks in the year we’ve had ours. I tried to take pictures of it this evening, hopefully it makes sense and helps.

It helps a ton to have the mount positioned this way and push it forward. Sometimes I pull on the bimini frame just a bit to get it to move forward. Doesn’t take much but if you get it forward you can push up on the pin from the bottom and they typically move freely then. I then twist it with my other hand which I couldn’t photograph as I was by myself.

672E9E3A-1427-48F9-BE33-16D903C48EB8.thumb.jpeg.10cf311ab13f7f618a1e9064be07f92d.jpeg

CBE7C5C9-40B4-4F8B-A849-D4BAD6ABCFCF.thumb.jpeg.789923018ec68349676fc03bcb059ba4.jpeg

For the boot, I wrap the bimini around itself a few times then actually start the boot off the bimini on the frame. On mine there is enough extra length to do this. Could be different on other boats. Then I hold the boot together about a foot at a time and zip it shut. Again, could be different on different size boats that probably have a bimini bigger than our vtx but this method has been working great for us. Slide it back and strap it to the tower. Hope this helps.

63288022-612E-4292-8E03-3E629DEC9158.thumb.jpeg.1b79fafbe678874679a4ab10928b3f56.jpeg

8C929A7E-B1A7-4246-A8A9-305BBA2ABD46.thumb.jpeg.bf7d5fd2b3e818599616b6c9dce7cd9d.jpeg

Thank you @ahopkinsVTX.   

One additional problem is that I cannot wrap my bimini around repeatedly because of the extension being adjacent to it.  A bigger boot to cover both would solve that problem nicely.  I think since I am only going to use the extension on longer trips, I may just remove it altogether except for when I am going for extended trips.  That will make it easier to wrap the bimini around itself and I won't have to use the stuff sack method I am currently using that pretty well requires 3 hands, or moving just 2 inches at a time.  

Link to comment
ahopkins22LSV
2 minutes ago, TallRedRider said:

Thank you @ahopkinsVTX.   

One additional problem is that I cannot wrap my bimini around repeatedly because of the extension being adjacent to it.  A bigger boot to cover both would solve that problem nicely.  I think since I am only going to use the extension on longer trips, I may just remove it altogether except for when I am going for extended trips.  That will make it easier to wrap the bimini around itself and I won't have to use the stuff sack method I am currently using that pretty well requires 3 hands, or moving just 2 inches at a time.  

I hope it helps a bit, but I did roll one bimini up with the extended bimini and you are definitely right, need 3-4 hands and arms to get it to all fit and was a pain. It would be easy for Malibu to offer a different boot for the extended bimini orders. 

Link to comment
18 hours ago, gregtay said:

I just watched the GL Bimini video on I don't see how that is any different than the CS bimini other than the extra feet the click into the tower (Which I like as it creates a lot of rigidity.)  Maybe neither are ideal but I found that the CS bimini on my old G3 w/ the swivel mounts and the CS bimini on my Gx tower are both pretty quick and easy to deploy and store and when they are up they are rock solid.  Maybe I just don't know what "easy" is.  For me the best part of the CS bimini is that it lays completely flat on the tower when it is down (so I can clear my 8' door.)  I do with the bimini metal looked a little nicer... shiny chrome looks a little out of place.

bim1.thumb.JPG.c1029bf2f6af02c04a13e83b130f0550.JPG

 

The whole point of this thread is to complain about the locking arms and the slider, which the GL Bimini does not have.  The GL Bimini is plenty rigid too.  That’s the difference between the two.  The GL Bimini is 10x easier to deploy and stow.  I’ll say it again, I just don’t know why people don’t order them instead of the CS. 

Link to comment
17 minutes ago, SCMike said:

I’ll say it again, I just don’t know why people don’t order them instead of the CS. 

I’ll tell ya exactly why...

It looks like a** when it is stored (regardless of whether you store it fore or aft). It hangs way too far out there.  

There is a reason the CS bimini slides... 

89CBB998-CD26-4743-8E02-B11100254190.jpeg

2C07B886-FB3C-4201-BC39-4FFCD9A7CE3A.jpeg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
1 hour ago, SCMike said:

 I’ll say it again, I just don’t know why people don’t order them instead of the CS. 

I think can partially answer that question for you:  Last time I checked dealers don't have some great comparison of the two biminis and it is unlikely a dealer would have boats in stock with boat to compare. For me i just said "I want the bimini" and I looked at the order form and we checked a box (and gulped at the price for the Gx version.)  Sure, I did see a long list of different options for biminis (including the GL one) but my dealer just said "yep, the one you checked is the correct one for your boat/tower."  So I am guessing most people aren't making an educated choice between the two... they just want a bimini and aren't aware of the differences(or that there is even a choice to be made.)

  • Like 3
Link to comment
4 hours ago, IXFE said:

I’ll tell ya exactly why...

It looks like a** when it is stored (regardless of whether you store it fore or aft). It hangs way too far out there.  

There is a reason the CS bimini slides... 

89CBB998-CD26-4743-8E02-B11100254190.jpeg

2C07B886-FB3C-4201-BC39-4FFCD9A7CE3A.jpeg

I agree the CS Bimini looks better stored,  no doubt about that.  The looks don’t bother me though.  Personally I’m willing to trade the looks for functionally.  Also, the only time my Bimini is ever stored is when I’m towing.  Outside of that it’s always deployed. 

Link to comment
3 hours ago, gregtay said:

I think can partially answer that question for you:  Last time I checked dealers don't have some great comparison of the two biminis and it is unlikely a dealer would have boats in stock with boat to compare. For me i just said "I want the bimini" and I looked at the order form and we checked a box (and gulped at the price for the Gx version.)  Sure, I did see a long list of different options for biminis (including the GL one) but my dealer just said "yep, the one you checked is the correct one for your boat/tower."  So I am guessing most people aren't making an educated choice between the two... they just want a bimini and aren't aware of the differences(or that there is even a choice to be made.)

I’m sure you are on to something.  Dealers really only order the CS on their stock boats, so I can see why people don’t understand the options.  When I was ordering my 23, and saw both Bimini options, I asked the questions about the differences.  When I was told I no longer had to deal with the slider and even worse, those stupid arms, I jumped at the change to order the GL.  Never saw one in person until I took delivery.  Hopefully this thread will educate some buyers that there are options out there. 

Link to comment
  • 3 months later...

When the G3.5 tower is folded down with tower hoop off, does the GL Bimini increase the height clearance or can the GL Bimini be stowed inside of tower when lower so GL Bimini doesn't increase the total height of boat when on trailer?

I've seen the CS slider extend past front windshield when G3.5 tower is folded so Bimini does not increase the height when tower is folded. 

Does GL Bimini increase the height of boat when G3.5 tower is lowered with hoop off?

 

Link to comment

Nothing better then having your fingers pinched between the bimini frame when your wife decides to let go.  First mistake was getting married, second was asking her for help. Really glad this thread was started. Picked up my 2019 23LSV in September, and this has been my biggest and really only complaint thus far with the boat. Appreciate many of the tips that have been thrown out, will certainly give some of those a shot. 

Link to comment
4 hours ago, JPizzle said:

First mistake was getting married, second was asking her for help. 

You realize you are typing into an open internet, right?

Welcome to the crew!

:welcome:

  • Like 3
Link to comment
  • 4 months later...
7 hours ago, timmypop said:

Anyone know of a boot that will wrap around the stock and extended? Pointless not to have one. 

I would recommend Towerbiminis.com  I don't know if they will have one for an XS tower in stock, but they can make you one. I had them make a new Bimini and boot for my 2010 before I sold it and the quality and fit was very good. The canvas thickness seemed to be half again thicker than the OEM Bimini and boot as well. I think the only concern would be is that they did not have a template for my G3 so I had to send then my old Bimini to them for a template. I got it back when they shipped the new ones.

Link to comment
On 3/17/2020 at 5:57 AM, wdr said:

I would recommend Towerbiminis.com  I don't know if they will have one for an XS tower in stock, but they can make you one. I had them make a new Bimini and boot for my 2010 before I sold it and the quality and fit was very good. The canvas thickness seemed to be half again thicker than the OEM Bimini and boot as well. I think the only concern would be is that they did not have a template for my G3 so I had to send then my old Bimini to them for a template. I got it back when they shipped the new ones.

Thanks. Just reached out to them. 

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

My ‘10 had a strap with a Fastec clip sewn center mass of the boot on the inside. It helped a bunch to secure it around the Bimini and then start zipping the boot closed. I still had to fight it a little, but not nearly as much. I sewed one on my ‘19 boot this summer and it has helped. Applying a little Yeti/RTIC lube to the zipper has helped as well.

Link to comment
  • 2 years later...

I have a 2014 Wakesetter VLX and the starboard bracket that attaches the stainless bimini frame to the tower has come unscrewed (totally no longer attached).  It looks like I need I need to remove the rear stainless "tow loop" part of the tower in order to get to the part of the tower where the brackets screw in....I was hoping that they bolt in.  My fear is that they just screw in with "loc tite" on them and why the screws worked themselves out of the bracket/ tower and it is now just failing around.  Has anyone made this repair before?

 

Link to comment
3 hours ago, goingboating said:

I have a 2014 Wakesetter VLX and the starboard bracket that attaches the stainless bimini frame to the tower has come unscrewed (totally no longer attached).  It looks like I need I need to remove the rear stainless "tow loop" part of the tower in order to get to the part of the tower where the brackets screw in....I was hoping that they bolt in.  My fear is that they just screw in with "loc tite" on them and why the screws worked themselves out of the bracket/ tower and it is now just failing around.  Has anyone made this repair before?

 

So it was simpler than I thought (rarely do things work out that way....).  With more daylight, I was able to see that the "U Shape" aluminum beauty cover on the bracket had 4 very tiny screws.  Upon removing the 4 small, black screws, I was able to easily pull of the aluminum "U-Shaped" beauty cover that goes over the bracket that holds bimini frame to the tower.  Then the bracket was exposed.  I could I had one bolt left that was finger "loose" so I was able to pull that out and replace all 4 of the screws.  I wanted to take pictures but the boat was in the hoist, it was windy, and it was really a job for 3 hands - not just my 2 hands.  I twisted all 4 screws in finger tight, and then I went back and cranked each one in with allen wrench.  I did not use any loc-tite.  I suspect that mine came loose over time (primarily due to the very little trailering that I do and always with bimini stored).   Next on my list is to determine why my dash appears to be loose.

Link to comment
On 7/3/2019 at 5:53 PM, TallRedRider said:

I was going to come out really swinging on how much frustration the bimini on my 2019 Malibu has given me, but decided to first consult the crew and find out if maybe I am doing something wrong, or there is a better way to set it up and take it down.  

Instead of throwing big punches, I will say this bimini is super amateur and rocks it like it is 2005.  The other modern wakeboats I have been on have far easier to set up and put away biminis.  

Some background...my last 2 boats have been Nautique G23's.  The bimini is a masterpiece.  It takes all of 30 seconds to set up, is rock solid, and plenty big.  So Malibu is suffering a little from me coming from Cindy Crawford...and now it feels like I am with Nurse Ratchet.  

1.  You can barely set it up with one person.  The bimini slides forward and then the entire bimini opens up 16 feet in the air and opens over the tower and lands over the cockpit.  Being 6'9" tall with 38 inch sleeves, I can do it, but more often than not, it sort of slams clumsily over the cockpit unless I am standing uncomfortably extending arms like a stork ready for flight.  There is no way someone 5'9" tall is avoiding it crashing rearward unless they stand precariously on the gunwhale.  

2.  Once you have slammed the bimini down over the cockpit, then there is an arm on each side that slides into a bracket and is supposed to lock into place.  The locking mechanism is the worst piece of $*$&$& I have ever seen, and is the source of most of my frustration, actually. If you were lucky enough to have dainty fingers that can fit between the arm of the support and grasp the microscopic half circle, you can turn it to lock it in place.  If you have regular fingers, it is extremely difficult.  I turned it upside down, hoping that being outside the mount might make it easier, but there is a fraction of an inch between the bimini mount and the upper rack, so it is perhaps a tiny bit better.  I think I am going to buy a pick tool that will let me do this, but I cannot believe that I have to do this.  I also have to have one person put downward pressure on the bimini while I turn it, and having a second person makes this easier.   

3.  Putting it away is the reverse of putting it up.  It was pretty awesome today with a 20 mile wind coming directly from the front trying to lift the rear of the bimini and flopping it forward in the stow position.  The bimini is like a giant sail and required 2 people just to push it down.  This usually results in a nice crash as it falls forward if you are alone, unless you have abnormal body proportions or risk life and limb standing on the gunwhale in the parking lot after done boating.  Or just plan on putting it down before you come into the marina.  

4.  Cramming it into the boot is very difficult with 1 person.  It is tight, as it probably should be, but requires one person to hold the zipper shut and stuff the fabric inside while the other zips.  I suspect most boot contained biminis are this way, so I probably shouldn't complain.  This may not be an issue unique to Malibu, but I remember my 2006 MC being easier.  Maybe I just accepted it then, because there was nothing better.  No I don't put the bimini extension in the boot meant for just the bimini.  

5.  This is laughable.  I bought the bimini extension.  It has a tag that says that it should not be used while the boat is moving.  It really does, picture attached, and also says it has no warranty.    It actually worked fine for a week I had it set up at Lake Powell, but don't sell me crap that has a tag that says it is not intended to be used on a moving boat.  You have to be kidding me.  

 

Here are some pics.  

First pic...just laugh with me a little here.  

Second pic: You see the little ring that sits in the C curve of the support?  You have to rotate that 180 degrees while simultaneously trying not to let the arm slide out.  It rotates easier if you push on the button on the other end of the pin. So turning the ring, pushing the pin and holding the arm in place requires three hands.   Nautique had a pin that you insert there to hold it in place.  It was easy and worked every time.  There is no upper rack in this picture, or you would see the button is a few mm away from the upper rack mount.  

Third Pic: I turned the bracket mount upside down and swapped it left to right.  Notice how the ring is now a lot easier to get to, unless you have upper racks (I now have upper racks on both sides) it again is very difficult to squeeze your fingers in here.  I think my curved pick tool from Lowe's might make this a lot easier.   Is there another way to do this?  

 

Here is a video I found:  My support arms are not like these, and it is obvious they skip the video forward when he crashed it back like I do.   Another video from Singleton Marine made it look easier to deploy, but even with me standing on the seat, it isn't easy, particularly when it is windy.  My 25 LSV may be significantly taller.   The Singleton Marine video is dishonest by not showing him release the ridiculous pins.  And BTW, if I don't engage the pins, the arms pop out.  

I am happy to take all criticisms, both constructive and unconstructive.  Am I the only one to find this engineering to be subpar for a boat of this caliber?  Maybe I am doing it all wrong, but it does not look like it based on the videos.  I have gotten better with practice, but I did not think biminology was a skill I would have to hone.  

 

 

 

 

 

20190504_171424.jpg

20190601_084708.jpg

20190601_213117.jpg

Well the tower hasn't been upgraded in 10yrs what did you expect? In fact they downgraded from the G4 to the powered G3... 

Nautique is in a completely different class ...you simply can't compare just like fit/finish they blow Malibu away.. Nautique shines in thslese areas and... You will PAY for it..and pay deeerly you will.. 

 

On the flip side opposite goes for the surf wave Malibu shines and Nautique is .. well it's a Nautique... and isn't anything to brag about for surfing unless you like to basically surf the platform... And overpay for a terrible Wave...and then brag about what you paid on your boat to justify and compensate for your crap Wave.. 

 

Malibu doesn't have to innovate on towers when they haven't been able to keep up with production for past few years.. hopefully they will soon they went from best tower to probably low/ middle of the pack at best.. hopefully they will redesign soon and get up to par on strength, practicality, ease of use etc.. 

Link to comment

Not a whole lot to add that hasn't been said but I am glad I'm not alone in the bimini frustration.  Adding a Zip Tie loop to the existing tiny metal loops was the biggest help.  Mine came with that wonderful "Rube Goldberg" extension as well which met with a quick delete as soon as I had the pleasure of deploying it for the first time.  What a colossal waist of stainless tubing!  Getting the cover on after that was night and day easier.  1 man job now.  

Edited by german88
Link to comment
39 minutes ago, german88 said:

Not a whole lot to add that hasn't been said but I am glad I'm not alone in the bimini frustration.  Adding a Zip Tie loop to the existing tiny metal loops was the biggest help.  Mine came with that wonderful "Rube Goldberg" extension as well which met with a quick delete as soon as I had the pleasure of deploying it for the first time.  What a colossal waist of stainless tubing!  Getting the cover on after that was night and day easier.  1 man job now.  

LOL. I got the “that looks like we are hillbilly trash” speech the minute I added the zips to the metal loops on my Bimini rings. I heated them a little to make them look more like pull tabs, but I still hear banjos when I go to put the Bimini up. 

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

Putting the boot on the bimini is by far the biggest pain i have. There has got to be a better solution. THe only thing i could come up with would be, to intermittently have  some velcro straps sewn in along the zipper line, so you can initially velcro the boot on/around the bimini, and then begin to zip.  

Link to comment
ahopkins22LSV
14 hours ago, dielawn said:

Putting the boot on the bimini is by far the biggest pain i have. There has got to be a better solution. THe only thing i could come up with would be, to intermittently have  some velcro straps sewn in along the zipper line, so you can initially velcro the boot on/around the bimini, and then begin to zip.  

I think if you used velcro straps to get the bimini wrapped tight on itself before putting the boot on it would make putting the boot on easier. I don't have to do it very often, but I may try this.

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...