NEWB QUESTION...Towing with cover on?

[dalt1]

On 5/31/2022 at 12:27 PM, SmoothbrainA22 said:

So maybe I missed your initial response - because I did a WOOPS this weekend. Packed her up and was headed home (~40 miles), have the extended bimini option on my A22, few miles in I looked back and the front was sagging quite a bit. Managed to pull over and manually bend the bars back to "just about right" but I'm going to need to take a look and make sure I didn't screw something up.

I'll be packing the bimini from here on out.

I never tow on interstate without stowing. Only in town at highest speed of 55 mph. 

[SmoothbrainA22]

46 minutes ago, dalt1 said:

I never tow on interstate without stowing. Only in town at highest speed of 55 mph. 

Yup. And smart me would have paid more attention to what you said and not done a dumb me.  

[dalt1]

3 hours ago, SmoothbrainA22 said:

Yup. And smart me would have paid more attention to what you said and not done a dumb me.  

Well don't feel bad, Dumb me had a wheel off ramp Monday and caused prop strike on trailer. Need to make a post looking for a spare from the crew.

Edited June 1, 2022 by dalt1

[SmoothbrainA22]

15 hours ago, dalt1 said:

Well don't feel bad, Dumb me had a wheel off ramp Monday and caused prop strike on trailer. Need to make a post looking for a spare from the crew.

Ouch buddy, good luck with that!

[heirwagna]

On 5/21/2022 at 11:02 AM, SmoothbrainA22 said:

There is a debate around this? I'm not sure I would want to have bimini deployed, feel like that's just providing more surface area for drag and opening the door for potential damage to the bimini, no? Ride with it deployed anything you are worried about with road debris you now have to worry about in terms of damaging/ripping the bimini.

I wouldn’t go over 55 if the Bimini is still deployed. For the couple mins it takes to put away, sure is better then messing up the frame to it and having to buy a new

[SmoothbrainA22]

5 hours ago, heirwagna said:

I wouldn’t go over 55 if the Bimini is still deployed. For the couple mins it takes to put away, sure is better then messing up the frame to it and having to buy a new

Yeah this is pretty much what I found out the hard way. So far it doesn't look like there is any major damage, as I stopped pretty quickly after noticing it starting to bend down - quickly got up there and bent it back and put the bimini away. Take her out on Friday though, so we will see for sure.

[rennis]

On 5/21/2022 at 7:56 AM, bigskydoc said:

 

Now for the other common debate, tow with the bimini deployed or not?  

I think this depends a lot on the design of the Bimini. On our old Malibu the top was not all that large and was overbuilt. It could handle anything.  Not so with the new boat.  We have the dual coverage Bimini and the front hoop started to bend on it when towing to the gas station this weekend.  Top speed somewhere between 45 and 50mph for a short run of maybe 2 miles. I was pretty bummed, but will un-bend the tubing and will never tow deployed again. 

[bigskydoc]

On my new M220, I won't be towing with the bimini up, since I won't be towing with the tower up.  The over the tower cover keeps the interior so much cleaner.

[SmoothbrainA22]

On 6/21/2022 at 1:05 AM, rennis said:

I think this depends a lot on the design of the Bimini. On our old Malibu the top was not all that large and was overbuilt. It could handle anything.  Not so with the new boat.  We have the dual coverage Bimini and the front hoop started to bend on it when towing to the gas station this weekend.  Top speed somewhere between 45 and 50mph for a short run of maybe 2 miles. I was pretty bummed, but will un-bend the tubing and will never tow deployed again. 

This is exactly what happened to me, except highway and a few more miles. Bent her back and so far so good.