Bimini Tops

Has anyone put one of those aftermarket bimini tops on their fishing boat? I’m refering the the ones that shade the cockpit area but do not have sides. I would like the option of getting out of the sun while boating mid-day. The Lund bimini I currently have is more of an all-weather deal and not the best setup for this application. I have found several websites that sell them but would like to hear from someone who has mounted one. I have a 1700 Prosport. Thanks.

Suzuki – I had a custom fishing top made at Canvas Plus, Inc in Rogers. They start with the bimini top and made zip on sides, front and back. I leave the bimini top on all the time and add the rest as I need it based on the weather. I use the bimini top all the time for sun and rain protection. It works great, I can run full speed with it with no problem. Here is a picture of just the bimini top:

Have you checked out the Anchor Shade by Taylor Made? I have one for my Lund and I prefer it over the bimini because it does not have the side arms to get in the way when I am trolling. They run about $175 to $200. The other cool thing is you can remove it easily and use it on shore as well. It’s anchored by a pole in the middle and four straps that run to the four corners of the boat. On shore you use stakes instead of the boat to secure it. The down side is that you can not run it at high speeds, but then again it drops in seconds and stores quite easily. By the way, we do not sell these so I am speaking only as user of the product. Good luck!

Shoot, I meant to add that my father-in-law has the bimini top and it does a good job too. I just found the arm brackets get in the way some. But either way you go it’s worth the $$$ to keep the sun off you in mid-day heat. Of course they both get pretty worthless when the sun is lower in the sky.

I like ’em! Oh sorry I thought you said bikini tops.

Had mine custom made by a fellow in Mound – total cost was $750 for bimini top, attachable side curtains as well as an attachable rear panel. It fits my lund well and it is usable for various weather conditions. Check the custom route before settling for a pre-made that may or may not meet your needs

I know this doesn’t answer your question, but I’m shopping too. I haven’t purchased yet, but you can find’em pretty cheap on ebay. I followed one of the seller’s links and found a better deal on his site. http://www.sharkeyltd.com The specials change from time to time. The cheapest I saw was $120.

Thanks. That’s a good site. I wish they had other colors besides blue and white. The price sure is attractive though.