Folding back front bimini?


shekmark

shekmark

New member
How is the front bimini secured in the folded position? It looks like the long support poles are moved to a different screw in position and the short support is clipped to the long? Do you have to remove the canvas or can it be folded? And lastly, how is the storage cover attached? I seem to be missing that piece. Any pics would also be helpful! Thanks.
 

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There should be a small white boot that wraps around front Bimini. Thompson
 
There should be 2 "clips" on the top of the arch. The BOOT has 2 straps that have holes that attach to the arch.

Mine on my previous 31 fell apart, so I engineered a different setup (call or PM me and I can try to explain on the phone)

But if you have the boot and the straps on the boot you must have the 2 connectors on the arch.
 
I have these clips on the front bow. That attach to straps to secure the bimini. I have no boot. Are these clips dual purpose?
 

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Our 370’s have to have the front bimini canvas removed and frame “stored”, no way I know of to fold the frame up with the canvas. The rear bimini and frame can be folded up and stored together.


Storing the front bimini and frame is really a two person job. First you’ll need to locate the front bimini mini boots (2), they are only a couple feet long each and about 3" wide with three zippers running the length (sorry I don’t have any pics). You will want to start by removing the front bimini canvas completely by unzipping from arch and frame. I store it under the starboard seat storage. Attach the two small boots at this point to the top frame for connecting to the arch later...remove the arch screws as well to prep for holding the frame. Unclip support poles (those connecting from bimini frame to windshield) and clip into place on the frame. Synchronize the removal of the second clips holding the frame in place and slightly bend in to align with the mounts on the arch and snug down. While you continue to hold up at this point to zip in the bimini boots to the front arch connector where the canvas was disconnected.
 
afratki said:
Our 370’s have to have the front bimini canvas removed and frame “stored”, no way I know of to fold the frame up with the canvas. The rear bimini and frame can be folded up and stored together.


Storing the front bimini and frame is really a two person job. First you’ll need to locate the front bimini mini boots (2), they are only a couple feet long each and about 3" wide with three zippers running the length (sorry I don’t have any pics). You will want to start by removing the front bimini canvas completely by unzipping from arch and frame. I store it under the starboard seat storage. Attach the two small boots at this point to the top frame for connecting to the arch later...remove the arch screws as well to prep for holding the frame. Unclip support poles (those connecting from bimini frame to windshield) and clip into place on the frame. Synchronize the removal of the second clips holding the frame in place and slightly bend in to align with the mounts on the arch and snug down. While you continue to hold up at this point to zip in the bimini boots to the front arch connector where the canvas was disconnected.
Click to expand...

Yup, the 31PC was the same...no way to include the canvas in this package, it comes off.
 
shekmark said:
I have these clips on the front bow. That attach to straps to secure the bimini. I have no boot. Are these clips dual purpose?
Click to expand...

NOPE...not these...there should be thumb type male clips on TOP of the arch....if I am WRONG, Afratki will correct me soon :)
 
I would love if anyone has a picture of the front bimini in the folded position. I understand it will be from only but can't picture the set up.
 
I have a 2008 350, so the setup should be similar. I also had a hard time understanding how both front and rear bimini connected to the arch when you want to go "topless", until I saw several photos of another boat. I will send you photos tomorrow. For the front bimini to secure to the arch, you will need the zip-up "connector" strip that wraps around the front frame's top bar.. the connector secures the top bar to the arch using the two twist pins on top of the arch. If you have the boots, those go onto the connector before you secure the connector to the arch. For the rear bimini, it does not need a connector because the frame is secured entirely by the spring-loaded clips that are already embedded into the arch. This will make sense with the photos.
 
FTL_Alan said:
I have a 2008 350, so the setup should be similar. I also had a hard time understanding how both front and rear bimini connected to the arch when you want to go "topless", until I saw several photos of another boat. I will send you photos tomorrow. For the front bimini to secure to the arch, you will need the zip-up "connector" strip that wraps around the front frame's top bar.. the connector secures the top bar to the arch using the two twist pins on top of the arch. If you have the boots, those go onto the connector before you secure the connector to the arch. For the rear bimini, it does not need a connector because the frame is secured entirely by the spring-loaded clips that are already embedded into the arch. This will make sense with the photos.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info. The pics will be a big help!
 
Pic 1 shows the part number for the front bimini boot sleeve. This zips around the top bar of the front bimini frame. It's made by Ameritex. Pic 2 shows the boot sleeve itself, already zipped to the front bimini frame. Pic 3 shows the part number for the front bimini boot. Pic 4 shows the boot zipped around the boot sleeve, with the two arch connector stubs (that are sewn to the boot sleeve) sticking out through the boot. Pic 5 shows the boot attached to the arch using the two yellow-circled pins that connect to the connector stubs (on the boot sleeve). This finishes the front bimini. Pic 6 shows that when you remove the front bimini and install the boot, you need to move the front frame to the lower connector on the arch (after removing the front bimini, disconnect the frame on both sides and move it to the lower position on the arch). Pic 7 shows the position for the rear bimini when you remove the bimini and attach the boot. Pic 8 shows that I insert a styrofoam tube between the two frame pieces before I attach the boot. Pic 9 shows the boot installed. Good luck!

pic1.jpgpic2-b.jpgpic3.jpgpic4.jpgpic5.jpgpic6.jpgpic7.jpgpic8.jpgpic9.jpg
 
Wow. Holy moly. That is an ordeal!!! Can't thank you enough for all those great pics! Makes me want to just keep my Bimini up!! They must have changed the aft frame procedure after 2002. Mine folds back and sits over the rear bench.
 
My boat is same as your boat.. you can either position the rear boot over the rear bench, or pull it forward like shown in the photo.
 
FTL_Alan, the 370 front bimini is a little different than yours. The mini boot sleeves zipper directly to the front bimini connector, there is no front boot. The back bimini looks very similar though.
 
Correct, the 350 is the same.. the mini boot does attach directly to the arch, and the boot will not go around it without modification, because there are no holes allowing the two mini boot connecting straps to stick through and connect to the arch. I had my extra boot modified to allow the straps on the mini boot to pass through the boot (i.e. I cut two holes in the boot). That gave me a front boot that looks exactly like the rear boot. I should have provided that explanation.
 
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