Bimini Top Accessories
Do You know Your Options?

Highlights for Bimini Top Accessories:

• Bimini Top Strap Positioning and Attachment
• Best Strap Materials and Hardware Options
• Bimini Top Support Poles and Installation
• Bimini Top Parts page for Deck Mounts, Jaw Slides, Eye Ends, etc.

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Bimini Top Strap Positioning and Attachment

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Every boat owner is clear that bimini top straps support bimini tops in the open position.  What people aren’t always sure of is how and where they should be attached to the bimini frame.  Follow along with us as we discuss these bimini top accessories.

Straps come in 3 basic style configurations

Let’s look at your attachment and positioning options:

Bimini Strap Attachment Options:

1. A D-ring (for attaching to the frame via a jaw slide) and a snap hook at the other end for attaching to the boat. Another D-ring styled strap is double ended and is used for attaching a bimini strap to a railing.

2. A loop in the webbing at one end (for looping around the frame) and a snap hook at the other end (for hooking to an eye strap somewhere on the boat).

3. A snap hook at both ends. With this style, the frame will have a jaw slide or an eye strap to connect the strap to and the boat will have the typical eye strap for attachment.

Bimini Strap Positioning Options:

The job of the bimini top strap is to securely hold open the bimini top. Besides securing the top against wind and wobble, they will also pull the bimini open taut enough so the bimini will not hold water.

If you are replacing a bimini top strap, then you may already have designated spots built into your bimini top for the straps. If so, then your bimini has been pre-designed for maximum effectiveness.

If you are building a bimini yourself, then you would know that your straps will be most effective when placed well above the side radius and pulling from front to back placed as directly across from each other as possible.

If you are attaching high up on the side leg of the bimini top frame because this is your only choice, your options are:

1. You can use the loop style, but the loop without a place to secure will slide down the leg of the frame and you will be forced to screw the webbing onto the frame to keep it from sliding unless you add a jaw slide.

2. Adding a jaw slide to your bimini top frame leg will allow you to secure your bimini top straps with loops, D-rings, or snap hooks and keep your bimini top strap from sliding. This is a great way to solve attachment problems.

3. If your frame fittings won’t come off and allow a jaw slide to easily slide up the leg of your bimini, you can try a hinged jaw slide.

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The Best Bimini Top Straps!

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Strap Adjustment Ranges

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Bimini Top Accessories:  Strap Materials and Hardware

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Webbing materials:

• Polypropylene
• Nylon
• Polyester
• Acrylic

Polypropylene is the first of the materials listed and the one most commonly found for sale online. It is the quickest to break down in the sun. The UV rays rapidly degrade polypropylene, causing it to literally disintegrate.

Nylon will stand up to the sun better than polypropylene and is a common material used by custom canvas shops.

Polyester is a great choice and my personal favorite, but it's more expensive and uncommon for custom fabricators to use.  You may occasionally hear about Dacron as a choice for webbing. Dacron is polyester and is a trade name created by Dupont.   All Dacron is polyester, but not all polyester is Dacron.  

Acrylic webbing commonly called Sunbrella webbing is also an excellent choice for bimini straps.

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Bimini Top Accessories:  Strap Hardware

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If you want to make your own straps or need replacement parts:

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Bimini Top Strap Webbing

Heavy Duty 1" Polyester  &  Highly UV Resistant

  Perfect for Long Lasting Bimini Straps!

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*Important points: Although plastic bimini top accessories have come a long way in regards to UV degradation, metal is still king.

Consider buying straps with metal hardware. With most online purchases the metal will most likely be nickel plated brass, but that is still preferable over plastic. We sell all stainless steel!

Choose the heavy strap hook over the standard strap hook if possible, since it’s a much stronger and safer choice for your bimini top accessories.

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Bimini Top Accessories:  Support Poles

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Support poles are a desirable alternative to bimini top straps as bimini top accessories.

Bimini top support poles give a more secure and stable support option with a lower failure rate. They also give a great option for storage by allowing you to lay the bimini frame backwards on support poles. You can then slip on your bimini top boot and keep your bimini top stored above and out of your way.

Boat owners who have straps instead of pole support often struggle with where to store their bimini tops. Changing out a strap system for a pole support system is easy. There are many kits available on the web although most, if not all, come with plastic fittings.

Support Pole kits may contain the following items. Again, mostly in plastic.

Bimini Top Support Pole Installation Tips

• Hopefully, you can install your poles at a 30° to 35° angle from the back of your bimini. This may not be possible, but the better the angle the better the fit.

• Look at the place where the deck hinges will be attaching to the boat. Is there an angle? If so, either purchase angled deck hinges or buy a shim to correct the angle.

• We like to use double set screw eye ends on our poles. This keeps down the possibility of failure. Picture a bimini collapsing as you are underway! Ughh!

• If you only have one set screw, then you can always drill and rivet or drill and machine another screw for added safety. Or you can just buy ours...the strongest available!

• Use appropriate size stainless steel screws: #10 or #12 and at least 1” long.

• Use the correct size drill bit; get help if you are unsure.

• Countersink the holes in the fiberglass. If you don’t have a countersink, use a Phillips head drill bit in your screw gun to ream out the top of the hole.

• Always caulk your screws with boat grade caulk.

• Consider buying hinged jaw slides to receive your support poles on the frame. They are so much easier for retro-fitting instead of the slide on style (no frame disassembly required).

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Bimini Support Pole Clips

Available sizes 7/8"and 1"

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Bimini Support Pole Mounting Hardware 

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Standard Flat Surface Deck Hinges

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Swivel Hinges
for more versatile mounting solutions

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Mounting Plates for Vertical Surfaces

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Hinges to Mount Bimini Tops to Boat Rails

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We hope we have helped clarify some of your options for bimini top accessories. If you have further questions contact us for a swift reply on our contact us page.

Happy Boating!

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Be Sure to Check Out All of Our EZ-Xtend Boat Zipper Products!!

EZ-Xtend Boat Zippers
EZ-Xtend Boat Track
EZ-Xtend Drip Shields

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Please come visit me at Cover Girl Marine Canvas & Upholstery to see some of our awesome work!