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Why not use a Bimini top?


Kudzucraft

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Coming from a different style of boating I have been wondering why I never see a Bimini Top on a narrowboat?  They go up very fast. Just unclip the two front or rears straps loose and it folds (falls is more like it) down. Seems they would be great in a rain or on a hot sunny day. Not nearly as ugly or protective as the big hoods I see. They don't take up a lot of space and I would think could be placed so the frames weren't in the way of seeing down the edge of the boat.

 

Properly installed on a Semi-trad or a Trad I think it could be sized to fold down on the top in front of the hatch opening. Might be a bit problematic on a cruiser stern? 

 

I think I have seen one boat with one so it leaves me wondering why?

Edited by Kudzucraft
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We've got a pram hood on our semi-trad. The whole of the front screen zips off leaving just a couple of thin straps. With both side panels removed and the rear window rolled up it is little more than a bimimi top. Just the two thin straps at the front and the rear corners. Unfasten the rear corners and the whole drops forward clear of the hatch opening.

 

Great to provide shade in really hot weather or shelter in the wet. Don't use it very often on canals in case we forget to let it down for bridges but have used it quite a lot on the Thames.   

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Pram hood! Couldn't think of the name. Wife wants one of those when we get a boat but I am leaning toward bimini.

 

Yea, I suspect a bimini would look odd but really seems they would be very practical to me.  Could be that most people are just not familiar with them? 

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7 hours ago, Kudzucraft said:

Pram hood! Couldn't think of the name. Wife wants one of those when we get a boat but I am leaning toward bimini.

 

Yea, I suspect a bimini would look odd but really seems they would be very practical to me.  Could be that most people are just not familiar with them? 

Why not have a pram hood where the sides can take out to leave a bimini. Best of both worlds.

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I guess it depends if you are a Summer boater or an all year boater.

 

A Bimini for Summer Sun and the odd shower protection.

A Bimini with zip-in sides, front and back (AKA a pram hood) for Winter use providing an additional 'room' for storage of wet clothes / wellies / wet dogs spare 'stuff' etc etc.

 

A PramHood can virtually double your living space in a small boat.

 

We used ours quite a lot in late / early seasons when it was nice enough to sit 'out' but got cool in the evenings and just kept the draft out. Just zip-out one of the sides.

 

 

IMG_20130912_101839.jpg

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2 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

We used our bimini a lot last year for some extra shade.

 

20180519-130528.jpg

 

Now why is it that looks totaly acceptable and in keeping with your boat but any form of hood/cover by any name looks absolutely appalling on any narrowboat?

  • Greenie 2
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1 hour ago, mrsmelly said:

Now why is it that looks totaly acceptable and in keeping with your boat but any form of hood/cover by any name looks absolutely appalling on any narrowboat?

Let's face it, narrowboats are a little lacking in continental style, unlike nortycal.   A bimini on a narrowboat would be a bit like a spoiler on a vintage Bentley 4.5 litre Le Mans.

 

If we refer to 'Penny-Farthing' in future we will know which boat we are referring to. ...................... just be careful not to drop your aitch.   :rolleyes:

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17 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

Let's face it, narrowboats are a little lacking in continental style, unlike nortycal.   A bimini on a narrowboat would be a bit like a spoiler on a vintage Bentley 4.5 litre Le Mans.

Yes, it’s all about expectations, isn’t it? Narrowboats have evolved to have a minimal, consistent profile to handle arched bridges and tunnels with limited headroom, so anything that projects above the line of the cabin top looks wrong

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