Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Hey guys.. question for you. I'm down in central louisiana visiting my son who has a Bennington 2275 RL. I think it's a 2008 model. anyway he has some issues with the bimini top.. nothing serious, some of the straps that have snaps on them have is the main issue. the loose end of the straps have become worn and in some cases are so frazzled the snaps have come off. so anyway he wants to get the straps that are bad replaced and he wants to get one tear about 5 inches long repaired. He called a couple of local upholstery shops and they told him it would be cheaper to just replace the bimini top as opposed to fixing it. I find that hard to believe.. he didn't actually take it to them and show it to them, just talked to them on the phone. Am I wrong in thinking this should be an easy and realtively inexpensive repair? also, if he does need to replace any idea ( ball park ) what a new bimini would run? I'm assuming there are numerous companies that sell them, and probably wouldn't have to go thru Bennington to get one. Thanks in advance for your help.

This one is 8x10 don't forget the discount!

https://www.pontoonstuff.com/collection ... 3369980240


or a page of parts

https://www.overtons.com/Covers-Tops/Po ... imini-Tops

Hey Craig.... appreciate the info buddy.. thanks.

I had a new top made for my Suntracker about 1 month ago, by a local company. Mine is 8-1/2' wide and 11' long. It is made with Sunberella fabric and lifetime Kevlar thread for the stitching. I paid $990 and they came to my dock, measured the frame, came back to fit for the attachment points and brought it back and installed it for me. It is a great snug fit. Instead of straps and snaps, mine is attached to the frame with the fabric and zippers the entire width of the bows. They also made a matching storage boot.
Needless to say, I am very happy with it.

Ted... sounds like you got the cadillac of bimini's.. I like the fact that they actually came to you to get the measurements and to install it.. sounds like a top notch company... I'll make sure and let my son know this is another option. thanks again.

If I was in your son's shoes, remove the bimini (unzip) from the frame and look for a local repair shop with a heavy-duty sewing machine. Shoe shop, canvas shop, upholstery. I'm lucky to have a tent and awning guy here in town.

I needed to do that for my mooring cover when some dock vandals went after the batteries and cut their way under the cover. The 6 ft slice has a patch, but no big deal. The fix was cheap, considering. He also took measurement of my mooring cover while he had it, so he can fit a new one when the time comes.

And as sort of a price compare for Ted's Sunbrella bimini .. my canvas guy made a Sunbrella awning that attached under my patio pergola. About 11x11. $961 installed.

I would have removed the old bimini and taken it to a canvas shop so they could use it as a pattern for the new top. Time is money.

Bama.. that's a good idea and one that may still be used. I actually drove back to N.W. Louisiana this evening and I just happened to bring his old bimini canvas with me. I'm going to see if I can find a local trim shop to do the repairs as cheaply as possible. The bimini itself is okay, it's just that there are some straps with issues... all the straps are still attached, but the lose end of some of the straps are frayed badley, some of them so much so that the snaps are gone.. so I just need to have the bad straps and snaps replaced and have one 4 or 5 inch tear in the bimini repaired.... pretty sure if I can't find a local trim shop to do it, he may just go with a replacement canvas from Pontoon stuff. appreciate the idea Bama.. thank you.

Bamaman wrote: ↑

Sun May 06, 2018 2:05 am

I would have removed the old bimini and taken it to a canvas shop so they could use it as a pattern for the new top. Time is money.

The company that made my new top said it was cheaper to take their own measurements, rather than using the old top as a pattern, because it takes so long to undo all the old stitching to get accurate measurements.

zoom650 wrote: ↑

Sat May 05, 2018 5:08 am

If I was in your son's shoes, remove the bimini (unzip) from the frame and look for a local repair shop with a heavy-duty sewing machine. Shoe shop, canvas shop, upholstery. I'm lucky to have a tent and awning guy here in town.

Thanks Zoom650... that's what I'm in the process of doing. we took the bimini canvas off the frame this past weekend and I brought it home to Shreveport to try and find a trim shop. I have already called the largest trim shop in town and they told me they don't work on that type of thiing. Got a few calls out now waiting for replies... Thanks again.

Most larger cities have someone making awnings and/or tents. We have one. They can do such work.

My wife and I both went to upholstery school, and some good upholstery shops may can make'em. We have a marine and auto upholstery shop doing a lot of boat work.

I made a set of seat covers out of the same Surlast fabric my mooring cover and bimini are made of. The fabric is not heavy, but getting a needle to penetrate it takes an upholstery sewing machine and big needles. Special thread is also required. It and Sunbrella fabrics are tough to deal with.

Old tops can be used as a pattern without disassembly of the fabricator is good.

Well all's well that ends well... got several estimates to "repair" my son's bimini.... one was 175 the other was 190.00 Friend told me about one last place he had used and loved their work... little shop in an industrial section... older gentleman and one employee... told me he would do it for a hundred bucks plus tax.... I pick it up next week... When I first got to the shop I saw this beautiful Ranger bass boat in their.... looked like a brand new boat.. This shop had just made him a custom cover and it was gorgeous... pretty sure putting on a bunch of straps with snaps and sewing up a couple of small tears will be no challenge for this gentleman... thanks all for your suggestions.