Where do you get that Bimini?

[pjobson]

I am planning long-term cruising of the warmer variety than you get in this country and we will therefore need a bimini.

So I got a quote the other day and was gob-smacked at the price of just under £900.

Does anyone know whether quality biminis can be picked-up cheaper in ..... Portugal, Atlantic Spain, Gib, Canaries?

 

[david36]

If you want a one-off, individually taylored, and probably good quality job, but expensive, then buy it in Atlantic Spain or Portugal, eg Cadiz or Lagos. I don't know about the Canaries. If you want a good value for money, standard solution that has been tried and tested on production boats then buy it in UK - but remember to tell them you will be sailing in the sun so want UV resistant thread used - otherwise it falls apart after a couple of years.

 

[vyv_cox]

We paid quite a bit more than that in Barcelona this year. It was the height of summer so maybe prices are hiked then. It was not a custom one but with sufficient variables available that it fitted OK. We obtained three or four quotes in Balearics and all were about 2000 Euros.

 

[roger]

I bought a spray hood for a 31 ft boat in 1999 for £400. Considering the amount of canvas you need and the time interval your price doesnt look too bad to me.

 

[peteandthira]

I have been quoted 1100 plus VAT for an off-the-shelf for my Legend 36. I am still looking around!

Pops

 

[MedMan]

This is ours:

We had the stainless frame made for us but we did all the canvas work ourselves. The actual sewing is not too hard - it's the thinking out that takes the time.

The aft square is fixed and remains up all season. It has 4 solar panels on top. The section running forwards from that rolls up around its pole and ties to the forward edge of the fixed bimini. We have five side panels (but rarely use more than two at a time) which can be moved round as required.

 

[Nick_Pam]

Made to measure for a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 40.3 £1130+VAT from the factory....I would have thought you could get cheaper, but not hugely without sacrificing quality.

Good Hunting
Nick

 

[steve_cronin]

Plastimo....

...make stock sizes so if you're lucky one might fit. they seem to sell at around £100 - £160. Cheap yes and judging by the one I saw once in Trebeurden's chandlery of better than expected quality but at that price you can afford to throw the cover away after a couple of years and have a new better quality cover made cheaply when you've ventured to the Eastern Med!

see here

Steve Cronin

 

[pjobson]

Re: Plastimo....

Thanks guys........I re-read the invoice and missed the extra £1000 tagged-on the end!!!

Lagos sounds about the right place to buy one (defers the outlay until July!!)

The bimini will certainly be custom for my double-ender

 

[vyv_cox]

Re: Plastimo....

The Plastimo speedboat biminis I have seen at this price had aluminium frames. I had a quote from a 'friendly' frame maker in Palma who put me onto the manufacturer in Barcelona. His price for a custom stainless frame was not a lot less than that for the complete off-the-shelf bimini.