How much did you pay for your bimini?

Hi All,

We contracted out to a Canvas shop out of Anacortes to build us a complete new bimini. We gave him a $1200 deposit. We have a complete helm and seat cover for the bridge and his worker punched 2 holes in it where he thought the front struts should go through. We were taken back a bit as we did not have any intention of having the bimini up while the bridge was covered. Then he made these giant 8" holes and sewed in leather to make a cone that would be tied around the strut. I have really had to calm the Mrs down. The owner admitted they should have asked first. Ya think? I ordered him yesterday to restore my helm cover to original (i.e. no holes) and get it back to us. Were a good 45 minutes away from his shop and they have had to go back and forth at least 3 times now.

I'm just wondering what the fair price is for the construction and installation of a bimini should be. I'm certainly not paying him for the screw ups.

Dave

I know this is a generalization, but some of the worst boat related contractors I’ve met are canvas/Bimini contractors.

Sorry. I’m no help.

We paid $2,100 Canadian in Vancouver. It included the frame and a boot (cover). We had a similar estimate from a shop in Blaine but we were in Vancouver at the time.

Ten years ago:

Our Tolly came with a not new bridge bimini on it. Purchased and self installed the then new bimini over sun deck. Both are sunbrella material. Bridge frame is galvanized. Sun deck frame is stainless steel. Covers for each when down. Both bimini in good condition still.

Spent another $25 +/- for fasteners/bolts to install the sun deck bimini onto boat's stainless railing.

Sun deck bimini cost just under $600... shipped to me as complete package. Installation time, single handed, couple hours.

Dave
Was your installer the low bidder?

sunchaser said:

Dave
Was your installer the low bidder?

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Nope, I hired him because he is one of about 4 in the area who said he could start it BEFORE June. This was back in January that I hired him and they have been at it for a week and a half.

I am following closely with the same question.

Our frame is good, but the sunbrella top was left deployed while the boat was on the market for a number of months. Who knows, it may have been open for years. It is worn through in several places and I would like to have it repaired or renewed.

Just got a price for full Bimini bridge enclosure. Nothing wrong with mine just wanted a color change. 5,000.00 I’ll keep mine till it wears out.

A friend of mine is getting his flybridge enclosure redone due to a handheld horn exploding inside his old enclosure. It is costing his insurance company $6800.00.

Doesn't spending $5 to $10 grand on our boats annually on boat maintenance and improvements typical (not counting insurance, berthage and operational costs)? That's my experience ... contributing to the local economy.

Donna said:

Just got a price for full Bimini bridge enclosure. Nothing wrong with mine just wanted a color change. 5,000.00 I’ll keep mine till it wears out.

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There's less than a thousand dollars in material in that enclosure, and that's using the good materials.

I had a local contractor quote me similar for a camper back enclosure ( I had the frame already). So I bought the material from Sailrite and built it myself, saved $4k.

There's no rocket science to canvas work.

CaptRonn said:

There's less than a thousand dollars in material in that enclosure, and that's using the good materials.

I had a local contractor quote me similar for a camper back enclosure ( I had the frame already). So I bought the material from Sailrite and built it myself, saved $4k.

There's no rocket science to canvas work.

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I don’t know about that, I look at our flybridge enclosure and I see a lot of zippers and all kinds of pieces. Looks like rocket science to me! Lol

Larry M said:

We paid $2,100 Canadian in Vancouver. It included the frame and a boot (cover). We had a similar estimate from a shop in Blaine but we were in Vancouver at the time.

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Not trying to be a prick but this looks very similar to a boat canopy you'd buy on eBay for $200

https://www.ebay.com.au/b/Boat-Bimini-Tops/26447/bn_72173268

Star0210 said:

I don’t know about that, I look at our flybridge enclosure and I see a lot of zippers and all kinds of pieces. Looks like rocket science to me! Lol

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It's not really. I never had operated a sewing machine until I did my project. I watched the Sailrite videos on YouTube, walked around the marina and looked at how others did it and proceeded.

CaptRonn said:

There's no rocket science to canvas work.

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Maybe not, but it does take a goodly amount of space (a table or large open floor space) to properly build a 10’x12’ bimini. Add a dog or cat into the mix and, well, dog and cat owners know what I am talking about.

Just to do a 1-for-1 replacement of ours had a low of $1500 and a high of $3000. We have opted to, at some point, try and do it ourselves when it warms up, but I have to build a large sewing table first.

100% of your success is in the pattern making! It has to be accurate and easy to understand a week later when you forgot what all the marks are for. ;-)

In our generous sized aft cockpit we use a 10x10 patio unit that unfolds out of a bag.

About $60 at local stores.

Tom.B said:

Maybe not, but it does take a goodly amount of space (a table or large open floor space) to properly build a 10’x12’ bimini. Add a dog or cat into the mix and, well, dog and cat owners know what I am talking about.

Just to do a 1-for-1 replacement of ours had a low of $1500 and a high of $3000. We have opted to, at some point, try and do it ourselves when it warms up, but I have to build a large sewing table first.

100% of your success is in the pattern making! It has to be accurate and easy to understand a week later when you forgot what all the marks are for. ;-)

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I used my dining room table, it worked fine.

And on the part about patterns, take the time and make lots of notes, measure several times.

FF said:

In our generous sized aft cockpit we use a 10x10 patio unit that unfolds out of a bag.

About $60 at local stores.

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GO Fred!!

Simi 60 said:

Not trying to be a prick but this looks very similar to a boat canopy you'd buy on eBay for $200

https://www.ebay.com.au/b/Boat-Bimini-Tops/26447/bn_72173268

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I chucked when I saw that. Aluminum frame, plastic fittings and rated up to forty knots. Heck, we’d have replaced ours this morning with a couple of wind gusts we had. :lol:

In all seriousness, I think you get what you pay for. Ours is all SS frame, fittings, Tenara thread, the frame is ~9’ across and has survived winds over 50 knots more than once.

Larry M said:

I chucked when I saw that. Aluminum frame, plastic fittings and rated up to forty knots. Heck, we’d have replaced ours this morning with a couple of wind gusts we had. :lol:

In all seriousness, I think you get what you pay for. Ours is all SS frame, fittings, Tenara thread, the frame is ~9’ across and has survived winds over 50 knots more than once.

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Sure did have some pretty big wind gusts this morning!

Larry M said:

I chucked when I saw that. Aluminum frame, plastic fittings and rated up to forty knots. Heck, we’d have replaced ours this morning with a couple of wind gusts we had. :lol:

In all seriousness, I think you get what you pay for. Ours is all SS frame, fittings, Tenara thread, the frame is ~9’ across and has survived winds over 50 knots more than once.

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so true the one on my Carolina skiff is probably better canvas but has the plastic hardware. I take down the supports and tie it to the boat when trailering . and get a little worried when it's up going 35/40 mph on the lake .

CaptRonn said:

It's not really. I never had operated a sewing machine until I did my project. I watched the Sailrite videos on YouTube, walked around the marina and looked at how others did it and proceeded.

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That is assuming you have the sewing machine, that will do canvas and thick thread, now.

OldDan1943 said:

That is assuming you have the sewing machine, that will do canvas and thick thread, now.

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I did mine using a Necchi home sewing machine, which if I remember correctly was a $300 machine.

I have since upgraded to an Omega Walking Foot machine (Sailrite clone) that set me back $500.

The walking foot does make it easier when doing large isenglass panels.

So, even with buying the machine the cost savings are still significant.

CaptRonn said:

I did mine using a Necchi home sewing machine, which if I remember correctly was a $300 machine.

I have since upgraded to an Omega Walking Foot machine (Sailrite clone) that set me back $500.

The walking foot does make it easier when doing large isenglass panels.

So, even with buying the machine the cost savings are still significant.

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Great. You can do his job. SMILE

Mine was about $350 from coverquest.com about 8ft x 9ft 4 bow in sunbrella great value and service, quality looks good

Correction to my post it was $415

If you can’t sew, maybe consider building a hardtop. Mine cost me about $500 in materials, including 1.5” stainless tubing and fittings.

I just got quotes from one of the local canvas craftsman in Oceanside:

-Bimini top $755
-Canvas to cover upper bridge $860 - all the way back past my new benches (he made the new cushions for me previously)
-New Skirting around bridge $440

When we were passing through Germany (TF blog Windmills and Wine) we were held up as the river Rhine was in flood.
While we waited we got a German company who were recommended to us by locals to make us a complete Bimini for our boat.
He manufactured the 316 Stainless Steel frames, a 2 part Bimini, 1 for the upper pilot station, another for the aft deck complete with side screens and winter cover for the upper helm, winter storage covers for the Bimini's, plus fitting.
It cost us 5,000 Euro's and its absolutely perfect in every way.
We 'negotiated' a tax free cash deal and we were very happy with his work.
The man also knew his reputation in the marina was at stake as he'd fitted several and was due to fit more for others in the marina.
The marina chairman/manager 'Fuhrer' (yes in Germany they still call a chief a Fuhrer) helped us with the ordering and checked the QC after fitting.
Expensive ? What price perfection ?
Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten.

ok....

After a $1200 deposit, with a slight modofication to our existing helm cover, the complete bimini cost $2250. Ouch! Got to give the Canvas Man out of Anacortes Washington a shout out... nothing but quality work (after a misunderstanding about what we wanted).

Dave