Attach fastener to Bimini to hold up eisenglass panels

[Lshulan]

I’m having my eisenglass panels that are front of flybridge redone and want to have them open up (zippered on bottom) as opposed to opening down. My current ones open down and the several places I’ve been to for getting new eisenglass all say that the frequent rolling of them contributed to their gettting milky and that I should consider having them open up and attach the bottoms to the Bimini. This also has a lot of advantages as the farthest stbd one is too bulky to fit behind an instrument and it also takes a decent amount of time to try to roll them up especially with some soft cloth in between. My question is how to attach to underside of the Bimini. The Bimini’s front horizontal support is way too far back so I’m thinking of gluing a heavy piece of canvas to the underside with the fastener already in place so that I don’t have to pierce the canvas itself. Has anyone any experience in gluing canvas to canvas? Does it work? Is there a better way? I would use these turnbutton fasteners (photo attached I hope). Other ideas welcomed.

 

[Comodave]

On our last boat I made patterns for the front eisenglass and had EZ2CY panels made. Then I took Sunbrella and made straps that went around the bimini frame and used the twist lock fasteners that you have in your photo. Put some of the female side of those fasteners on the bottom of the panels and hinged the panels up to the bottom of the bimini. Worked great.

On our current boat we had new canvas work done. I had them sew a strip across the bottom of the bimini with zippers on it so when the panels hinge up they zip to the bottom of the bimini. Also works great.

I would sew a strip across the bottom and use zippers to hold the panels up. Glueing to the canvas will probably not last. Sewing to the bottom shouldn’t be a problem. There are already lots of stitching in your top so a few more won’t hurt. Make sure the panels have some slack going to the zipper so it isn’t too hard to get them zipped together.

 

[SIBERNUT]

On panels i make, i leave about an inch & a half hanging off the end of each panel. Easy to get started , then zip tight

 

[ranger58sb]

My question is how to attach to underside of the Bimini. The Bimini’s front horizontal support is way too far back...

1" straps around the front bimini support, leading to the after edges of the enclosure panel? Snaps to attach?

Might get some sag, but maybe it could be tight enough to keep the enclosure panel high enough...

???

If you have to continue rolling, we've found a layer of light fleece in the roll helps reduce abrasion from plastic on plastic.

-Chris