Bimini top tight fitting

ddurand

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Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2001
RO Number
5015
Messages
837
The Bimini top and the attaching sections to the windshield and to the stern no longer really fit. I do not really see any obvious adjustment. Its s 2011 Chaparral Signature 270. The top may be original. I bought the boat last fall. I see a couple of the "extenders", a 1" piece of material with a male snap on one end/side and a female snap on the other end/side. It will close the last inch if the top does not fit. Some of the zippers have ripped from the material so I am think it was tight for the prior owner and he just pulled to get it to fit. And got a couple of extenders where he could not pull it tight enough to get it to snap properly.

I was going to get the zippers resewed, but maybe the top has shrunk and even if the zippers are resewed its still not going to fit. Time for a new top if I want it to fit properly. Or maybe here are some adjustments I did not see.
 
The bikini on my flybridge is very tight so to avoid tipping the zippers when installing it I usually undo one of the frames, install the bimini and then reset the frame to stretch the fabric
 
So is it being super tight due to it being 10 yr old or maybe a piece of the support frame not being properly adjusted.
 
I ve never seen biminis or covers get smaller with time try adjusting the frames
 
I ve never seen biminis or covers get smaller with time try adjusting the frames
Try washing in your washing machine with normal (not cold or gentle) settings. Relaying info from a friend. 🤓
 
I was told by a place that does high end boat canvas that your typical boat top made of Sunbrella is acrylic and that does not shrink. The webbing can however.

But I have examined the boat top and do not see any adjustments. The top frame would have been setup at the factory and then locked into place with screws or set screws.
 
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