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Thinking about two tops

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2019 6:09 am
by riplipper
Extending your cover to cover front of boat.
Just curious, I have a new Harris with a 12 ft cover, would like to possibly extend to cover the front.
Mine does not have a zipper to combine the two but could probably make it happen.

How many of you guys have two covers and do not attach them and how many do zip them together.

Re: Thinking about two tops

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2019 9:55 am
by steve1313
If you invest in a second top, you might just be able to add some snaps to attach it to the existing bimini.

In the last three seasons, I've had the bimini deployed a total of one time! We like the sun and if we get too hot, we just jump overboard or fire up the motor and cruise.

Re: Thinking about two tops

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2019 5:10 pm
by RcgTexas
Also been thinking of a second bimini for the front. Don't hate the sun just like the shade a little more.

Re: Thinking about two tops

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2019 7:25 pm
by TexasTooner
I have two biminis on mine - great shade for the Texas sun. There is a zippered canvas the connects the two together

Re: Thinking about two tops

Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 5:02 am
by riplipper
Florida sun can be brutal so that is why I am considering it, but also, when it gets too hot I really don't even want to be on the boat.

Re: Thinking about two tops

Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 6:38 am
by TWB
I have a double bimini on mine that zips together. The older I get, I can't take the sun like I once could. A bunch of little skin cancers later, I want the shade! Some trips we use only one (for me at the helm); most trips are usually both because we anchor and spend most of the time in the water. The full boat shade is nice when you want to get out for a bite to eat -- and maybe a NAP!

My biggest thing is it's nice to have the choice.

:2cents

Never once regretted the double bimini.

Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 8:57 am
by zoom650
I elected the double bimini option on my Harris. 12 ft rear and either 8 or 10 over bow. It zips together. Front needs to be zipped in order to be taunt and stable at speed. I leave it up year round, except when we go out for firework shows. I'm in a covered slip, but it is great for keeping spider and bird droppings out of the cockpit/playpen. I unzipped the entire bimini, laid it out in the driveway and sprayed it down good with 303 Fabric protectant and it sheds water like a champ.

Harris uses two half-zippers. One for each side to mate the two together.

Re: Never once regretted the double bimini.

Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2019 3:36 am
by riplipper
zoom650 wrote:
Tue Mar 12, 2019 8:57 am

Harris uses two half-zippers. One for each side to mate the two together.
I don't think my 12 ft has a zipper, I may have to add a zipper if I plan to do this.

Re: Thinking about two tops

Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 6:33 pm
by Gonefishing
Have two on mine no zipper and work fine

Re: Thinking about two tops

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2019 8:42 am
by Cowracer
I have two tops. The back one is the original Bennington top, the front is from Pontoon Stuff. The fabric is not connected, and that is no problem at all. I had to get creative on the mounts, as the back brace for the front top wanted to set down right on my side gate. I wound up using the back braces to tie the two frames together. Worked out really well, except that I whack my head on the brace at least once a trip.

Opened:
Image

Looking Backwards:
Image

Looking forwards:
Image

Closed up:
Image

Tim

Re: Thinking about two tops

Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2019 11:24 am
by sunedog
Cowracer -- Very innovative solution. I think I'd be putting a bright pool noodle on that horizontal brace.

Re: Thinking about two tops

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2019 11:46 pm
by riplipper
sunedog wrote:
Mon Mar 25, 2019 11:24 am
Cowracer -- Very innovative solution. I think I'd be putting a bright pool noodle on that horizontal brace.
ditto, very clever engineering

Re: Thinking about two tops

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2019 8:47 pm
by Rick McC.
I’ve had twin tops both with and without being zipped together.

My first (which I changed over to a second toon) was a second top that I added to a toon that came with just one bimini, and didn’t connect to the other top at all.

I installed the second top so that it (the front top) overlapped the rear top from above. That way, when out in the rain, water didn’t blow back under the rear top. The front top overlaped the front of the rear top a good six inches, and pressed down onto the front of the rear top.

The pics of twin tan tops in a post above is set up the opposite, which would allow a lot of rain to get into the boat when underway.