Bimini Color

Baroda5

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Location
- Finch Lake, Marcellus MI
Is there any preference between the bimini colors?

Does the cabin stay cooler with the taupe instead of the black?

Does the black fade?

Does the Black show more dirt noticeably?

We take delivery on the 24th, and we can choose either color, the exterior is black.

Any experience would be beneficial.

Thanks.
 
If you are concerned about heat the black will make it hotter .

I have two black vehicles and they get very hot .

But the black sure does look good .
 
Is there any preference between the bimini colors? I like like my "blue" matched to my blue boat. Black goes with anything. Taupe would be my last choice, but that's just my personal opinion.

Does the cabin stay cooler with the taupe instead of the black? Probably so, but you typically wont notice, only will notice from cover when under installing poles when covering

Does the black fade? Any color will fade, but it does have a five year fade warranty, and I will say, on my lake, the Benni's seem to have the nicest looking "older" covers when it comes to fading. I see some Quest/GillGetters, that the covers faded A LOT in 2-3 years !!! You can definitely tell Bennington uses MUCH higher quality material.

Does the Black show more dirt noticeably? YES, especially at our lake where the seagulls love to crap on everything. BUT, as jsfb6pts said, "it does look good". If you have bird issues, just hang a string from bimini to front with some streamers and it helps to keep them away.
 
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Like Semper said, we have a blue bimini on our blue boat. Get the black and you'll be happy. We have dark blue and it's not any hotter than any other bimini I've been under.
 
We got the black bimini, but went with the dark taupe cover for our black 20 SLX and are very happy with the way it looks.

It would seem so far that the taupe cover shows dirt/bird mess less than a black cover would have. It's really your preference as

fading is covered in the Bennington warranty.
 
Thanks for the replies, the main argument in the family was that it would be hotter when we sit under it during the day. My belief was that the large volume of air passing between us and the top would significantly cool any difference that the tops color would make. We have a black car too..lovely to wash...but I thought this would be a different monster due to the openness of the the pontoon compared to a car.

I wasn't sure about how the taupe top would look compared to the black, I think the black is sharp, so I may just win this battle.
 
We have black, double bimini's. It's all I've had so I can't compare heat to other colors, but it's still wonderfully cool underneath on a hot day! Use the 303 Protectant on a routine basis and it hoses off easier. It definitely shows pollen and dust so we wrap ours up in the boot every time we're done.

Here are some cleaning notes from the Sunbrella website:

When it’s time for a thorough cleaning, Sunbrella fabrics can be cleaned while still on a boat or, size permitting, they can be removed for cleaning in a washing machine or dockside. When cleaning Sunbrella fabrics, it is important to observe the following:

  • Always use a mild detergent such as Woolite or Dawn dishwashing liquid.
  • Water should be cold to lukewarm.
  • Rinse thoroughly to remove all detergent residue.
  • Air dry only. Never apply heat to Sunbrella fabrics.

General or light cleaning

To clean Sunbrella while still on a boat, follow these simple steps:

  • Brush off loose dirt.
  • Hose down.
  • Prepare a cleaning solution of water and mild detergent such as Woolite or Dawn dishwashing liquid.
  • Use a soft bristle brush to clean.
  • Allow cleaning solution to soak into the fabric.
  • Rinse thoroughly until all detergent residue is removed.
  • Air dry.
  • May not require re-treatment depending on the age of the fabric.


If stubborn stains persist, you can use a diluted chlorine bleach/detergent mixture for spot cleaning of mildew, roof run-off or other similar stains (see ourStain chart for specific recommendations).

Heavy cleaning for stubborn stains and mildew

Sunbrella fabric does not promote mildew growth, however, mildew may grow on dirt and other foreign substances that are not removed from the fabric. To clean mildew, or other stubborn stains:

  • Eight ounces (one cup) of chlorine bleach.
  • Two ounces (1/4 cup) of mild detergent.
  • One gallon of water.
  • Clean with soft bristle brush.
  • Allow mixture to soak into the fabric for up to 15 minutes.
  • Rinse thoroughly until all detergent residue is removed.
  • Air dry.
  • Repeat if necessary.
  • Re-treatment of fabric for water and stain resistance will be necessary.


View the Sunbrella fabric Stain chart.

If a boat cover is suitable in size for a washing machine, these steps should be followed:

  • Use mild detergent.
  • For heavier stains add 1 cup of bleach to wash.
  • Wash and rinse in cold water.
  • Air dry. Never apply heat to Sunbrella.
  • Re-treatment for water and stain resistance will be necessary after machine washing.

Re-treating the fabric

As part of the finishing process, Sunbrella fabrics are treated with a fluorocarbon finish, which enhances water repellency. This finish is designed to last for several years, but must be replenished after a thorough cleaning. Based on test results,

Glen Raven recommends 303 High Tech Fabric Guard™ as the preferred re-treatment product for Sunbrella fabrics. Fabrics should be re-treated after thorough cleaning or after five years of use.

Applying 303 High Tech Fabric Guard

303 should be applied to Sunbrella fabrics after each thorough cleaning, which typically removes the original finish and reduces the fabric’s water repellency.

  • Clean Sunbrella fabric, using one of the cleaning methods.
  • Allow Sunbrella to completely air dry.
  • Apply 303 Fabric Guard in a well ventilated area following instructions on the container.
  • Apply 303 in a thin, even coat and allow fabric to dry completely.
  • Apply a second thin, even coating of 303. (Two light coatings are more effective in restoring fabric water resistance than a single heavy coating. A 15-ounce bottle provides coverage of up to 50 square feet of fabric.)


For more information, please visit www.303products.com.
 
Awesome, thanks so much for the response.

I just spoke to the dealer and made the executive decision to stay with the Black top.

We've used the 303 cleaner before on a car's convertible top, it's an amazing product. I had forgot about it though, I'll make sure to have it on hand at the cottage for any cleaning necessary.
 
Are the Bennington cover and bimini made of sunbrella?
Dave I have no idea ,but I did buy the 303 ,Vinyl protector ,Fabric protector ,and cleaner .

The protector does look good on the cars too .
 
I got some of it from Amazon and some from Overtons , which is also Gander Mountain .
 
Like they say in those Franks hot sauce commercials. I put that sh** on everything (303)
 
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I like Franks ,I wish they had it a Buffalo Wild Wings .
 
I think I saw on one of the forum posts that the Bennington bimini's are made of SurLast. Their instructions are essentially identical to Sunbrella and they also recommend 303 Fabric Guard after you use anything stronger than mile soap and water.
 
We had navy blue on our old pontoons for 15 years and never had a problem with heat. The new one is black so I expect no problems.
 
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