buckled bimini top

[RedRaiderTooner]

Hello all!

On saturday, my starboard side bimini top brace buckled under a light wind while out on Saturday. It looks horrible. Anyone else have to get their top placed under warranty? I will try to get it to WhittleBoats this week for repair.

Will

 

[Ken H]

Dang Will that stinks,

It must have been one heck of a wind to bend that brace, My top seems to be built like a tank.

Hopefully they care of it for ya.

 

[Geewest]

I had the hoop on our boat bend and kink. I posted some pic's in a thread called "Bimini Dammage" you can do a search to see them if u like.

It would seem pretty hard to bend and buckle a Bimini hoop unless ( like myn ) one of the legs came un attached and then bent the Bimini . That's what happend to me the black plastic piece at the end of the leg that snaps into the boat came un attached the wind bent the Bimini back and bent and kinked the hoop.

The dealer to me sorry $700 for a new hoop

 

[cwag911]

The dealer to me sorry $700 for a new hoop

If your dealer made you pay for the top breaking, then you need a new dealer. The whole time our boat was in warranty I never had one cent out of pocket.

 

[Geewest]

I think the way the dear and Bennington saw it was. There was nothing wrong with the Bimini. Yea when the leg came un attached the bimini bent back and THEN bent the Bimini frame.

I do notice on our new Q the forward Bimini attachment point Now has a lock pin to stop the leg from comming off. So IMO the lesson has been learned for both partys, LOL

 

[amr7333]

If it is simply bent, you might be able to disassemble it and straighten. Aluminum is fairly malleable. It would be worth a shot.

Another thing to remember, don't drag the boat under a tree with the top up. It is really hard on the front bow. On the bright side, I found a local welder with a TIG machine. He welded it back together for me. It worked while the new front bow was on order. IIRC, it cost a tad over 1 Bennie for a new bow.

andy

 

[cwag911]

If it is simply bent, you might be able to disassemble it and straighten. Aluminum is fairly malleable. It would be worth a shot.

He shouldn't have to fix it or pay for new parts. The clip failed and the top got bent, that should be taken care of by Bennington. That's why you pay a premium for a boat with a 5 year bow to stern warranty, at least that's why I did.

 

[Geewest]

Here is a Link to the Thread I was talking about.



The "Black Plastic" clip that hold's the Bimini support leg in place came off. Now when you say the "Clip Failed" I get what you’re saying. Our clip came off. It did not fail it just came Un-clipped!

(Now that's a point of discussion all in its self) Example was the clip in all the way? Was the bimin adjusted correctly, how fast were you going when it happened? on and on" How or why it came UN clipped is UN known to me? All I know is it came off and then the bimini bent back and kinked. I fixed it from ever coming un clipped again by turning the Black plastic clip the opposite direction the wind or force would be pulling it. Like I said before Bennington added a cotter pin so the Bimin support can't come unclipped on my 2012 Q.

 

[amr7333]

He shouldn't have to fix it or pay for new parts. The clip failed and the top got bent, that should be taken care of by Bennington. That's why you pay a premium for a boat with a 5 year bow to stern warranty, at least that's why I did.

I was simply making this suggestion until he could get the replacement part in. Not thinking of my suggestion as a permanent solution. I hate to see anyone out of commission because of something as simple as this.

I apologize if my suggestion came across as something other than that.

andhy

 

[cwag911]

I was simply making this suggestion until he could get the replacement part in. Not thinking of my suggestion as a permanent solution. I hate to see anyone out of commission because of something as simple as this.

I apologize if my suggestion came across as something other than that.

andhy

There's no need for anyone to apologize. These are my opinions. I come from an automotive backround of "high end" product (Mercedes and Porsche), which is what I consider Bennington to be. When I said the clip "failed", I know it didn't break and became unclipped, but it should not have. That's the point I was making. I'm sorry if I ruffled some feathers, But I have a history with warranty work.