bimini top feedback?

I got my Revo in mid-June and have really enjoyed peddling around the canals in N.Padre Island for my morning exercise. I packup a thermos of coffee, granola bar and peddled out to an isolated area and have a breakfast picnic, watch the sunrise, the fish jump and listen to tunes on my MP3 player. It is a great way to start the day!

The sun can be a real scorcher here in South Texas and as a result I only take my Revo out in the mornings. I am thinking about buying a bimini sunshade and would like to get some feed back if anyone has any experience using one. I carry an umbrella if I need sunprotection and fortunately had it with me the other day during a big thunderstorm on a mad dash home.

The winds here are relatively constant during the day. How does the bimini handle wind? Does it provide enough shade to make it worthwhile?

How hard is it to install? Is it easy to set-up/adjust while underway?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Robin:

I hoped someone would chime in who has the bimini -- been thinking about getting one myself.

I'm really happy so far using a golf umbrella for shade, but would prefer a hands-free solution. It's the type that has the wind vents -- so it seconds (or thirds) as a handy portable sail for downwind travel.

Someone once said, and I don't remember who, that if it doesn't serve at least two or more purposes, leave it at home. That's the main thing that's holding me back on getting the bimini.

Any bimini users out there?

For another (?) option, here's Yakaholic's solution:

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I have one mounted on my Adventure Island and like it very much. It is infinately adjustable and can be used while sailing. It does not work very well in high wind.

It was pretty easy to install - everything was included in the kit which uses well nuts for the mount. I installed mine over the fishing pole holders (I don't use them) just behind the rear strut.

Thanks for the info Rahn.

I did a search on the internet and found a web site that sells a bimini top the looks almost exactly like the Hobie bimini.
They offer many models and more color selections than hobie and comes in either polyester or Sunbrella fabric. The bimini is called a Pro-Techt Mantis. Their web site has a lot of info/pictures/user manual and specifics on the different models. www.pro-techt.com

Not sure if it would fit on the hobie mount but it looks like it would.

This site does a good review of the mantis for more info:
http://www.tackletour.com/reviewprotechtmantis.html


conservation101: It doesn't look like the bimini would serve more than one purpose other then protection from sun and rain, but according to pro-techt you can mount it just about anywhere even on a power wheel chair!

The bimini Hobie sells is the Pro-Techt Mantis. I'm not sure who makes the mount.

My dealer really had a hard time to mount a bimini on a Sport. He made a new hatch and then still it was really hard to get the bolts on inside the boat.
The bad part was, that I had to take the bimini mount off again, because the Sport would not fit on the roof rack of my car anymore (the mount would touch the back door. Realy inconventient as I was going to take the Sport on a 12 hours drive from Holland to Italy).

Actually, it was really simple to get the mount back on: I took plastic hollow-wall plugs, made the holes in the hull a bit wider, and ten minutes later it was done. Sits like a rock.

Then... I used it only once. There is usually quite some wind on the lake where I go kayaking. The bimini starts turing around on the pole of the mount and starts flapping really uncomfortably when there is more than a slight breeze.

I left my Sport in Italy. I hope we have a warm summer next year without wind. Or maybe not. I like the breeze and the Sports does fine in the waves that go with it.

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Woman from water- and bicycle country.

Hey Rahn and hillechien,
A hearty welcome to you both. Although my local dealer, Wilderness Way had a Bimini mounted on Revo (I think) in the shop, I have yet to see or hear how they perform in a little wind or chop. What a lot of Folks in Florida go to is a wide-brimmed hat, such as a Tilley, for sun protection. Plus these hats have neck/head straps fore and aft to avoid going airborne in a good breeze. In addition, they have an "Owner's Manual" and a life-time guarantee. Great hats, and you don't have to worry about going airborne in your yak if you should happen to encounter a bit of a gale

http://www.tilley.com/home.asp?countryCode=Int

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Thanks Apalach, for your welcome!
I will definitely look into buying a Tilley hat next spring. You can buy them also here in the Netherlands. For Italy, I bought a straw hat for about $10 and tied a rope trough some of the holes, so that it cannot blow away when kayaking.

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Woman from water- and bicycle country.

I don't wear hats as they are too hot for me. I do find the bimini useful when there is no or light wind. It will get blown around in heavier wind.

As for installation, the mount I bought, which I believe is through Hobie, had well nuts which worked very well.

Robin I mounted mine just passed the rod holders. I didn't use the well nuts cause I could easily reach the underside of the screws that I used instead. I havn't had a chance to try it out yet. And your right about the heat. I peddle around in the marina down here in Corpus Christi and when there is no breeze, you definitly feel the heat. When I do get the chance to try it out, I'll post my findings.