CONTINUOUSWAVE

[I want] to add a bimini to a 2013 170 Montauk. The boat was never equipped with one. I'm fairly sure [a Bimini top will be] expensive [if bought] direct from Boston Whaler.

[Give me advice on buying or installing a Bimini top on a 2013 170 MONTAUK].

A Bimini top most likely cannot be purchased "direct from Boston Whaler." Boston Whaler generally does not sell directly to customers. If you wanted an OEM top you will likely have to purchase it from a dealer.

For advice on recommended vendors of canvas for Boston Whaler boats, see the article in REFERENCE on recommended or OEM vendors.

Original Equipment Manufacturers and
Recommended Vendors
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/OEM.html

Do you want to install the Bimini top yourself?

Jim--Yes, I am considering installing myself.

You've asked for a reason: what are your thoughts on self install?

Contact Sue Lodel at Twin Cities Marine in Wisconsin to get a price for the OEM canvas.

Contact Wm. J. Mills & Co. in Greenport, New York to get a price on their canvas.

These two sources will probably be the most expensive options.

If you have a Bimini top custom made by a local artisan, the artisan will most likely install the top as part of his work. Before getting a top made by a local artisan, you must carefully look as his work as seen on other boats in your area. I recently had some canvas made for my boat by a local artisan. I selected the artisan after visiting several marinas in the area and looking at boat canvas on local boats. Many of the best installations had a prominent label sewn in with the name of the artisan who made the canvas. That determined the guy I would use. He was expensive, and he had a long backlog of prior work before he could do my job, but the cost and the wait was reasonable in consideration of the quality of the product he made.

If you buy an off-the-shelf top you will have to perform the fitting of the top to the boat. There is no guarantee it will be precisely fitted to the boat. The material may not be the best. The frame may not be stainless steel. The fittings may not be stainless steel.

You should look for another 170 MONTAUK boat that has the OEM top, and take careful measurements for the location of the frame hinges and the frame strap eye loops. There will be imbedded reinforcements in those locations. You do not want to install a sub-standard top in a poorly chosen location on the boat, as that won't make the top an asset but rather a liability.

Installing a Bimini top is not particularly difficult to perform, but it does take very careful planning and positioning of the frame hinges and the eye loops to get the best configuration. Whenever adding anything non-OEM to a Boston Whaler, you must preserve the workmanship and general design qualities that made you want to buy a Boston Whaler in the first place.

As an option you may want to look at the bimini tops made by Carver Industries. They are high quality tops and available with stainless steel frames and Sunbrella fabric. A link is http://www.carvercovers.com

A less expensive DIY option:


http://www.boatcoversdirect.com/product ... AILS_2120/

Not a manufacturer but a reseller I think.

I recall the OEM supplier of the bimini option for the Montauk 170 I (2003-2017) was Great Lakes Boat Top.

They sell to consumers.

https://greatlakesboattop.com/products.html?find=boston-whaler-2003-170-montauk-bimini-outboard-option-25882&sid=aSe1QGpUMX

777AIA - Boat Covers Direct are a Carver dealer of which there are many.

I just bought and installed a bimini top for my 1987 Montauk. It was about $200. I recommend it. It has a zipper boot for storage, and stores flat behind the helm. I purchased the 67 to 72-inch size. Here is the link and a pic of installed top.

Good luck - Dan

https://imgur.com/a/huBAu2r

https://oceansouth.us/shop/bimini-tops/ ... is/ma-064/

There are several aspects of marine canvas which vary and correspondingly cause the cost of marine canvas to vary:

• custom-fitted designs compared to generic off-the-shelf sizes
• use of stainless steel fittings and hinges compared to plastic
• use of stainless steel tubing compared to aluminum
• use of Glen Ravin Mills SUNBRELLA fabric compared to other materials
• use of fixed supports compared to nylon straps.

As is often demonstrated, you get what you pay for.