Bimini Top Repair Help Please

[Tir Na Nog]

One of thee supports for my Bimini Top needs to be repaired. The plastic tip that fits into the aluminum tube so that the tube can attach to another portion of the frame is broken. Anyone have any suggestions as to where I can get this repaired or where I can buy a replacement plastic tip or the whole aluminum tube?

[Dave R]

These need to be crimped in place and are likely what you have:

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/73301/10001/595/58/18

These are a simple and effective replacement, that do not need any crimping, and can be installed in seconds with a screwdriver:

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/73300/10001/595/58/18

[Paugus Bay Resident]

Most of the marinas carry the parts as well. I know Irwin's has them in the parts store.

[Tir Na Nog]

Thanks folks. I new I would get the best answer from the Winni Forum. This community always comes through.

[Buster]

I bought plastic ends to poles on my bimini at Irwin Marine.

[GTO]

same thing just happened to me. Went to Irwin Marine (in Hudson) and they sold me the part that fits over the top. Like Dave R said, they are crimped so it was so much easier to get something that went over the top. You'll probably have to hack saw the remaining plastic down to the pole to make the new part fit. They have plastic and stainless steel and the plastic looked like it would just break off so I went with the stainless. Bring the pole with you when you go to make sure you get the right size to fit over it.

[Dave R]

same thing just happened to me. Went to Irwin Marine (in Hudson) and they sold me the part that fits over the top. Like Dave R said, they are crimped so it was so much easier to get something that went over the top. You'll probably have to hack saw the remaining plastic down to the pole to make the new part fit. They have plastic and stainless steel and the plastic looked like it would just break off so I went with the stainless. Bring the pole with you when you go to make sure you get the right size to fit over it.

It's never happened to me, but a wise perosn once asked me which I'd rather have break, the plastic fitting, or the fiberglass around the female connector on the boat? Making these parts too tough might cause extra damage to the boat in the event of a mishap. I think of the plastic part as a fuse that can fail to protect the boat, so to speak. That SS sure looks nice though...