www.iFourWinns.com

Does anyone else have this problem? My Bimini shakes to the point you have to slow down. I have adjusted the supports just about every time I use the boat. I have thought of getting some straps that I could snap on to the windshield. Any thoughts?
Peter

My bimini reacts to the wind caused by speed, it's not really shaking though, it's more of a "buffeting". If I want to go fast, I fold up the top. You didn't mention what year or size Sundowner you have, but the bimini on my 1999 225 has 4 straps, 1 in each corner to hold it firm. The front 2 snap into clips on the windshield and the rear 2 snap into clips at each corner of the transom.

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2010 278 Vista
5.7 GXi DP

Past:
1999 225 Sundowner
5.7 GSi SX

mine shakes and woobbles a bit. The little uni joint connectors I think are designed with that movt in mind. However, the front mounting points for the poles used to continue to come loose - why do Fourwinns make such good gear and then attach it with self-tapping screws ?. I drilled the holes out, sealed with epoxy, and bolted then on with a plate underneath. They dont come loose anymore...

I think the system is designed to move and flex, to a degree. Older models had a brace that ran diagonally from at the rear. The newer models have two little corner braces to minimise wobbling. Much more attractive, and keeps the stern uncluttered, but maybe not as effective at bracing.

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Mine shakes a lot, but the mounting points attached to the boat haven't come loose (yet!). There's a lot of ball joints in the bimini frame, which are pretty snug. However, the fit of the frames tubes into the ball joint sockets is anything but snug; I think the majority of the shaking comes from the fact that ALL these are loose, it almost looks like the tubes are the wrong OD for the coupling bore IDs. The tubes are riveted into the couplings, there seems to be no way of tightening them up. This winter I'm going to try casting some high modulus elastomer into the bores, to take up the clearances and lock the tubes in position.

Graham