Custom fiberglass bimini fabricators?

[La Sirena]

I'm considering replacing my fabric bimini on our Selene 57 with a custom made fiberglass hardtop. I would want to maintain (or improve) the good lines of the boat. It doesn't need to be a sandwich construction. One layer of fiberglass with a SS superstructure would be fine. I would probably want a built in wire chase however.

I think the original bimini was fabricated in the US during commissioning, and i dont think it was designed well for the 17 foot beam. I have had a myriad of problems with ours. I also don't like the appearance of all the bars criss crossing. And at a full beam of about 17 feet, the fabric/frame is at its limits from a strength standpoint in high winds.

Does anyone know of a good fabricator on the East Coast, approximate cost, and any other relevant information I should know?

Thanks,
Richard
Untethered, 57-22

 

[Comodave]

Atlantic Towers. I had one made for a previous boat and it was very well made.

 

[lwarden]

I think for that sized boat you will want/need a sandwich structure as a single layer (of multiple layers) will get pretty heavy spanning that distance. Fabrication will likely mean making a simple mold for it as well to get the proper curve and a good gelcoat finish on the top.
Unfortunately I don't have a source in your neck of the woods.

 

[Comodave]

I got a quote from Atlantic Towers for our Formula 41PC. They said the top would weigh about 200 pounds. But we decided to keep the Stamoid bimini.

 

[La Sirena]

Thanks for the responses so far. I did look at the Atlantic Towers website and sent them an email to see they would be interested in my project.

I've seen a single thickness fiberglass top on a Nordhavn 57. It had a visible aluminum frame under the fiberglass. I would be OK with that approach. Or a sandwich design if it would be more cost effective.

I'm not too concerned about the weight since a fiberglass top was an option for this boat.

Richard

 

[rslifkin]

From what I've seen, Atlantic towers typically does the aluminum frame with fiberglass skin design. I don't think it ends up drastically different in weight to a sandwich design of similar sturdiness, assuming it's not being designed for someone to walk on it. The sandwich design could be done with less structure visible from the underside, however, so it might be better looking. And you'd have more opportunity to hide wiring chases within the sandwich rather than having visible conduit on the underside.

 

[Comodave]

The fiberglass in the AT tops isn’t structural so you can’t walk on it. However if you want a finished bottom they will put fiberglass on the bottom also.