Bimini hard to fold

[dhuston99]

The bow and cockpit covers that came with my 220 don't go around the bimini poles so I have to fold it down to put them on. It is very hard to get the spring clips out of the holes. Usually requiring two people and sometimes a hammer. Any idea if that is normal or could the poles be bent? Also takes to people to put it back up. Very difficult to get the holes to line up to put the clips in. I will take some pictures next time I take the cover off. Thinking about about just getting a mooring cover instead. Getting a boathouse and lift put in so the mooring cover is probably a better option anyway.

[thunder550]

You should be able to find someone to modify your existing covers to go around the bimini fittings for pretty cheap.

[AsLan7]

The bow and cockpit covers that came with my 220 don't go around the bimini poles so I have to fold it down to put them on. It is very hard to get the spring clips out of the holes. Usually requiring two people and sometimes a hammer. Any idea if that is normal or could the poles be bent? Also takes to people to put it back up. Very difficult to get the holes to line up to put the clips in. I will take some pictures next time I take the cover off. Thinking about about just getting a mooring cover instead. Getting a boathouse and lift put in so the mooring cover is probably a better option anyway.

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If the spring clips are difficult to get in and out then the bracket holes are slightly off. Carefully squeeze them just a little bit with vice grips and they’ll line back up making it easy to insert and remove those spring clips.

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[Big Block Power]

The mooring cover is the way to go with a boat on a lift. But maybe without a way to walk around it could be a real pain. If the pins don't go in and out easy you have a issue somewhere. Or are you just talking about the frt 2 poles?

[bhuppert]

I had the same problem, until I figured out which of the poles to pull to relieve the pressure on the pins. Then, they slid right out - making it a one-man job. I have a low garage door, which means the top folds down after each trip to the lake. I have surmised the top was designed that way to keep things tight and rattle-free. Good luck!

[Blwalker105]

Compounding this alignment issue is that ALL of the supports you need to attach are designed to have at least one end be able to spin freely. Of my 2020 220S's 6 support poles, 2 were frozen or had internal corrosion that would not allow the ends to spin. A little spray of WD-40 solved most of the issues, but the design is not single-person-user-friendly.

[dhuston99]

The back two poles connect to two angled poles that go to the center of the bimini. I have to disconnect the angled pole to fold the bimini down to get the cover on. These are the one i have trouble with. It is a very tight fit until you get one out.