Towing with Bimini top - Freedom 225

[TommyGirl225]

I’m just about to pick up a 2015 Freedom 225 and have a long drive ahead of me back to Texas. There’s a Bimini top that I plan to secure on deck for the long ride. However for normal trips (1 hour on freeway) does anyone have experience with the Bimini top secured on similar vessels? I of course will not have it fully deployed but it will be in the air with that boot canvas around it. Doesn’t look like it folds down in a secure way so prefer for the rear poles to be secured and Bimini in the normal undeployed position per this picture.

 

[Ky Grady]

It should be mounted inside the gunnels. Pull the back supports off and lay it back into the cockpit for the ride home, or anytime you trailer to reduce stress on it.

 

[Parthery]

As KY said, pop the support poles out from the mounts and fold it down into the boat.

 

[seasick]

If folded down, you need to use some sort of tie downs to preclude the assemble bouncing up and down or even lifting up due to air flow over the deck

 

[nuclear]

My old boat had a top like that, I would remove the bolts to fold it completely down for the winter. However, when trailering I would leave it up like in your picture and never had a problem. With that being said, I didn't have to trailer it nearly as far as you plan on.

 

[TommyGirl225]

Thanks everyone. Have extra straps packed to secure for this first long trip back home. Heading out tomorrow morning!

 

[Holokai]

Late to the party but we trailer our boat with the bimini as shown in the picture. The drive is about 40 miles and up to about 65-70 mph. No issues and the roads here suck so it’s not the smoothest drive. Hope all went well on your drive!

 

[Rustygaff]

When I purchased my boat, I had about a 500 mile trip home. I removed the bimini, zip tied the supports together, wrapped the ends, and laid it down on the deck for the trip.

 

[trapper]

ON more than two or three occasions I have signalled to folks on the highway indicating that their bimini tops side and curtains etc were flapping madly and about to take flight. Some cruise on believing that they were made for highway speeds not boat speeds. Best collapsed and battened down. If one has time you cruise the speedway picking up spare tops windows etc, just not sure about how much money there is in returns......may just beat pop and beer can collection. oooops Covid mental slippage!

 

[glacierbaze]

That's a long haul, from the SC coast.

 

[TommyGirl225]

Thanks everyone! There were actually separate connections on the deck for this purpose and the Bimini had rubber strategically placed so it wouldn’t scuff the deck. Made it back to Houston in one piece! Only lost one deck access plate somewhere on I-10.

 

[Fishtales]

Def agree to take it down. If designed correctly it should fold down and come off easily. Properly store and secure for any ride with speed limits over 40MPH. My two cents.

 

[Capt Tom]

I have a 205 Freedom and I tow with mine up all the time. My frame is a little different than yours but when folded up with the boot on this thing ain't going nowhere. I do confess if I am towing a long distance I will use a few bungees to tighten the boot up.