How Fast Can You Trailer w/Bimini?

[H2OYo]

Hello! I am the brand new owner of a 2022 Cobalt R4. I am looking for advice on trailering this thing without always breaking down the complex bimini tower? We opted for the full bimini vs the smaller rotating bimini (a mistake I will never make again). While we like that the folding bimini can be stowed, the design and literal fight that ensues is cartoonishly incongruent to the high quality that Cobalt is known for. A little more engineering would have been appreciated as this is a guaranteed 15 minute investment to put up with at least 2 or 3 words I shouldn't say in front of my kids. My question...does anyone know "if" you can simply unzip the tarp from the frame and secure it to the arch bar (zip ties?) so you can trailer and run at highway speeds without bending the frame? We dry store our boat and like to travel with our boat all over Texas. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Clay (photos of my new baby girl attached!)

[AsLan7]

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Hey H20Yo. So glad you found us.

Thanks for the pic too. Sorry to hear about your bimini woes but others here with that model will chime in shortly.

Curious what engine size you went with for that model?

And welcome aboard mate!

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[bruceb58]

On my old boat(not Cobalt)I trailered a couple times with the bimini stored up in it's boot. Unfortunately, one time one of the fittings failed and I lost my bimini. From then on, I always removed the entire bimini with its frame and had it sit on the floor of the cockpit.

[sailor55330]

Welcome- I'm honestly not sure on a tower/bimini combo, but I do know that Cobalt states that a bimini should not be deployed on the water when boat speed and wind exceed 50mph. For example....10mph breeze, 25mph boat speed--force on bimini same as 35MPH. Maybe that helps some? My instinct says that if you secure it well and it doesn't flap while towing, you might be ok--

I have trailered my boat with the bimini in the "down" position and the boot on for 1000's of miles which is similar to what you are talking about. So far, only one mounting screew ever loosened. Lucky I guess

[H2OYo]

I appreciate everyone's help. I guess I need to warm up to the fact that to be safe, I need to just find a way to get really proficient at deploying the bimini and putting it back up. I'm sure there is a system that makes it less cumbersome that I have yet to discover but will keep looking. No complaints on the boat though. Such a great experience on choppy water.

[Tuscany]

IMO. I would never tow with the bimini open to the air. Just an disaster waiting to happen.
I’m sure you’ll get used to deploying it with time.
Although I don’t have a tower, we always tow with the bimini flat.
The less exposed to the wind while towing, the better for the supporting hardware. .

[Kate]

"I would never tow with the bimini open to the air. Just an disaster waiting to happen."

Ditto that. (Don't ask how I know.)

[Big Block Power]

"I would never tow with the bimini open to the air. Just an disaster waiting to happen."

Ditto that. (Don't ask how I know.)

OK I'll ask. Why Kate?

[dustinm]

"I would never tow with the bimini open to the air. Just an disaster waiting to happen."

Ditto that. (Don't ask how I know.)

You cant just put that on here without telling us

[sailor55330]

Thinking about this more and re-reading. The top of the bimini is cut off in the pictures, but if you are talking about towing with the bimini deployed as you would while on the water, I would say absolutely no way. Let's take my example of going 30mph into a 10mph headwind...that's an apparent wind of 40mph. Now you pass a semi pushing a headwind and you just got the equivalent of a 60mph gust.

You probably will need a new bimini after that. Pull it down and secure it.

[Kate]

B&d: Got lazy. Left the bimini up. Didn't factor in other conditions (like sailor mentioned).Those other conditions yanked out the rear brackets. Fortunately, no major damage.

[Big Block Power]

B&d: Got lazy. Left the bimini up. Didn't factor in other conditions (like sailor mentioned).Those other conditions yanked out the rear brackets. Fortunately, no major damage.

So they are not sail boats?

[MikeBo]

I contract my bimini and put on the cover, then I learned the hard way…cover blew off, I wrap the cover with Saran Wrap as tight as I can, since I started this no issues.

[Kate]

"So they are not sail boats?"

Yuk it up . . . garage boy.

[Big Block Power]

"So they are not sail boats?"

Yuk it up . . . garage boy.