Bimini

This Product Has Been Discontinued

Bimini Description

The Bimini is a kayak brought to you by Perception. Read Bimini reviews or submit your own review to share with the paddling community. Check out a few other kayak recommendations below or explore all kayaks to find the perfect one for you!

Perception
Bimini Reviews

Read reviews for the Bimini by Perception as submitted by your fellow paddlers. All of the reviews are created and written by paddlers like you, so be sure to submit your own review and be part of the community!

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4

I bought my 15" bimini for…

Submitted by: sparky69 on 3/27/2014
I bought my 15" bimini for 500$, with beach wheels, a win, I dumped 200$ in scotty rod holders and universal fish finder mounted to a lowrance x-4, unit. The boat is fast and smooth paddling, but long and narrow in profile, sometimes wet in seas. A wider more stabilized boat would be great. I have 4 scotty rod holders and 3 screwed to a crate in the rear area.

All in all great bay and fishing boat. Also I added handles on each side for lifting in the truck. because its long. Good luck.

4

Just purchased a pair of 2004…

Submitted by: kauaiguy on 2/6/2012
Just purchased a pair of 2004 Bimini's and paddled for the first time yesterday, so this will be my initial feelings. I also own 2 old Scupper Pro's, a Necky Dolphin, a OK Prowler Trident 13 and a Aquaterra Prism. I paddle the rivers on Kauai in the winter but prefer to spend my time in the ocean once summer surf arrives. Paddle the Na Pali coast regularly, I'm 5'10" and weigh 185, 64 years old.

Initial response is I'm going to love these kayak's for touring, very stable and tracking is excellent, the hatch seals work well and plenty of room for all my camping equipment, the cooler well is perfect for Kauai trips, handles chop great with just a little bit of spray.

The negatives are: The Yakima rudder system is cheap and plastic and sticks too high above the deck. I have already broken a blade when unloading the kayak. Kalalau and north shore beaches can have big surf even in the summer and it's inevitable you and your kayak will be rolling onto the beach. I see nothing but problems. One other negative is the seat area is very wet, no big deal for me as water never below 75 degrees. I will add a pad to raise my butt up...
A fantastic kayak and would rate a 10 if not for the crappy rudder system.

4

Picked up a used (obviously…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 6/2/2009
Picked up a used (obviously since they aren't made anymore) Bimini with seat, paddle, and scotty rod holders for $400 on craigslist. It has been well kept and is in great condition. It was a steal as far as I'm concerned.

The boat is stable and tracks nicely with the rudder deployed. I'm not too impressed without it. I was out on Galveston bay in calm conditions and happy to report that it's a dry ride. The storage is great and I look forward to enjoying my great deal.

I gave it an 8 out of 10 because of the lack of carrying handles on the sides - makes this heavy yak difficult to load.

5

This is an AWESOME kayak. I…

Submitted by: paddler232975 on 12/29/2008
This is an AWESOME kayak. I found a used one with a rudder for under $600. This thing has tons of "dry" storage, well beyond ANY other kayak I have seen. It is also very stable. I can actually stand up on it, although the wells are barely wide enough for your feet. The IGLOO ICE CUBE ice chest fits perfectly behind the seat. It can be used for food, bait, or wet well. You will want to plug the foot well holes so you are not soaking your feet constantly. I wouldn't trade this kayak for any other kayak currently on the market.
WHY IN THE WORLD DID THEY DISCONTINUE THIS MODEL????
5

My wife and I went back and…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 4/9/2007
My wife and I went back and forth on whether we wanted to buy this SOT, as we've always been in traditional kayaks. We bought three "regular" kayaks and the Bimini this week for family outings. The Bimini rocks! This boat is very fast compared to the recreational boats we have, and love all the storage and the rudder. We're thinking about rigging a sail to make it that much more fun! We also found this to be a great choice for play - diving off and easily climbing back on. It rained quite a bit on us today, but that didn't take away from the enjoyment. Like our kayak buddies say - "there's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes". End result - we love it - the only problem now is that my wife and I both want it to be "my boat".
4

One added point on this boat…

Submitted by: paddler230946 on 2/8/2005
One added point on this boat after 2 years of use...

Great, watertight design, hatches, and gaskets! I have never had any water get into this boat, despite running a variety of electrical cables over the hull part of the hatch opening and under the gasket or through the gasket seam. The raised hatch opening really seems to keep water out, despite waves breaking over the bow. Only came to appreciate this after reading about water leaking into the hulls of other brands.

5

I've had my Bimini 2 years…

Submitted by: paddler230936 on 1/28/2005
I've had my Bimini 2 years now and I love it. I live in Palm Beach County, FL and I use it mostly in salt water.
5

So, after paddling every…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 1/26/2005
So, after paddling every sporting kayak I could talk my way into, I bought a Perception Bimini 15 even before trying one. Why?

Perception is a great brand, in many circles the standard by which others are judged, so I figured it would excel. Secondly, I read a few of the reviews around the web, they seemed accurate regarding the other boats so I took them at their word. It's true, every design has its pros and cons. From what I learned thru my demos, one look at the Bimini hull and I knew it would track straight and glide well.

However, there were really 2 deciding factors:

Layout - outstanding! One look and I realized there would be no compromise when mounting my GPS, Scotty's and/or RAM's, etc. Plenty of handy flats and all within comfortable reach. Paddle holders on each side (or paddle PLUS gun!), drink in the middle, and take that cover off the small storage space between my knees and 3 boxes of shotshells are held adequately at ready.

I was having a hard time deciding btw. the two longer Tarpons (140 & 160) before seeing the Bimini, and it solved the problem ... dry storage fore and aft PLUS the recessed bucket holder with a drain in the center ... what a nice design for live bait!

Price - the clincher was it was a great deal - seems everyone hereabouts is buying Tarpons and Prowlers, the Bimini was a $499 close-out. I'd have gladly paid retail, however, so the deal was done.

After spending an afternoon in it, the other write-up I've read are accurate ... a bit tippy at first but excellent secondary stability.

Tracks very straight yet is maneuverable, no problem with u-turns in the 30 foot canals around here.

Glide and speed is every bit as good as the Prowler, significantly better than the Tarpon 140. Less wind-sensitive too.

One outstanding feature, I imagine because of the V-hull design, is that it glides thru the hydrilla and duckweed nearly as well as open water. No kidding, you can hardly walk (wade) thru it, that stuff is difficult to navigate with my Otter Stealth (pontoon-hull kayak), impossible in my jonboat, but the Bimini literally glides right thru it. This is very important to retrieving downed birds and reason enough for any duck hunter or bass fisherman to own one.

Additionally, the stern hatch will comfortably accept my 28" barreled shotgun and dry-bag; while a dozen full-bodied decoys, shell/accessory box and my Mojo Duck lash securely to the decks via the convenient click-straps and bungees factory-mounted fore and aft.

I should also mention that their customer service is exceptional - my dumb questions were thoroughly researched and responded to promptly. Many accolades to Perception for this in this China-centric marketplace today.

Additionally, adding a rudder was a snap and the factory only charged me $100 for the kit.

5

Took my Bimini out today for…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 12/1/2004
Took my Bimini out today for the first time. I also have a Necky Looksha Sport, a touring type kayak that I started with. I love fishing and have been fishing out of the Looksha but it lacks the room for equipment. Went fishing over Easter on the Pere Marquette River in Michigan with a friend who had a sit on top and started looking for one when I got home. Went out on Lake Erie fishing today and had about a 2’ chop with some 3 footers thrown in a few times. Boat handled great, was very impressed with it. I have been kayaking for 3 years now. The Bimini took the waves well. I will want to get some scupper plugs for it though for calmer waters.

One thing I didn’t care for was the water that gathers in the seat well. I have researched a lot on sit on tops and knew this was something others have complained about. I have purchased through the hull drains that I am going to install. 2 in the seat and one thru the hull below the seat connected with plastic tubing. I hope that will solve the water in the seat problem. Other than that the kayak is fantastic. It paddles and handles as well as my Looksha.

I have a West Marine rod holder installed on the square plate on the front console. At first it felt to far away but after paddling, and getting used to the feel of the boat, I am comfortable with the location.

I have read everyone’s comments about their Biminis and found them to be very helpful in choosing mine. Thanks for all the info. Tight lines to all.

4

I like the bimini, and agree…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 8/11/2004
I like the bimini, and agree that it is a very good boat the only thing that I am disapointed with it is the hule... It is not very rigid at all... I don't think this is a problem while it is in the water but if you store it on the hule it is like an inter tube that is low on air..... it will shape to what ever it is resting on.... Other than that I am well pleased with the boat... I suggest that it be stored upside down or hang it by the handles on each end...
5

I love this kayak, just…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 7/29/2004
I love this kayak, just bought it, I am new and it is my second one, I have a tarpon 16'. I bought this one for my husband for fishing, as he is a tall fellow. I tried out the Bimini with a group also and thought it tracked excellent. Loved the rudder as we use the boat in the canals on Siesta Key. It is as straight as an arrow, easy to get in and out of, stable and a pleasure to use. We stay dry and there is a small glove box up front for your cell phone and other goodies. We got the fishing package which was great and ordered a fishing seat with rod holders also extra. We also bought a carbon paddle, as it seems to make a difference. I think this Kayak compares well with our other 16', even thou it is only 15'3" it tracks as well as our tarpon. I would definitely buy this one again. I also love the sit on tops as I tried to get into a regular sit in Kayak and my knee got stuck half way in and out. There is no comparison with the ease of entry in the sot's as we climb in from a dock, which is rough anyway. Very Happy....
4

I bought a Bimini about 3…

Submitted by: paddler230946 on 9/8/2003
I bought a Bimini about 3 months ago. I have only paddled a couple other boats (OK Scramber and OK Drifter) and it the first kayak I have owned. I was looking at a longer faster boat and had settled on either the WS Tarpon 16 or the Bimini. The Bimini was available in stock at a local dealer (who used to sell WS) and a Tarpon with rudder was about a 2 month wait. A review from someone (Alabama Flats) on another site who had paddled them both and decided on the Bimini helped convince me to take the plunge. My experience with other boats is limited, but I love the boat and would buy it again tomorrow.

The Bimini is a great boat that is well laid out for fishing. Comfortable for large paddlers (I’m 6-1 and about 215 lbs and have plenty of room) and handles a large load (rated at 450 lbs). Lots of tie down hooks, paddle bungees that work great, a big hatch in front , smaller hatch and square tank well in back, plus a small round dry storage hatch behind the seat (one of these on the console in front of the seat would have been great).

Rudder works great and makes maneuvering a little with a fishing rod in hand while drifting and casting easy. I love the rudder and find it frustrating trying to keep going straight without it (an indication of my paddling skills). Seems very fast (gets going quickly) and maneuverable for a big boat. Stable enough for me and I’m a novice. I have heard others say it has great secondary stability but less primary stability than other boats and I don’t have much to compare it to. I can sit sidesaddle while fiddling with gear in a tankwell milk crate and a homemade rodholder without much problem.

My biggest reservation was the weight, but I wanted a big fast boat and that seems to be the price you pay. Both the Tarpon and Bimini are over 60 lbs, so figuring out how to arrange transportation and storage in my garage without lifting more than 1 end of the boat at a time was key. Hanging storage in the garage with ratchet straps that my pickup fits under and a simple cart that can be stowed in the boat have that problem licked.

It seems much drier than the OK boats, except the footwells are very wet unless you use scupper plugs (hardware store 1-1/8 inch rubber stoppers (about $1 each work great). I fish inland reservoirs in North Georgia so boat wakes are bigger issues than waves or chop.

The little tackle box on the console is convenient location, but very wet. I sealed it somewhat and now it is much more functional. Material was 1.5-inch door threshold weather strip that came with a ¾-inch adhesive strip worked great. Cut off the hard plastic edge that ran the length of the strip. Clean and sand the inside perimeter of the box on the kayak. The sticky side of the strip sticks to the walls of the box so the soft weatherstrip side sticks up out of the box, so it fits inside the lid. The threshold strip was pretty stiff, so I “dry fit” a couple of times to get the strip into the corners as tight as possible before taking the protective cover off the adhesive strip. Then just worked around the box on the kayak. Goop around the outside to fill the start/finish corner, corner gaps, and the outside perimeter of the weatherstrip to the box/console surface of the yak. This is a not watertight seal with the top of the box, but it made a big difference in how dry the box area stays and almost doubles the side wall height of the box. Now it will fit a stack 2 of the little plastic tackle boxes (about 1”x4”x3”) with split shot, hooks, swivels, flies plus a handful of odds and ends.

Also, I have dropped one end of the boat (twice actually) on a concrete boat ramp while first figuring out how to get it on and off my small pickup. Amazing how durable these plastic boats are. A small scratch and no worse for the abuse (but I don't recommend this test).

I put a Pirannah 5 fishfinder on the center console about arms length from me and just beyond my paddle dripping range.