Bimini Tops with Stanless Steel Frames Are Less Expensive Than You Think

Over the years we have listened to our customers and have brought out products that they want. We began with 1 fabric and 1 frame size. We have evolved into so much more. The most recent product we have been asked for is a high quality bimini top with a stainless steel frame. While our focus is always on quality we wanted to ensure we could offer a high quality bimini top with a stainless frame at a competitive price. What we have found out is there are a lot of opportunities for us to grow this new line given how expensive stainless frames with bimini tops seem to be.

We currently offer a small stainless frame and bimini top that is 6' long as well as one that is 7'6" long that are used widely on small fiberglass runabout boats. The frames we are being asked for are much bigger - typically 90" wide and 10' long. Given how big they are we realized that cutting the frame for shipping is not an option. We were not comfortable with the way the frame performed after re-assembly given its size. We decided to look into keeping the frames uncut to send them out. What kind of cost will this have on our end product? What we have found out is even with shipping these frames via RL Carriers and charging the 150.00 - 250.00 to get them to their destination we are still coming in at a less expensive price with far higher quality item than is currently available. We install the bimini on the frame, put the boot on, wrap it in plastic, and box it up. When you get it all you have to do is open the box, install the hardware on your boat and put the bimini on. No assembly is required. If you take into consideration the amount of time you need to assemble a frame, and put a dollar amount on what your time is worth, this really isn't very expensive at all.

We can build stainless frames - with stainless fittings and deck mounts - from 6' wide to 8'6" wide. We can build them with bimini tops that range from 7' long to 10' long. We utilize three different fabrics with 3 different warranties to stay attractive in several price points. The tops and frames we produce pull out tight and will really breath new life into any boat. The tubing we use is 7/8" 304 stainless. The same is true for the fittings, deck mounts, and fasteners we use. We typically build the frames with rear braces and font adjustable straps. All frames are 4 bows.

The bimini tops we build utilize zippered pockets to easily take the bimini on and off the frame if the need arises. We use YKK or Lenzip zippers. Each corner of our bimni top utilizes a button that snaps to the frame to keep the top centered and pulled tight. We run all of the edges of our bimini tops through a surging machine to lock in the edge of the fabric to prevent fraying. We then use a color coordinated edging all the way around the perimeter to give it a custom finished look. The storage boot is always included. We go the extra steps to ensure the bimini top we make for you is exactly the way you want it and will hold up under the rigors of being on the water and in the elements. Its important to us because we are boaters too. One of the main core competencies of our company is asking ourselves "would I want this on my boat"? I believe your answer to that question will be "yes". Give us a shot. You won't be disappointed.

www.northstarproductsinc.com

5 best pieces of advice that helped grow Northstar Products Inc.

The landscape was different in the fall of 2007.  The boating industry was living large and everyone seemed to be doing well.  The housing industry was going crazy and people were buying boats faster than they could be built.  Champagne was falling from the sky and everyone got lucky on a friday night.  Okay maybe it wasn't THAT great but times were pretty good.

Then it happened.  It stopped.  The country stopped.  The housing industry collapsed.  Financial institutions went belly up left and right.  So did boat dealers and boat builders.  It was in that time I began a company called Northstar Products Inc.  My mission was to provide a high quality bimini top for a pontoon boat at a fair price.  Simple game plan.  We went from an idea in 2007 to reality a few months later in January of 2008.  6 years later a lot has changed.  Some things though....the important things...have stayed the same.  

I received a lot of advice from a lot of people on what to do and how to run a successful online company that is selling a high dollar item sight unseen.  Here are the top 5 pieces of advice I took - and I'm glad I did.

5.  Fifth place.  You can't please everyone all of the time.  No matter how hard you try there are just some people out there that aren't happy unless they are miserable.  They will try to make you miserable too.  Do everything within reason to accomodate your customers.  Key words - within reason.  If you have a customer asking you to do something unreasonable chances are there is nothing you will be able to do to satisfy them.  Don't be unprofessional about it, just explain your reasons clearly and if it isn't good enough then congrats, you just ran into that customer you can't please.  Let it go.

4.  Fourth place - just out of medal contention - Don't compete on price.  You will lose.  There is always someone out there that can buy raw materials in larger quantities and cheaper.  They can produce cheaper and sell cheaper.  Identify the market you are after.  Try to go after different market segments within reason.  We developed a three tier system - entry level, mid level, high level bimini tops.  Our entry level top is no the cheapest out there.  It's not the most expensive either.  It doesn't make sense to sell a product you aren't making money on.  That is a great recipe to go out of business.  Know your expenses and price accordingly.  Make less on entry level items and more on high level items by adding value as well as price to upgrade your products.

3. Third place - the bronze medal -  Use quality parts/raw materials.  Don't skimp on this part.  I know companies that will buy second quality fabric and pass it off as first quality stuff.  It cheapens your product and your name.  Take the high road - it will pay off.  Cheap parts will only cause your phone to ring off the hook  with angry customers.  My goal is to spend my time on the phone taking orders, not explaining why the zippers just fell off the bimini top.  

2.  Second place - the runner up is....Every "problem" is a chance to excel.  Sometimes I feel the best feedback we get is from how we handle a problem or issue a customer has with one of our products.  We don't walk on water so mistakes happen.  Customers will have problems from time to time.  Perhaps the frame is scratched up, or there is missing hardware.  The top is the wrong color or the wrong size, or the wrong fabric.  What are you going to do to fix it?  Do whatever it takes.  Go beyond what the customer expects or asks for.  The extra effort and money you put into it will directly lead to more sales.  Your customer will be so impressed with how you handled the problem or error they will go out and tell all their friends or anyone they run into how you fixed the problem.  

1. First place.  The Gold medal - Service, Service, Service.   This is lacking big time all over.  Not just online but really everywhere you go.  From the bad service at seemingly every restaurant you go to all the way to the car dealership that you just have this bad feeling about.  Bad service is everywhere.  Not at Northstar Products though.  We believe in working just as hard to make sure our product goes on your boat the way you intended as we did to secure the sale.  We work hard to answer emails quickly and honestly.  If we can't make something for you we will let you know so we don't waste your time.  We will even give you an idea of where to go if we can't help.  I can't stress enough that our service is most responsible for our growth.  

There are a lot of places to buy bimini tops for boats out there.  Our service is second to none.  Come see for yourself.

Customer service and quality done right

I ordered a kids toy my daughter saw on a commercial while watching nickelodeon. It's Christmas and she's been good and it's only 20.00 so I jumped online and ordered it.  One less present to buy.   Check it off the list. Two days later I receive a phone call from the company thanking me for the order.  How nice, I think to myself as the person on the other end thanks me for my recent purchase.  If only the call stopped there.

They want to send me 100.00 in gas cards because of my purchase and sign me up for a savers program for just 1.00 for the first 14 days and then only 29.95 each month after.  (Insert sarcasm). "No thanks, just send my order" is my reply.  They assure me my order has been shipped but they need to verify my credit card for the savers program and free gas cards.  "No thanks" and I hang up.  

The next day another call comes in from the same company with the same request.  I tell them I don't have a credit card with me and that I've maxed it out anyways.  (Not entirely true, but close). They gave me a number to call them back when I can, to give them my credit card -which I won't do.  

What I thought was going to be a pleasant experience turned into a terrible one with that first phone call to thank me for the order.  If it had stopped there - with a thank you - I would have ordered another set for my niece but since it is only a front for some other savings program I decided against it.

Being in a business that manufactures and sells products to consumers, I am always anxious to see how other companies handle customer service.  This particular companies treatment of their customer - me - actually cost them a sale.  

At Northstar Products we try to create a relationship with our customers that emulate the relationship you have with a family member or close friend.  We are happy to answer your questions about our products or refer you to another company if we can't help you out.  We want a company to do that for us as consumers as well.  We treat our customers and potential customers the way we would want to be treated.  

There are a lot of places to buy canvas for your boat, especially with the internet involved.  You can buy from anyone, but not everyone will go the extra lengths we are willing to go.

Give us a call.  Let's talk about what you need and what you don't need.  Let's put a good looking piece of canvas on your boat for a good price.  Let's turn some heads on the water and keep some money in your wallet.

Only 94 days till spring!

Who Makes the Best Boat Top?

Working in this industry I see a lot of sites and blogs that like to compare products and spotlight different products. While most are worth reading it is rare to find any comparisons on what allows us to stay on the water in the hot blistering sun - the bimini top. Without the bimini top keeping us out of the sun, our time on the water will be cut short due to blistering sun burns, dehydration, and perhaps death. OK maybe not death, at least not right away.

Boat builders they are the first to say they need to offer bimini tops with their boats, but they end up putting the cheapest thing on it they can find just to say they offer it. Not all of them do it but a significant amount do. Boat manufacturers pour money into research and development to offer new amenities and new ways to make their boat look good and be comfortable on the inside. Guess what? No one can see the inside of your boat from across the lake. What they can see is you put a shabby looking top that is worth about 150.00 on a 50,000.00 pontoon boat. If you are willing to do that most won't believe you are willing to put a lot of money anywhere else on your boat.

As a consumer you continue to scan the horizon looking for something better. Without a doubt the bimini top is the first thing most see out on the water on any given day. Poorly made bimini tops tend to lead people to believe the boat may not be all that well made either. A well built bimini top will compliment the boat which in turn will cause people to search you out on the water to compliment you, your boat, and your bimini top. They may even ask where you got it. Chances are you didn't buy it with the boat - chances are you bought it from us.

We take exceptional pride in our work, our workforce, and ulitmately our products. Regardless of whether it is our bimini tops, or our grill covers, we take the extra steps to ensure your satisfaction with your purchase. I wish I had a nickel for every time a customer has recommended us to a friend or family member. Even better I wish I had a dime for every recommended customer that has told me they saw our bimini top on a boat on the lake and asked that boat owner where they got such a great looking top. Then I tell them how reasonable the prices are -- mind blown. Yup add up all those dimes and nickles and I'd be writing this from a cabana in Key West.



Who makes the best bimini tops? We do. Come find out why.

www.northstarproductsinc.com

Bimini tops - make it a double!

Boating, especially pontoon boating is nothing like it was 15 years ago.  I look around at what so many manufacturers are doing and am amazed at some of the ideas.  Wakeboard towers, LED lighting, snap in carpet, unique floor plans, and the list goes on and on.

I'm a simple man though.  I like simple things.  For me as long as I'm on the water, it matters very little if I have a backward facing seat, or chaise lounge, or LED lighting.  No, it doesn't really matter at all.  What does matter to me is being comfortable on that 8' wide 22' long floating oasis.  I don't need to feel like I'm sitting in a lazy boy chair, I just need some shade from that hot ball in the sky.  As long as I have a cold beer and some shade I'm one happy guy.  Put a fishing pole in my hand and now I'm about as close to heaven on earth as I can get.

I can tell you from experience no one is going to remember how comfortable your pontoon boat furniture is, if you have satellite radio, or if your LED lights work if they are miserable on your boat because they couldn't get out of the sun.  Congratulations, you made your guests feel like a bratwurst on a grill.  They won't soon forget how miserable they were.  

If you had a double Bimini on your vessel your guests would have walked away happy, happy, happy.  If you had a double Bimini top made by Northstar Products not only would your guests walk away happy, you'd be happy, happy, happy too because of the number of heads that would turn when others see how amazing your boat looks.  Let's be honest, we all like getting attention on the water.  Not many boaters will know if your boat has snap in carpet or has the newest furniture but they will most definitely notice that beautiful double Bimini top and hear the good times coming from your guests because they are comfortable in the shade.

A piece of advice...if you don't have a double Bimini top, get one.  Even if you have to scrap the top you have now.  Do it.  It is a small price to pay for the comfort of your guests.  I mean it really is a small price.  We have really low prices on double Bimini tops.  Chances are we have one for you.  Check us out.

www.northstarproductsinc.com

High Quality Bimini Tops At A Low Price

We have been making bimini tops for the boating industry for over 35 years.  From the way we manufacture our bimini tops to the way we run our business we are not your typical manufacturer. 

For many years now we have been supplying boat manufacturers with the very best bimini tops available.  We are not the largest out there but we are by far the best.  When the economy took a dive in 2008 we knew we had to get creative to stay afloat.  We have known for years that the choices out there for a boat owner to buy a new bimini top was limited.  The ones that were out there were very similar to each other in price and quality.  High price sub par to poor quality.  But they could get away with it because no one else was making them on a large scale…in essence there was no real competition.  There was no real reason to improve on price or quality.  There is a reason now.  That reason is Northstar Bimini Tops.

As the manufacturer we save our customers hundreds of dollars on a bimini top.  We are not a distributor.  We do not buy our bimini tops and then resell them.  We design them in house.  We manufacture them in house.  Our customers get the highest level of quality and service available.  We have been slowly growing and are beginning to make ourselves known. 

The toughest obstacle we have to overcome is being noticed online when someone does a web search for bimini tops.  So often when you search online for anything you typically stop after the first page or two of search results.  I did the same thing.  I don’t anymore.  I search out the best deal.  Not just the lowest price.  In this world of online purchasing there is no relationship anymore between the buyer and seller.  We try to create one online.  We are available for questions at any time.  We want to make sure you are comfortable with your purchase.  We want you to feel confident what you are buying will fit your boat.  We work one on one with you when what you need is not just a stock bimini off the shelf.  When you need an alternative way to mount it, or a different height or width.  Perhaps you want to install your bimini on a sailboat and have the backstay pass through the bimini top.  We can help.  We will work with you to make it happen.  No extra charge on most special requests. 

We are growing our business the old fashioned way…by providing an outstanding product at an outstanding price.  We want to grow because of word of mouth not because we paid a bunch of money to get on the first page or two of an internet search.  We not only want to earn your business we want you to be so happy you will tell your boating neighbors and friends about us. 

We are here for you.  We are ready to help. 

Northstar Bimini tops…Leading the way in quality and service. 

Stainless Steel Frames–Knockdown Style

The market is flooded with bimini tops for your fiberglass runabout boat.  There are seemingly hundreds of sites online to buy a replacement bimini top and frame.  I’ve noticed that virtually all of the framework for those bimini tops are made with 7/8” round aluminum.  I’ve seen plenty that reinforce the main bow with 3/4” tubing to keep it strong.  They are decked out in stainless steel hardware as well.  The frames are cut down and then put into a box for you to reassemble when you get it.  Putting the frame back together is pretty easy and though it is not very sturdy you realize it will do the job.  It may not be exactly what you want but it will work.  You may have had the option to get the frame in stainless steel but realize that there is no way the frame will be strong enough or simple enough to put back together.  After all, once you cut stainless…forget it…the strength and integrity of the frame is shot.  If only there was  a way to knock the stainless frame down and have it strong once it is reassembled.  I think you know where this is going…Our stainless frame does just that. 

We cut our frames down in a much different place than where others do.  We make sure that the entire crown of the frame is in one piece.  The crown is the part of the frame that spans the width of the boat.  Most frames are cut down in the crown.  Ours are not.  We make sure the crown is intact which is what gives the frame its strength.  We cut it down in such a way you will barely notice where it is cut after it is put back together.  I know what you are thinking…this thing must be a pain to put together…nothing could be further from the truth.  Actually the only tools you will need are your fingers.  No tools required.  We have developed this system for our frames so that they are easy assembled and you will not have to worry about screws coming loose.

 

There is no wobble to our frames.  They are strong and they are rigid.  We have the answer for all of you that want a stainless steel frame for your boat but don’t want to pay hundreds in shipping.  If you are not completely satisfied with this frame or bimini top we will not only refund your money we will pick up the freight charges to ship it back to us.  We work hard to make sure you are satisfied before and after the sale.  Check us out at www.northstarproductsinc.com

Sunbrella Bimini Tops Versus The Rest.

Sunbrella is a name in the marine industry synonymous with quality. You want the best? You go with Sunbrella. In fact many believe it IS a type of material. Actually Sunbrella is the NAME of a type of fabric called solution dyed acrylic. There are many different types of fabrics in the marine industry. Some of the more popular are of course solution dyed acrylics but there are also polyesters and solution dyed polyesters. The price ranges are all over the map as well. By nature solution dyed polyesters are actually initially stronger than solution dyed polyesters such as Sunbrella.

For instance some solution dyed polyesters are stronger than solution dyed acrylics in the first few years of its life. After that though you will begin to see the suns damaging effects faster on all other materials except for solution dyed acrylics - Sunbrella leading the way in UV resistance. Over the long haul Sunbrella will keep its color and strength longer than the rest. There are quite a few brand names in solution dyed acrylics but none warrant their product the way Glen Raven Mills warrants Sunbrella.

There is a lot of information out there and a lot of materials out there claiming to be better than Sunbrella. Of all of the materials available Sunbrella is the only one that offers a 10 year warranty. Like I stated earlier there are indeed materials that may be stronger than Sunbrella initially, but over time Sunbrella is the real winner and so will you be if you choose it for your bimini top. There is a slight downside to Sunbrella and if you are at all familiar with the material you already know what it is. The price. Sunbrella is a pretty expensive material and it is not for everyone because of that reason. There are a lot of materials out there to choose from at different price points and you should always check out all of your options before making a purchase or choosing a material.

I'll tell you one thing though, it is great piece of mind knowing that for the next 10 years you don't have to worry about your fabric fading or deteriorating. If it does you have Glen Raven Mills standing behind their product. Sometimes that is enough to convince people Sunbrella is worth the extra money.

We manufacture bimini tops for boats and have been doing it for over 35 years. We have used a lot of materials in those years. One has been constant...you guessed it...Sunbrella. A lot of materials have come and gone from our line up but there is one that has never faded away...Sunbrella. We offer Sunbrella and a few other materials we are proud to offer as well. Check us out for the best prices around.

Now Is The Time.

Finding a great company can be difficult.  By a great company I mean one that offers a great product or service at a great price.  It shouldn’t stop there though.  A great company has the industry expertise to back up what it provides.  Having a great product is great, and expertise in the industry is better but having true quality customer service is even better.

Being able to call any company anymore to speak with a real live person is becoming more and more difficult.  As a society we are beginning to loose our ability to communicate with each other unless we are behind a keyboard.  Reading about the attributes of a product or what a company can do from behind a keyboard is one thing but speaking with a person is another entirely.  If you speak with someone you can tell how excited he/she is about the product.  The enthusiasm you can pick up on through their voice can make you feel much better about your decision.

There are millions of products for sale online.  What really separates them?  Each claims they are the best.  Each claims superb service, try calling the company.  See how willing someone is to speak with you.  How fast do they return your calls if you do get voicemail?  Hell, how fast do they return an email?  Back not so many years ago there were sales persons that sold products…not websites.  Those sales people are still out there.  You can still find them.  A great company has both.  They have sales people as well as a website to back up their products.  

Can you imagine a company that sells the products it makes, made in the USA, at low prices, backed by actual people you can talk to?  A company that will take the time to listen to you the customer not just push a product onto you.  How about a company that will make a product according to what you want and not charge you an arm and a leg for “custom” work?  Think that company doesn’t exist?  Think again…think Northstar Products Inc. 

Pontoon Bimini Top Frames – make the old new again.

So here we are ending another boating season.  This is the time of the year we begin thinking about pulling the boat out, getting it winterized, and start thinking about the next boating season!  It is time to stand back and take a good look at the pontoon boat to see what you want to replace or repair for the next boating season. 

The framework for your bimini top can really take a beating over the season.  Your passengers use it as a handrail to get in and out of your pontoon at the dock and they hold onto it to keep from falling out of the boat as you decide to jump that 3’ rolling wave!  Drinks are spilled and fish are flopped against it.  Your pontoon frame has indeed seen better days.  You really don’t want to buy an whole new frame though.  The only thing you really don’t like about it are the fittings that put it together are all vinyl.  You would really like to have the metal fittings.  Not necessarily stainless but at least the aluminum kind that match the frame and will give pontoon bimini framework a bit more rigidity. 

Replacing your pontoon bimini framework hardware will only take a couple of hours on a rainy (or snowy) winters day.  The first thing you need to do is check out www.northstarproductsinc.com to buy the fittings you need.  Then, when they come in, take your frame apart and replace the fittings.  It may take a little bit of your time to adjust them to get them in the correct location on your frame but the money you will save from not buying a whole new frame will be well worth the time.  Not to mention the money you will save by buying the parts at www.northstarproductsinc.com. 

So now that the fittings are replaced you want to know what works best to buff out your framework to make the actual metal look like new again.  We find that using a stainless steal polish works best even on a satin anodized aluminum.  Rubbing compound works as well but you have to put in a bit more effort with it.  Once you have replaced your fittings and buffed out your frame with some polish and a terry cloth towel, the only thing left to do is wait for the ice and snow to melt and get your pontoon back in the water where it belongs!

spring is in the air

Well spring is officially here, more importantly the weather is starting to reflect that as well. It's time to uncover the pontoon and see what old man winter has done to your boat. Time to dust it off and get it ready for the water. Let's get the seats cleaned and treated, dust off the dashboard, and open up that bimini top. With any luck no wild animal has decided to make a home in your bimini top or even worse think it makes a good dinner. More than one bimini top has been on the plate of a squirrel or mouse! The frame is in good shape but it is time for a new bimini fabric.

It is important to consider what is right for you. Perhaps all you need is something to keep the rain and sun off of your head. You aren't too concerened with keeping up with the Jones' next door so the sunbrella bimini may be out of the question. Consider a polyester such as odyssey III or even Weathermax 80 - a solution dyed polyester. These are great alternatives to the Sunbrella and Outdura solution dyed acrylic. Check out our selection or give us a call. All of our products are made right here in the USA. Let us earn your business. www.northstarproductsinc.com

New Canvas Tops Can Make Your Old Boat Look New Again.

So your boat may be looking a little, well, lets say tired. You were planning to buy a new boat this year but with the economy still on the mend and not quite back to where you are comfortable you are going to have to keep it. This is the perfect time to make some inexpensive investments into the boat and get it looking like new again. New furniture may be too expensive, new carpet may be too much work. Think about a new bimini top and frame. They are easy to put up and if made correctly will really set your boat off right. You can pick up a new one with a frame for a great price at www.northstarproductsinc.com. You simply need to measure how wide your boat is at the point you want to install it, then figure out how long you want it. That is it. You can make your boat look new again for as little as 306.09. Check them out and also look for other accessories to spruce up the old boat. You will be glad you did.

Quality doesn't have to cost you an arm and leg

The culture of business these days seem to be the best stuff costs the most. You can always find those seemingly amazing deals on ebay or amazon or other sites of that sort that you can buy something that is 50% off or more. It feels good to find those kinds of deals. You can spend hours online searching for the best deal on a television, airfare, hotel, or that hot new toy. You search day after day, site after site looking and waiting for that item to go on sale or to uncover a site that has it on special. Then you find it and it seems to good to be true. You quickly put it in your "shopping cart" and smile knowing you got a great deal on a great product.

No one seems to value their time anymore. It's amazing to me. The company you work for surely puts a value to your time. In most cases I'm sure what you believe your time at work is worth is much more than what you are getting paid. I have news for you... your time is worth even more outside of work. So why not put a price tag on it? Add up all that time you spend searching for that sale on that high quality item you really need or want. You may be surprised to see how much - even on sale - that you are actually paying for that item.

I search the web all the time for bimini tops, boat tops, pontoon bimini tops, etc. I find all kinds of sites that claim to offer the lowest prices online. They say they will match the price if you find it cheaper online. Next time you are looking for an 8x8 bimini top with a four bow frame made with sunbrella and you happen upon one of these sites that will "beat all deals online" send them to www.northstarproductsinc.com. That's my website. That's my company. In fact if you check it out you may not want to waste any more of your time (money) to even contact them. You will find not only great prices on bimini tops, you will find great prices on double bimini tops and all the hardware that you may need as well.

Great prices and quality is what we are all about. We manufacture our products with pride right here in the U.S.A. We use american made fabric such as Sunbrella, Outdura, Aqualon, and Odyssey III. More importantly we use an american labor force. Folks living right here and working hard to provide a quality product at a low price. We know what our "competition" sells their products for and we could easily have priced ours simply 50.00 or so under theirs. That is not what we are about. We simply input the price of our materials, labor, and overhead into a bill of material. We put a little in our pocket so we can grow our business and put food on our table. That's it. Simple. We are proving that you don't have to pay an arm and a leg to get a high quality american made product.

Boat tops

Looking around the marine industry and all of its aftermarket products, there is really only one product that can give an older boat a new look for really next to nothing. A bimini top. When made correctly a bimini top can really set your boat off right. The opposite can happen as well. A poorly made bimini top can make your boat an embarrasement on the water. What is even more embarrasing is over paying for a sub par bimini top. The problem in the aftermarket industry right now is that the consumer has only had a few options for ANY bimini top.

When searching for bimini tops online you are bombarded with websites. Most of those websites are selling a limited number of brands. Take a close look at who actually makes the bimini tops. Most of the websites are merely distributors of a select brand. There are few that actually make the bimini tops AND frames themselves. Make sure you check out the warranty as well. The material the bimini top is made of will carry a warranty offered by the material producer such as Glen Raven Mills for Sunbrella. They carry a 10 year warranty. What about the craftsmanship though? Some offer a few years, some more. It seems there are companies out there even charging you for an extended warranty. Seems kinda crazy to me. The main cost of a bimini top is the material and that is already covered. The rest of the bimini top is thread, binding (edging), zippers, and maybe some buttons. Bottom line these are all very inexpensive items. Why not cover them without additional cost? Northstar covers there craftsmanship for as long as you own it.

You may have a difficult time finding them online right now : www.northstarproductsinc.com. You will soon find the prices are very low when you compare them to others. We ARE the manufacturer and designer of BOTH the bimini and the frame. There is NO middleman. You will find not only the best looking bimini tops on the market at the best price with an outstanding warranty, but also something that is becoming extinct...service after the sale. These are American made products at a price that we believe is unbeatable. Oh, one more thing, when you refer a friend to us and they buy a bimini top from us we will send you a check for 25.00. The more you refer the more checks you get. Just make sure your friend tells us you sent them.

We encourage you to look around and compare our bimini tops with others. Check out their warranties. Check out the way the sew the bimini top together. You may be surprised to know that most websites that sell bimini tops have no idea how they are sewn together. The reason being they didn't sew them together. If you do get an answer you will find they are put together with a single lockstitch machine. That means ONE stitch is holding the top together. Ours are put together with two and three lockstitches. The advantage is so the top doesn't fall apart in about 2 years. Look we don't want to replace your bimini top every two years. We look at your bimini top as an investment, just like you do. Invest in our company and you will be glad you did.