aluminun bows vs stainless steel bows
 

looking to put a bimini top on my boat. wont be going more tyhan 30mph with it up. is aluminum bows strong enough????...stainless is more than twice the price

Stainless will look better for longer and should be easier to keep clean I would think.

Depends on how big it is, how rough it will be handled, and if it will be in salt water.
Aluminum will be more flexible, but I've seen aluminum frames flex around in 60mph winds and are fine.
If it's a relatively small bimini, you wont have "dancres" or kids trying to hang from it, and you're in fresh water, aluminum would be fine.

I think aluminum bows would be fine at 30mph. What size bimini are u putting on your boat?

Had Aluminum with Nickle plated brass ends when moved to FL, then in Salt water corrosion started almost immediately, had to replace everything with SS. So, having paid big bucks for custom top in 2002 while in upstate NY, had to pay as much as original top to get all the hardware and bows in SS two years later.

I really wonder about the Aluminum T tops folks have and how they don't have them turning white, of course, I had two different metals in contact and it was at the joint that I had my biggest issues. Now all SS and no problems for 6 years. Plus, I have done up to 60 on the water into a 10 to 15 MPH head wind and it is still there. No straps, all SS braces. My top is 12 feet long. Covers from over the front seats all the way back to the back of the sun pad.

SS since you are in Florida.

Clear, high polish or satin anodized. TACO Metals.

+1 the brother in law has a 28' offshore center console. Always run in salt, and the top looks good after 8 years. It's high quality anodized aluminum. He's not exactly the wash it after every run type, either.

Pretty sure the good stuff is close to stainless cost, though-