Need some help stabilizing a bimini top
 

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

"HK" wrote in message
...
Eisboch wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
. ..
Wayne.B wrote:
On Tue, 14 Aug 2007 14:42:57 -0400, HK wrote:

This sort of bimini doesn't wobble because it is properly supported.

http://tinyurl.com/3bqs5d
For fishing a center console I still prefer a large T-top. What's the
point if you can't walk a fish around the boat?

Yes, indeed, that's something I've had to do twice in 50+ years of
sal****er fishing, and its at the top of the list of techniques on 54'
Bertrams, too.

I don't like tee-tops. Never have. First, they're always there, even
when you don't want them there, second, they're a constant windage
problem on the water, third, they act like drogues when you're
trailering, fourth, they're a pain in the ass when you're trying to put
on a full boat cover, fifth, they increase rocking motion on smaller
boats, and so forth and so on.


Check this out:

http://www.bimiteetop.com/

Eisboch



Interesting idea, but I wonder if it is rigid enough for a tee-top. Those
tubes look pretty thin.

Check out the first two photos on this page ... Shows the bimiteetop
installed on your boat.(Click to enlarge)...

Eisboch


Forgot the link ...

http://www.bimiteetop.com/photos.html#


Eisboch

Need some help stabilizing a bimini top
 

Eisboch wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...

Eisboch wrote:
Check this out:

http://www.bimiteetop.com/

Eisboch


Interesting idea, but I wonder if it is rigid enough for a tee-top. Those
tubes look pretty thin.

The write-up claims that unlike a regular bimini, the tee-top can be left up
for high speed running (tested to 68 mph). Downside is you can't stand on
it (comparing it to a hard top).
Tubing is available in either aluminum or stainless.

Eisboch




As I said, it is an interesting idea...but not one that interests me.
My new boat has a 6' long perfectly flat deck forward of the center
console for flyfishing, which is all the room I need. No need to "walk
around the boat" chasing a bonefish, because, well, we don't have any
bonefish up here. If I want to liveline or troll or bottom fish, I can
do that from the stern without having to "walk" a fish around the boat.
It's not a technique that occurs around here that often. Most fish can
be controlled from the stern and released near the stern. If I feel like
sightfishing or casting, I can do that from the front of the boat.

The bimini is there simply to fend off the sun on those really hot sunny
days when we're drift fishing or anchored. Most of the time it will be
folded flat, out of the way.

Like you and a couple of others here, I've had a lot of experience in
boats and with a wide variety of boats. What I want in a small fishing
boat has evolved over these many years. This time around, I wanted a
smallish but deep vee center console, high quality but minimalist in
features (stuff I don't need that requires maintenance). There are a
kazillion boat dealers within 50 miles of where I am right now, so my
choices were virtually unlimited. I picked the boat I did for a lot of
reasons, all based upon what *I* wanted, as opposed to what to what some
boat manufacturers think I need or, ever sillier, what some of the
landlocked "boaters" here read somewhere.

Oh...I cut a 2-1/4" hole in a non-structural part of my Parker to
install an accessory. The circle I cut out is 7/16" thick, and consists
of gelcoat and layer after layer of glass cloth and resin. No filler, no
balsa, no foam, no crap. Gelcoat on the outside where you can see it,
and on the inside, where you can't see it unless you cut a hole.

Need some help stabilizing a bimini top
 

Eisboch wrote:
"Eisboch" wrote in message
...
"HK" wrote in message
...
Eisboch wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
. ..
Wayne.B wrote:
On Tue, 14 Aug 2007 14:42:57 -0400, HK wrote:

This sort of bimini doesn't wobble because it is properly supported.

http://tinyurl.com/3bqs5d
For fishing a center console I still prefer a large T-top. What's the
point if you can't walk a fish around the boat?
Yes, indeed, that's something I've had to do twice in 50+ years of
sal****er fishing, and its at the top of the list of techniques on 54'
Bertrams, too.

I don't like tee-tops. Never have. First, they're always there, even
when you don't want them there, second, they're a constant windage
problem on the water, third, they act like drogues when you're
trailering, fourth, they're a pain in the ass when you're trying to put
on a full boat cover, fifth, they increase rocking motion on smaller
boats, and so forth and so on.

Check this out:

http://www.bimiteetop.com/

Eisboch


Interesting idea, but I wonder if it is rigid enough for a tee-top. Those
tubes look pretty thin.
Check out the first two photos on this page ... Shows the bimiteetop
installed on your boat.(Click to enlarge)...

Eisboch


Forgot the link ...

http://www.bimiteetop.com/photos.html#


Eisboch




I like the Norwegian fishing boat at the bottom center. Great lines.

Need some help stabilizing a bimini top
 

"HK" wrote in message
...
Eisboch wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...

Eisboch wrote:
Check this out:

http://www.bimiteetop.com/

Eisboch


Interesting idea, but I wonder if it is rigid enough for a tee-top.
Those tubes look pretty thin.

The write-up claims that unlike a regular bimini, the tee-top can be left
up for high speed running (tested to 68 mph). Downside is you can't
stand on it (comparing it to a hard top).
Tubing is available in either aluminum or stainless.

Eisboch


As I said, it is an interesting idea...but not one that interests me.
My new boat has a 6' long perfectly flat deck forward of the center
console for flyfishing, which is all the room I need. No need to "walk
around the boat" chasing a bonefish, because, well, we don't have any
bonefish up here. If I want to liveline or troll or bottom fish, I can do
that from the stern without having to "walk" a fish around the boat. It's
not a technique that occurs around here that often. Most fish can be
controlled from the stern and released near the stern. If I feel like
sightfishing or casting, I can do that from the front of the boat.

The bimini is there simply to fend off the sun on those really hot sunny
days when we're drift fishing or anchored. Most of the time it will be
folded flat, out of the way.

Like you and a couple of others here, I've had a lot of experience in
boats and with a wide variety of boats. What I want in a small fishing
boat has evolved over these many years. This time around, I wanted a
smallish but deep vee center console, high quality but minimalist in
features (stuff I don't need that requires maintenance). There are a
kazillion boat dealers within 50 miles of where I am right now, so my
choices were virtually unlimited. I picked the boat I did for a lot of
reasons, all based upon what *I* wanted, as opposed to what to what some
boat manufacturers think I need or, ever sillier, what some of the
landlocked "boaters" here read somewhere.

Oh...I cut a 2-1/4" hole in a non-structural part of my Parker to install
an accessory. The circle I cut out is 7/16" thick, and consists of gelcoat
and layer after layer of glass cloth and resin. No filler, no balsa, no
foam, no crap. Gelcoat on the outside where you can see it, and on the
inside, where you can't see it unless you cut a hole.




I hear you, and a Parker is indeed a well built boat. I just wasn't sure if
you were aware of other options for the bimini.

BTW though ... I may be wrong, but if your intention is to use the forward
section of the boat for fly-fishing ... isn't the bimini installed
backwards? Seems to me it should fold up aft, rather than forward, leaving
the area forward of the console clear. The way the braces are set up in
your installation, I think it's designed to fold forward. Just a thought.

Eisboch

Need some help stabilizing a bimini top
 

Eisboch wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...
Eisboch wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...

Eisboch wrote:
Check this out:

http://www.bimiteetop.com/

Eisboch

Interesting idea, but I wonder if it is rigid enough for a tee-top.
Those tubes look pretty thin.
The write-up claims that unlike a regular bimini, the tee-top can be left
up for high speed running (tested to 68 mph). Downside is you can't
stand on it (comparing it to a hard top).
Tubing is available in either aluminum or stainless.

Eisboch

As I said, it is an interesting idea...but not one that interests me.
My new boat has a 6' long perfectly flat deck forward of the center
console for flyfishing, which is all the room I need. No need to "walk
around the boat" chasing a bonefish, because, well, we don't have any
bonefish up here. If I want to liveline or troll or bottom fish, I can do
that from the stern without having to "walk" a fish around the boat. It's
not a technique that occurs around here that often. Most fish can be
controlled from the stern and released near the stern. If I feel like
sightfishing or casting, I can do that from the front of the boat.

The bimini is there simply to fend off the sun on those really hot sunny
days when we're drift fishing or anchored. Most of the time it will be
folded flat, out of the way.

Like you and a couple of others here, I've had a lot of experience in
boats and with a wide variety of boats. What I want in a small fishing
boat has evolved over these many years. This time around, I wanted a
smallish but deep vee center console, high quality but minimalist in
features (stuff I don't need that requires maintenance). There are a
kazillion boat dealers within 50 miles of where I am right now, so my
choices were virtually unlimited. I picked the boat I did for a lot of
reasons, all based upon what *I* wanted, as opposed to what to what some
boat manufacturers think I need or, ever sillier, what some of the
landlocked "boaters" here read somewhere.

Oh...I cut a 2-1/4" hole in a non-structural part of my Parker to install
an accessory. The circle I cut out is 7/16" thick, and consists of gelcoat
and layer after layer of glass cloth and resin. No filler, no balsa, no
foam, no crap. Gelcoat on the outside where you can see it, and on the
inside, where you can't see it unless you cut a hole.




I hear you, and a Parker is indeed a well built boat. I just wasn't sure if
you were aware of other options for the bimini.

BTW though ... I may be wrong, but if your intention is to use the forward
section of the boat for fly-fishing ... isn't the bimini installed
backwards? Seems to me it should fold up aft, rather than forward, leaving
the area forward of the console clear. The way the braces are set up in
your installation, I think it's designed to fold forward. Just a thought.

Eisboch



It folds flat and rests on the small forward deck. It has a cover. It
won't be in my way; I went flyfishing a few weeks ago with a fellow who
has the same set up.

Need some help stabilizing a bimini top
 

On Wed, 15 Aug 2007 06:22:08 -0400, HK wrote:

But I'm sure they have a lot of appeal to the floating Winnebago crowd.

That's just my summer job. :-)

Need some help stabilizing a bimini top
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Wed, 15 Aug 2007 06:22:08 -0400, HK wrote:

But I'm sure they have a lot of appeal to the floating Winnebago crowd.

That's just my summer job. :-)


Just so you know I am consistent, I have no use for wheel-based RV
condos, either.

Need some help stabilizing a bimini top
 

On Wed, 15 Aug 2007 19:28:33 -0400, HK wrote:

Just so you know I am consistent, I have no use for wheel-based RV
condos, either.

Well, we sort of agree on that one. Conceptually I can see the
potential appeal, but the reality looks quite different, at least in
south Florida. Almost all of the RV parks that I see are so jammed
that they look like parking lots, very unappealing for the most part.
There are a few exceptions but not that many.

The difference between rolling and floating is that the "wheel RVs"
are highly restricted in where they can park. Not true on a
liveaboard boat although there are those who would like fewer
anchorages.

Need some help stabilizing a bimini top
 

"rbstern" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello rec.boaters. Hope all is well and everyone is having a good
season.

Bought a Larson 22' bowrider earlier this year and had a very
enjoyable summer of cruising and water sports with family and
friends. Couple of small warranty issues, but overall she proved to
be solid and I am pleased with the boat.

However, there is one thing about the boat that is driving me nuts.
The bimini top: How it is attached to the boat, how much it flexes the
windshield at the attach points, and how much noise it makes because
of the flexing.

During any kind of chop, the bimini oscillates port and starboard, and
causes the windshield sides to flex very noticably. It's flexing
enough that I am concerned about gelcoat damage at the windshield/hull
attach points.

The bimini is a typical stainless tube structure. The base fixtures
are well attached to the gunnel (aft) and windshield frame (forward).

Here's a stock photo, and I've added a crude wireframe diagram to show
where the bimini attaches:

http://www.zjstech.net/larson/larsonbim1.gif

When deployed, two straps attach to anchor points at the corners of
the windshield.

Here's another stock photo showing the detail just inside the
windshield. The gunnel is several inches wide. The green lines
represent what I think is a logical place to put some type of support
post. I think it would look bad, breaking up the clean lines of the
gunnel, but I am at a loss for what else to do.

http://www.zjstech.net/larson/larsonbim2.gif

Getting rid of the bimini is not an option. Too much 12 o'clock sun
here in the south.

Suggestions appreciated.


Good thread!

I have been shopping for a bimini for my 19 footer. I have mount points in
the same position as you do on the windshield. I have two options -
windshield mount or using longer tubes and mounting it directly to the boat.

I do not know which would be the best way to attach the bimini. The problem
that I have is that to mount it outside of the windshield, the ledge is less
than an inch wide horizontally.

Question - what does the actual mount for bimini look like? How wide are
the actual mounts? Can they be mounted in off positions, such as on a 45
degree angle on the outside of the boat?

Need some help stabilizing a bimini top
 

On Aug 20, 3:55 pm, "john" wrote:
"rbstern" wrote in message

ups.com...





Hello rec.boaters. Hope all is well and everyone is having a good
season.

Bought a Larson 22' bowrider earlier this year and had a very
enjoyable summer of cruising and water sports with family and
friends. Couple of small warranty issues, but overall she proved to
be solid and I am pleased with the boat.

However, there is one thing about the boat that is driving me nuts.
Thebiminitop: How it is attached to the boat, how much it flexes the
windshield at the attach points, and how much noise it makes because
of the flexing.

During any kind of chop, thebiminioscillates port and starboard, and
causes the windshield sides to flex very noticably. It's flexing
enough that I am concerned about gelcoat damage at the windshield/hull
attach points.

Thebiminiis a typical stainless tube structure. The base fixtures
are well attached to the gunnel (aft) and windshield frame (forward).

Here's a stock photo, and I've added a crude wireframe diagram to show
where thebiminiattaches:

http://www.zjstech.net/larson/larsonbim1.gif

When deployed, two straps attach to anchor points at the corners of
the windshield.

Here's another stock photo showing the detail just inside the
windshield. The gunnel is several inches wide. The green lines
represent what I think is a logical place to put some type of support
post. I think it would look bad, breaking up the clean lines of the
gunnel, but I am at a loss for what else to do.

http://www.zjstech.net/larson/larsonbim2.gif

Getting rid of thebiminiis not an option. Too much 12 o'clock sun
here in the south.

Suggestions appreciated.

Good thread!

I have been shopping for abiminifor my 19 footer. I have mount points in
the same position as you do on the windshield. I have two options -
windshield mount or using longer tubes and mounting it directly to the boat.

I do not know which would be the best way to attach thebimini. The problem
that I have is that to mount it outside of the windshield, the ledge is less
than an inch wide horizontally.

Question - what does the actual mount forbiminilook like? How wide are
the actual mounts? Can they be mounted in off positions, such as on a 45
degree angle on the outside of the boat?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

If you are still looking for a Bimini top, that's my specialty. Visit
our site http://www.BiminiTops.biz or www.BiminiTops.biz or give me a
call 1-888-458-BOAT I can look it up for you.