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.

Bottom of page:
http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth/bimtop6.html
JR

rbstern wrote:

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.



--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth

"JR North" wrote in message
.. .
Bottom of page:
http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth/bimtop6.html
JR


Not relevant as I am sure he does not have a radar arch on his 22 foot
bowrider.

On Mon, 13 Aug 2007 19:50:39 -0400, "JimH" ask wrote:


"JR North" wrote in message
. ..
Bottom of page:
http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth/bimtop6.html
JR


Not relevant as I am sure he does not have a radar arch on his 22 foot
bowrider.

Why not relevant? The lateral brace doesn't care about the arch.
Probably doesn't even know it exists.

--Vic

"Vic Smith" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 13 Aug 2007 19:50:39 -0400, "JimH" ask wrote:


"JR North" wrote in message
...
Bottom of page:
http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth/bimtop6.html
JR


Not relevant as I am sure he does not have a radar arch on his 22 foot
bowrider.

Why not relevant? The lateral brace doesn't care about the arch.
Probably doesn't even know it exists.

--Vic

Your frame is partially attached to the radar arch. The arch also prevents
significant sway of the frame. ;-)

The Arch does nothing to prevent sway, except get in the way. The
attachments of the frame to the Arch do not affect it's stability, pro
or con. Vic is right.
JR

JimH wrote:
"Vic Smith" wrote in message
...

On Mon, 13 Aug 2007 19:50:39 -0400, "JimH" ask wrote:


"JR North" wrote in message
m...

Bottom of page:
http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth/bimtop6.html
JR


Not relevant as I am sure he does not have a radar arch on his 22 foot
bowrider.


Why not relevant? The lateral brace doesn't care about the arch.
Probably doesn't even know it exists.

--Vic


Your frame is partially attached to the radar arch. The arch also prevents
significant sway of the frame. ;-)




--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth

JR, since you built your own bimini frame, how did you get the width
correct when bending the tubing?
If I had a length of tubing and needed two bends, such as a bimini
frame, and I need a height of 49" and width of 88" and the tubing was of
appropriate length, where would I start the 90d bends?

John

On Aug 13, 11:06 pm, "Midlant" wrote:
JR, since you built your own bimini frame, how did you get the width
correct when bending the tubing?
If I had a length of tubing and needed two bends, such as a bimini
frame, and I need a height of 49" and width of 88" and the tubing was of
appropriate length, where would I start the 90d bends?

John

John-

Any chance you can start a separate thread so I can continue to
receive responses under the original title?

Thanks!

JR, my boat doesn't have as many attach point options as your boat.
if there was a nearby fixture or railing for an easy brace point, I'd
use it. I'm going to have to add something.

Jim, when deployed (with further bracing action from the forward
straps) the oscillating is cut down somewhat, but it is still pretty
hard on the windshield.

Wayne, the dealer's service department is proving to be fairly
marginal. They had a lot of trouble getting the 20 hour service and a
very simple warranty punch list right. I don't know that I'd trust
them with this issue, either as advisors or as implementers.

There's nothing that says it will be easy. Get creative and add a hard
point that will work for mounting a brace. West Marine catalog-bimini
and railing fittings. I'm SURE there is something there that will work.
Before I built my new frame, I used to stabilize the lateral sway of the
old frame with a simple tie-off of line from one corner of the frame to
a low point. Worked well.
JR

wrote:



JR, my boat doesn't have as many attach point options as your boat.
if there was a nearby fixture or railing for an easy brace point, I'd
use it. I'm going to have to add something.


--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth

On Mon, 13 Aug 2007 21:00:46 -0700, wrote:

Wayne, the dealer's service department is proving to be fairly
marginal. They had a lot of trouble getting the 20 hour service and a
very simple warranty punch list right. I don't know that I'd trust
them with this issue, either as advisors or as implementers.

As long as you are prepared to pay for it yourself, I'd just find a
good boat canvas shop then and let them take care of it. They'll know
how to fix it but it may be a do over.