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Bimini Mount Position Preferrence Opinions?


ed obermeier

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OK. One more topic and hopefully I'm done tweaking the boat. Hopefully... Whistling.gif

Got the SG installed, got the sea strainer on order, last mod is I need to add a bimini top. Photos of '03 - 06 RLXI's I've seen are mixed between mounting the bimini to the windshield frame or to the hull outside the windshield. Any feedback on one location being better than the other? I think I'd perfer mounting to the windshield but I'm a bit concerned about the strain on the frame running at speed with the bimini up. I assume the mounts are the same either location (two screws holding the mount to whatever surface). Anyone had issues with that?

Any other tips - tricks - suggestions are also welcome. Thanks again, you all are a wealth of information!

Ed

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Ed,

Have my bimini mounted to the deck in front of the windshield. Works real well and am able to strap it down tight for trailering down the road. Can't give any first hand advice on the wind shield mounts, but I'd be nervous too about the support.

One thing to consider is how far back behind the ski pylon you want the bimini to extend. Mine extends about a foot behind the pylon and almost provides too much shade. Good luck

One other nice to have...are the quick disconnects where the frame attaches to the deck mounts. Most often installers use the mounts that have a SS bolt that has to be removed to take off the bimini. Highly recommend you use the quick connects/disconnects

Edited by BuFootin
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I have a Malibu bimini, dealer installed. it is mounted to the windshield frame on a 2008 Sunscape.

straps go fore and aft to eyes mounted into the boat. Feels very solid.

I agree on the pins for quick install and removal.

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Ed,

...One thing to consider is how far back behind the ski pylon you want the bimini to extend. Mine extends about a foot behind the pylon and almost provides too much shade. Good luck

One other nice to have...are the quick disconnects where the frame attaches to the deck mounts. Most often installers use the mounts that have a SS bolt that has to be removed to take off the bimini. Highly recommend you use the quick connects/disconnects

I've been thinking about that. I want to go with a 3-bow 6' top and I'm considering moving the mounts farther forward to 1) cover more of the dash/drivers/obervers space when the sun is more at an angle i.e. later in the day, and 2) so the rear straps won't interefere with the ski rope. Which I guess kind of rules out a windshield mount...

On my previous boat the factory bimini seemed like it was a second thought and the rear straps were totally in the way. My fix when skiing was to take the rear straps loose and run a "temporary" strap from the crotch of where the rear bow met the main bow straight down to the inside hand rail (which ran from behind the drivers seat to where the rear seat went). Worked well enough but I'll have to find another solution for my RLXI as it doesn't have that hand rail. No such thing as too much shade AFAIC, the primary issue is that it not interfere with the rope meaning the rear strap can't be farther back than even with the pylon, at least while skiing. May have to put two sets of eys in for the rear strap - one set back for normal use, one set below the crotch with a "temporary" strap similar to what I used with the Supra. Or something like that.

Please clarify the quik release thing - you talking about a pull-pin type setup or a socket type plug-in like the newer MC's use? The pull pin would be slick and not to pricey; the socket type setup would add around $70 more than a pull-pin setup but would be really slick. Not sure it's worth the $$$ though.

Ed

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I have a Malibu bimini, dealer installed. it is mounted to the windshield frame on a 2008 Sunscape.

straps go fore and aft to eyes mounted into the boat. Feels very solid.

I agree on the pins for quick install and removal.

Are yours standard type mounts held in place by two screws? My windshield frame being round makes that type mount problematic I'm thinking. Dontknow.gif

Ed

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the windshield frame is round. the pieces mount directly to them - 2 screws i think - can't look right now.

the mount itself is like a ball and socket. the end of the bimini upright has a ball end, that gets pushed into a round socket in the mount bracket. the pin goes in behind this, to hold it in place. the pin only goes through the bracket, not the ball.

my old bimini (purchased from overtons) fit into a slot in the mounting bracket and the pin went through the center of bracket and the pole to hold it in place and make a pivot point.

i will try to get some pictures.

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Ed,

...One thing to consider is how far back behind the ski pylon you want the bimini to extend. Mine extends about a foot behind the pylon and almost provides too much shade. Good luck

One other nice to have...are the quick disconnects where the frame attaches to the deck mounts. Most often installers use the mounts that have a SS bolt that has to be removed to take off the bimini. Highly recommend you use the quick connects/disconnects

I've been thinking about that. I want to go with a 3-bow 6' top and I'm considering moving the mounts farther forward to 1) cover more of the dash/drivers/obervers space when the sun is more at an angle i.e. later in the day, and 2) so the rear straps won't interefere with the ski rope. Which I guess kind of rules out a windshield mount...

On my previous boat the factory bimini seemed like it was a second thought and the rear straps were totally in the way. My fix when skiing was to take the rear straps loose and run a "temporary" strap from the crotch of where the rear bow met the main bow straight down to the inside hand rail (which ran from behind the drivers seat to where the rear seat went). Worked well enough but I'll have to find another solution for my RLXI as it doesn't have that hand rail. No such thing as too much shade AFAIC, the primary issue is that it not interfere with the rope meaning the rear strap can't be farther back than even with the pylon, at least while skiing. May have to put two sets of eys in for the rear strap - one set back for normal use, one set below the crotch with a "temporary" strap similar to what I used with the Supra. Or something like that.

Please clarify the quik release thing - you talking about a pull-pin type setup or a socket type plug-in like the newer MC's use? The pull pin would be slick and not to pricey; the socket type setup would add around $70 more than a pull-pin setup but would be really slick. Not sure it's worth the $$$ though.

Ed

My straps to do get in the way while skiing. The quick release I was referring to is the socket type. $70 seems steep. I looked at replacing my screw type mounts and found them for about $30 per set on-line plus shipping. Key is to decide before drilling any holes.

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Someone else on here had a windshield section break when someone grabbed the rear of their windshield mounted bimini... Another reason to mount on hull.

Windshield mount will give you a few more inches of clearance...

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My straps to do get in the way while skiing. The quick release I was referring to is the socket type. $70 seems steep. I looked at replacing my screw type mounts and found them for about $30 per set on-line plus shipping. Key is to decide before drilling any holes.

I got that pricing from looking through the Overtons catalog, they want $40 each for the socket-type mounts. That would be my preference is it's not too pricey. If you have a lower cost source I'm all ears (or eyes).

Ed

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The link to the ones Soon2BV provided is what I used and, I'm pretty sure, what the factory uses for the stock bimini. I wanted to be able to stand up under mine, so I used the windshield frame. I didn't want to drill into glass for the eyelets, so I put the rear ones as far back on the windshield frame as possible and just use the bow rails for the front. The yellow rope in this picture was before I was able to find a good black strap long enough.

post-197-1242604144_thumb.jpg

Mike

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I mounted mine to the hull outside the window frame - a very solid mount to be sure. There's a pic in my gallery, but it won't show you a lot of detail. I can send you more pics if you like. You mentioned a 3-bow, 6' long bimini. That is similar in length to mine, and I suspect if you try to mount it to the w/s frame, it is going to be very high, to the point that you will lose significant shade area. I cannot stand up straight under mine, but I don't have to bend over much to walk underneath it, and I get great coverage for the driver and observer seats. The tie downs are secured to eyelets immediately behind the w/s frame. I'm nowhere near the shortline you are running, but the tiedowns are certainly no more intrusive than what pros run with a tower on the boat. I mounted mine so that I can tilt it forward to rest on the hull in front of the w/s for storage. While not great for the bow seating, it is much less of a problem there than it would be rearward of the w/s. I can tie it down in that position using the bow rails. I don't have quick releases on mine, but it would be a nice touch, no doubt. I am using standard plastic knob thumb screws, and am still waiting for the day when I am removing the top and drop one of the screws in the drink.

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Hey Ed, If you decide to go with those...it is unclear whether Overton's price is per pair or apiece? I just stumbled across the same hinge on skidim (sold separately)...might be worth checking out.

Hey Dave. I saw those from Skidim, actually I think they're the exact same thing. Got my sea strainer from them yesterday (installed today!) and they sent a catalog that had them in it. As a plus they had dimensions so you could tell how long, wide etc they are. As it turns out they won't work, too wide.

Decided that I'll mount to the lip on the hull outside the windshield; that lip is 7/8" wide at my chosen mounting point, the ordinary nylon screw-bolt type like SunriseH2OSkier described are 7/8" wide, so it looks like that's what I'll be going with. Overtons and Skidim both sell the quick release type each (not in pairs), Skidim is WAAAY lower cost than the same thing from Overtons. Too bad they won't work for me. When it's done my setup will be real similar to SunriseH2OSkier's. I'll attach the front straps to the hand rails ala mlange's setup, mount the rear eyes at the bottom rear of the windshield frame on the frame itself. Ordered a 6' long 36" high in red Sunbrella which should give me decent coverage without being too high.

Hey SunriseH2OSkier - been there done that. After the first time I bought two more screw in's for spares just in case, I keep them in the glove box. It's a Murphys Law thing dude...

Thanks again to all for the input. You guys rock!

Ed

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