I give up New Bimini time

[Ndawg12]

I posted a while back about getting my bimini mounts positioned correctly so that I could easily fold and stow it. Well after many attempts and nasty scratches to my tower (Titan 3) I have given up. The only way I can fold it right now is to unhook the straps, unscrew the thumb screws up front, let it rest on the windshield, fold the back to the front, and then redo the thumb screws up front. And vice versa to open it back up. This is a major pain in the arse and the thumb screws are very hard to get out and in as the bimini seems like it's binding with the way it's installed now. I bought the boat used and I really don't think this is the right bimini for this tower (there are no ID tags on the bimini except one tag that simply says Sunbrella).

I have looked at Titan's website and haven't found anything for an over-the-top bimini for a Titan 3. I saw one on Ebay a couple months ago that said it fit the Titan 3 and was over-the-top and I think it sold for $500 or so, I should have bought it then!!

Any suggestions where to go? Thanks crew!!

Edited July 31, 2009 by nemire12

[68Slalom]

That sounds like a lot of work, are you sure you have the right bimini?

It would be nice if you could post some pictures of the steps described, I can't completely visualize what your going through but it sounds irritating Not sure if anyone can help but someone might see something wrong or different than what they have!

[Ndawg12]

That sounds like a lot of work, are you sure you have the right bimini?

It would be nice if you could post some pictures of the steps described, I can't completely visualize what your going through but it sounds irritating Not sure if anyone can help but someone might see something wrong or different than what they have!

I really don't think it is the right bimini. I'll have to get back to you on the pics but certainly I can. The boat is sitting at the dealer waiting for the head mechanic to get back from vacation to fix a fuel leak!!

Wait..maybe I have few of it installed...this is all I've got, and don't ask about the tower mirror, it's a long story!!

Edited July 31, 2009 by nemire12

[Bill_AirJunky]

I have seen a Titan III with an above the tower bimini, made by Titan, and it was sweet. But in their current state, I'd be wondering what kind of response time you'd get.

I have the Titan II & been thinking about having an above the tower bimini custom made for it (since Titan doesn't make one at all). I've been accumulating pics that I can take to a local custom shop to get it done. I'm hoping that if I do it in the off season, there will be a bit of a price break involved since the shop might be in a slow time.

The only advice I can give you to get a bimini today is to contact towerbiminis.com. They seem to have a big following of happy customers on the net & make a pretty sweet product.

Edit: I was typin & you were typin... now I see what the problem is. Your bimini is mounted too high on the back tower legs. Look where mine is.

And here are a couple of friend's boats with the Titan III. Hard to see but their biminis are mounted near the bottom of the back tower legs.

All that said, if the sliders on your bimini isn't working, then I doubt you will be able to get this setup to work anyway. Are the poles crimped or bent at all?

Edited July 31, 2009 by Bill_AirJunky

[Ndawg12]

I sent Titan a couple emails and have never heard anything from them, I will check that website you suggested.

Bill:

My bimini is all ready angled too much, if I drop the rear mounts it will be even worse and if I also lower the front the tower legs will be too far apart. I never would have realized it took a PHD to install a freakin bimini!! Also I noticed that the front of your bimini extends outside of the tower and is attached moreso on the front crossbar. Mine definately doesn't fit like that. The holes in the bimini for the black plastic mounts to come out are more on the side bar. Even more of a reason why I think I might have the wrong bimini. But I realize we're talking about 2 different towers, not sure if the same bimini fits the Titan 2 and 3.

[Ndawg12]

whoa, whoa, sliders???????? I didn't originally see that in your post!! I think I know what you are referring to on the sides. There is another thumb screw there and also a set screw. I remember removing both screws and moving the plastic piece but that exposed a frame joint. The cross bar coming from the back fit into the the cross bar from the front. They didn't look like they moved but maybe the corrosion was making them bind. We might be onto something!! Can anyone shed some more light on how the sliders are supposed to operate?

[Bill_AirJunky]

Hmmm, I see the front mounts on the side of the tower. But I still think if you can unscrew the slider on the back leg of the bimini, slide them all the way out, then mount the back mount on the back leg of the tower lower. Then when it comes time to drop the bimini, you unscrew the sliders, slide the bimini down, then collapse it, and raise it back up and in front of the speakers. But the sliders have to be in good working order.

I don't know if the towers used the same biminis or not. Definitely looks like the same bimini though. I'll see what other pics I can find with it expanded on a III.

Edit: Hehe, yep, time to pull the bimini & get those sliders working. Maybe use WD40 or something to get it started, then wipe it clean. Good luck.

Edited July 31, 2009 by Bill_AirJunky

[Ndawg12]

Hmmm, I see the front mounts on the side of the tower. But I still think if you can unscrew the slider on the back leg of the bimini, slide them all the way out, then mount the back mount on the back leg of the tower lower. Then when it comes time to drop the bimini, you unscrew the sliders, slide the bimini down, then collapse it, and raise it back up and in front of the speakers. But the sliders have to be in good working order.

I don't know if the towers used the same biminis or not. Definitely looks like the same bimini though. I'll see what other pics I can find with it expanded on a III.

Edit: Hehe, yep, time to pull the bimini & get those sliders working. Maybe use WD40 or something to get it started, then wipe it clean. Good luck.

Bill, you da man, again!! I think I've got it, case closed, it's Miller time!!

[68Slalom]

Hmmm, I see the front mounts on the side of the tower. But I still think if you can unscrew the slider on the back leg of the bimini, slide them all the way out, then mount the back mount on the back leg of the tower lower. Then when it comes time to drop the bimini, you unscrew the sliders, slide the bimini down, then collapse it, and raise it back up and in front of the speakers. But the sliders have to be in good working order.

I don't know if the towers used the same biminis or not. Definitely looks like the same bimini though. I'll see what other pics I can find with it expanded on a III.

Edit: Hehe, yep, time to pull the bimini & get those sliders working. Maybe use WD40 or something to get it started, then wipe it clean. Good luck.

Bill, you da man, again!! I think I've got it, case closed, it's Miller time!!

Wait what about me

[Ndawg12]

Hmmm, I see the front mounts on the side of the tower. But I still think if you can unscrew the slider on the back leg of the bimini, slide them all the way out, then mount the back mount on the back leg of the tower lower. Then when it comes time to drop the bimini, you unscrew the sliders, slide the bimini down, then collapse it, and raise it back up and in front of the speakers. But the sliders have to be in good working order.

I don't know if the towers used the same biminis or not. Definitely looks like the same bimini though. I'll see what other pics I can find with it expanded on a III.

Edit: Hehe, yep, time to pull the bimini & get those sliders working. Maybe use WD40 or something to get it started, then wipe it clean. Good luck.

Bill, you da man, again!! I think I've got it, case closed, it's Miller time!!

Wait what about me

Oops, sorry Slalom, I guess you started the ball rolling, you da man too!!

[68Slalom]

Hmmm, I see the front mounts on the side of the tower. But I still think if you can unscrew the slider on the back leg of the bimini, slide them all the way out, then mount the back mount on the back leg of the tower lower. Then when it comes time to drop the bimini, you unscrew the sliders, slide the bimini down, then collapse it, and raise it back up and in front of the speakers. But the sliders have to be in good working order.

I don't know if the towers used the same biminis or not. Definitely looks like the same bimini though. I'll see what other pics I can find with it expanded on a III.

Edit: Hehe, yep, time to pull the bimini & get those sliders working. Maybe use WD40 or something to get it started, then wipe it clean. Good luck.

Bill, you da man, again!! I think I've got it, case closed, it's Miller time!!

Wait what about me

Oops, sorry Slalom, I guess you started the ball rolling, you da man too!!

LMAO, I'm glad you got it. Have a great weekend and to you too

[Bill_AirJunky]

Sweet. Glad to hear it's going to work for you!

[Ndawg12]

Sweet. Glad to hear it's going to work for you!

Well, we'll see in a week or so when I get her back. When do I get my Bimini University Diploma!!!

[Lance B. Johnson]

We have the same tower and same bimini. In order to stash it we first undu the thumb screws, run the sliders all the way down, fold the bimini---------then here is the key----- we pull one pin for the rear mount and reposition one leg behind the tower. reinstall the leg and pin, swing the bimini up and loop the straps around the tower. Now the entire bimini is positioned behind the tower. Not quite how it is done in one of Bills Photos but thats the way we like it.

Don't know if this helps sounds like you got it figured out.

Don't get rid of it, we love ours.

Edited July 31, 2009 by ruffdawg

[Ndawg12]

We have the same tower and same bimini. In order to stash it we first undu the thumb screws, run the sliders all the way down, fold the bimini---------then here is the key----- we pull one pin for the rear mount and reposition one leg behind the tower. Now the entire bimini is positioned behind the tower.

Don't know if this helps sounds like you got it figured out.

Don't get rid of it, we love ours.

Trust me my wife would never be without one. My little avator can't take too much sun quite yet!! Case re-opened: I'm curious why you have to position one leg outside the tower. Seems like if you slid both sides back to the shortest point, then the front would have enough room to clear the front tower legs.

[Hangar Pilot]

How about something like this?

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/3183/717947.html

[Ndawg12]

How about something like this?

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/3183/717947.html

uh..wow...uh...no...I'm not refinancing my house to buy a bimini!!! Pretty cool though, too bad they wasted it on a Tige!!

[Lance B. Johnson]

We have the same tower and same bimini. In order to stash it we first undu the thumb screws, run the sliders all the way down, fold the bimini---------then here is the key----- we pull one pin for the rear mount and reposition one leg behind the tower. Now the entire bimini is positioned behind the tower.

Don't know if this helps sounds like you got it figured out.

Don't get rid of it, we love ours.

Trust me my wife would never be without one. My little avator can't take too much sun quite yet!! Case re-opened: I'm curious why you have to position one leg outside the tower. Seems like if you slid both sides back to the shortest point, then the front would have enough room to clear the front tower legs.

Funny you say that, I really can't picture why we have to do that but we do. I think the tower speakers are in the way or maybe it doesnt quite clear the front legs of the tower. I do know that the pic of the grey wakesetter, they do it a little different because the bimini ends up between the tower, ours ends up to the rear of the tower. Maybe theirs is right.

I am going to have to look at ours again, maybe you solved a problem we did not know we even had!

[Ndawg12]

We have the same tower and same bimini. In order to stash it we first undu the thumb screws, run the sliders all the way down, fold the bimini---------then here is the key----- we pull one pin for the rear mount and reposition one leg behind the tower. Now the entire bimini is positioned behind the tower.

Don't know if this helps sounds like you got it figured out.

Don't get rid of it, we love ours.

Trust me my wife would never be without one. My little avator can't take too much sun quite yet!! Case re-opened: I'm curious why you have to position one leg outside the tower. Seems like if you slid both sides back to the shortest point, then the front would have enough room to clear the front tower legs.

Funny you say that, I really can't picture why we have to do that but we do. I think the tower speakers are in the way or maybe it doesnt quite clear the front legs of the tower. I do know that the pic of the grey wakesetter, they do it a little different because the bimini ends up between the tower, ours ends up to the rear of the tower. Maybe theirs is right.

I am going to have to look at ours again, maybe you solved a problem we did not know we even had!

That's what I'm here for, I've got my bimini degree now!!

[Baddog]

How about something like this?

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/3183/717947.html

Is it just me or is that one bugly boat??

Edited August 1, 2009 by Baddog

[Ndawg12]

How about something like this?

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/3183/717947.html

Is it just me or is that one bugly boat??

You're showing your age dog, its definitely more fugly than bugly!

[OLDGUY]

How about something like this?

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/3183/717947.html

Is it just me or is that one bugly boat??

Ditto

[Baddog]

How about something like this?

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/3183/717947.html

Is it just me or is that one bugly boat??

You're showing your age dog, its definitely more fugly than bugly!

Sorry, I try to keep up.