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Bimini options on a no-tower Sunscape


jeepurz

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I've got a line on an '06 Sunscape 23' with no tower. This is the type of 'bu I'm looking for, but wondering if there are decent bimini top options with no tower? Not perfectly clean, but I'd think you could fold it down to sit on the rear deck, especially with some nice machines aluminum brackets holding it off the vinyl and a sock over the cloth top.

Does anyone have pics of a similar setup? Wife doesn't want a "wake" boat, more for skiing, surfing, and cruising so the no-tower setup is what I'm looking for. Thoughts?

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I believe Malibu offered a bimini option on the Sunscapes that didn't come with a tower.

I'd check with Brett at StarOne or the guys at Bakes.

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All I can say is I bet you'll end up with a tower in the long run.

I agree with you. At this point though, it's my in to get her to step into a 'bu from the deckboat we currently have(yeah, I'm a TMC poser....). She likes the lines of the 'bu's without a tower, so I'll start there and figure out next steps. Honestly, the plan is for surfing, skiing, and cruising, so a tower really isn't necessary as long as we can come up with a good bimini option.

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I agree with you. At this point though, it's my in to get her to step into a 'bu from the deckboat we currently have(yeah, I'm a TMC poser....). She likes the lines of the 'bu's without a tower, so I'll start there and figure out next steps. Honestly, the plan is for surfing, skiing, and cruising, so a tower really isn't necessary as long as we can come up with a good bimini option.

Silly Rabbit, Tricks are for Kids, and Towers are for hanging Speakers.....

Edited by JB-FOOT
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Though it will ski better than your deck boat, a 23' V-drive isn't exactly a skiers dream.

I'd only buy it as a killer deal, as there isn't a lot of market for a towerless V-drive (you are the exception, not the rule), so it will hit you on the back end resale time. By '06, people are expecting an Illusion or T3 on that boat.

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Talk to her about storage / functionality. You get 2 surfboards, 2 skis MAYBE 1 wakeboard or wakeskate. She's gonna get sick of finding no where to put anything with all those on the floor / filling up the compartments. I just dont want to see you spend $500 bucks or more on a really nice bimini only to have to buy another one to use with your tower.

I also agree with the Bird. Don't buy a 23 footer to Ski behind.

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If you go the no tower route, Bill_Airjunky has the best answer for your bimini question. We've got that same setup on our Txi and it works well. As Bill said, make sure it has the support poles in the rear but it will have straps for the front tiedown.

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We've got a 21' sunscape with a bimini but no tower. We also only surf, ski and cruise. For us, a tower would be a nice addition for board storage and to potentially add speakers, but I couldn't justify the cost. When you talk to a bimini company, i would ask them to make you pockets in the bimini to store surfboards. You will also have to ask them to make the bimini strong enough to handle the added weight of the boards as a standard bimini probably wont have the structural strength. We added some straps to our bimini to hold boards. It works well, but underway in choppy water, the bimini moves too much for my liking. If the bimini were a little stronger, it would be fine.

http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index.php?/topic/45478-new-surfboard-biminibut-how-to-eliminate-sway/

Also, you mentioned something about folding it down to sit on the back deck. I would advise against this. People are going to end up sitting on it and it'll eventually bend/twist/pinch the vinyl, etc.

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Though it will ski better than your deck boat, a 23' V-drive isn't exactly a skiers dream.

I'd only buy it as a killer deal, as there isn't a lot of market for a towerless V-drive (you are the exception, not the rule), so it will hit you on the back end resale time. By '06, people are expecting an Illusion or T3 on that boat.

May not be a skier's dream but at least it's a diamond hull and it HAS to be better than an OB deckboat. I understand your thoughts on resale, my other option is to buy a boat with a tower and remove it temporarily. I'd plug the holes until the decision to re-install it for use or for resale.

Talk to her about storage / functionality. You get 2 surfboards, 2 skis MAYBE 1 wakeboard or wakeskate. She's gonna get sick of finding no where to put anything with all those on the floor / filling up the compartments. I just dont want to see you spend $500 bucks or more on a really nice bimini only to have to buy another one to use with your tower.

I also agree with the Bird. Don't buy a 23 footer to Ski behind.

I hear ya about storage, I'm having a hard enough time convincing that this is the right boat brand. That's why I keep thinking getting into the boat first and worrying about a rack later seemed like a good way to proceed.

So a 23' Diamond is really going to be that bad of a skier? I know it's a tumultuous topic, I've read SOOO many posts on it, but my takeaway is that for amateur skiing, it's more than sufficient. I've never ridden a course and don't really expect to, I just like sliding around on glassy water....

We've got a 21' sunscape with a bimini but no tower. We also only surf, ski and cruise. For us, a tower would be a nice addition for board storage and to potentially add speakers, but I couldn't justify the cost. When you talk to a bimini company, i would ask them to make you pockets in the bimini to store surfboards. You will also have to ask them to make the bimini strong enough to handle the added weight of the boards as a standard bimini probably wont have the structural strength. We added some straps to our bimini to hold boards. It works well, but underway in choppy water, the bimini moves too much for my liking. If the bimini were a little stronger, it would be fine.

http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index.php?/topic/45478-new-surfboard-biminibut-how-to-eliminate-sway/

Also, you mentioned something about folding it down to sit on the back deck. I would advise against this. People are going to end up sitting on it and it'll eventually bend/twist/pinch the vinyl, etc.

CrystalSurf, You mention the storage being a nice addition, if you were to do it all over again, would you buy a boat with a tower on it? It's expensive after the fact to add one, but not as big of a difference if you just get one with a tower. Unless of course you get a screaming deal as mentioned elsewhere. Now that you posted it, I do remember reading your previous bimini topic which was interesting. Is yours a diamond hull, and if so, how do you feel the wake is for skiing?

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CrystalSurf, You mention the storage being a nice addition, if you were to do it all over again, would you buy a boat with a tower on it? It's expensive after the fact to add one, but not as big of a difference if you just get one with a tower. Unless of course you get a screaming deal as mentioned elsewhere. Now that you posted it, I do remember reading your previous bimini topic which was interesting. Is yours a diamond hull, and if so, how do you feel the wake is for skiing?

I wanted a v-drive to ski and surf. The best option was a VTX, but I didn't want to spend the $$. The next best option was an '02-'04 Sunscape 21LSV. Those boats are on the 23SV Diamond hull, which is the same as the Response...so it has a great ski wake, but is also a v-drive which means it has the right kind of room for my needs and the ability to put in hidden ballast for surfing. I was indifferent to buying a boat with a tower as we don't wakeboard. In hindsight, would it have been nice to have got a tower? Yes. But, I got a good deal on a boat that was in great shape and you don't see that many of those boats coming up for sale.

While my boat is great and fits my needs, at some point I will be in the market for another boat. Will it have a tower? Yes. Why? Because it's almost impossible to find a v-drive now without one!

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..........make sure it has the support poles in the rear but it will have straps for the front tiedown.

I saw one recently that had support poles front & rear. Rear support was a slider with a single thumbscrew to set the support length. And it was made of larger diameter aluminum tubing with SS fittings. Very nice.

That's a good deal. But I think it could be done by most any descent canvas shop.....locally. Shipping a bimini has to be ridiculous.

-

Bill

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JEEPERZ

you said this....

I hear ya about storage, I'm having a hard enough time convincing that this is the right boat brand. That's why I keep thinking getting into the boat first and worrying about a rack later seemed like a good way to proceed.

I ask you this:

have you had your wife Drive and Inboard and Ride in an Inboard?

Because Once she DRIVES AN INBOARD she will not WANT an I/O.....

Get her in the seat (DRIVERS SEAT) of an inboard....and the rest will be easy

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