Don't Go Topless (SFW)

[east tx skier]

Well, it's looking like the ski season is going to begin for me this weekend. With a forecast of 75 degrees and sunny, I put the bimini on last night to give it a spray with 303. Figured I'd take some pictures since I didn't remember seeing a thread of bimini pictures (there's a thread for everything else).

This top was ordered through my dealer from MC. I wish they'd done the rear straps differently as the rope tends to hit them. I'm thinking of mounting some eyelits to the hull by the driver's seat and observer seat then feeding the rear straps through the grap rails and up to the eyelits. When I looked at it last night, it appeared as if it would work well. I think they mounted them as they are because they couldn't get the straps any closer, and if they were looped through the grab rail and clipped to a ring on the strap (like in the front), the straps would slide around. On the plus side, this top doesn't move at all at ski speeds.

[east tx skier]

You can see the rear straps in this next shot.

[east tx skier]

And one more ...

[jayderwin1]

nice top Tex. is that a mastercraft top?

[bradamerry]

Looks good, Doug!

[André]

Doug
Go wash that boat.It's very dirty. :eek:
I'm so dissapointed... :noface:

[BrianM]

Why not eliminate the rear strap completely and put a rigid support angled slightly that mounts to the gunnel a bit behind the windshield. Mine is mounted like that and I love it. Rock Solid. I can remove the front straps and put the boot on and the top stays up but folded for trailering or late in the day when you don't need it anymore.

I can't find a picture of my boat with the top on but might be able to get one this weekend. I know I have seen photos of a couple of others on here that are mounted the same. Here is a quick and dirty photoshop of your pic showing what I am talking about.

[east tx skier]

nice top Tex. is that a mastercraft top?

It had better be. :cool: It was purchased in 2003 from my a MC dealer at the same time I bought my boat. They ordered it from MC or whoever MC is getting to do their tops, and, as with skins, delivery time was about 6--7 weeks. It doesn't say MC on it though. The tag just says sunbrella.

Andre, yeah, real dirty.

Brian, for some reason, I prefer the straps. Don't ask me why. Can you completely remove the poles? I can usually get the bimini completely off the boat in about 2 minutes. When trailering, I lay it in the floor around the motor box so it doesn't rub up against the gel coat.

[BrianM]

Is it me or is your top really low??

[rem_pss308]

I agree with BrianM, I also have the rigid support. You will like it very much, and no hassle. When not in use the top is out of the way. My top sits a little taller than yours.

[aprgriggs]

Well, it's looking like the ski season is going to begin for me this weekend. With a forecast of 75 degrees and sunny, I.

this morning weather: says Dallas will be 80 on Saturday..hopefully TMC will finish my uncle's X45. I can't wait to ride this boat...it should rock.

Bimini Top picture coming soon.

[MarkP]

looks ready to go

[André]

Doug
I'm sure you know that i was meaning "Show room" by that comment.
Sorry for my poor sense of humor sometimes...

[east tx skier]

Doug
I'm sure you know that i was meaning "Show room" by that comment.
Sorry for my poor sense of humor sometimes...

Of course! I got it. I was just giving it back to you!

[east tx skier]

Is it me or is your top really low??

I've seen lower. It's the pictures to an extent. I wouldn't want it any higher or lower. You can't stand completely straight up, but you aren't bent too far over walking underneath it.

So if I went with poles, are they removeable? Just curious. Like I said, it's either on or it's off. It's never down.

[Robert Averyt]

Doug,

I would be pi--ed if a dealer did that to my boat. Do they not know it is a ski boat. HELLO ---- Pull your head out.

Please tell me that it was not a Mastercraft dealer that did that.

On my old 205 I ran the straps down to the grab rail. It worked great.

[east tx skier]

Yup. Daryl Moore Marine in Spring, TX (a MC dealer) did that little install. I was too much of a newbie to notice at the time. But as my skiing improved, and I began to get a little further up on the boat, I started getting a little ticked about it. But it is far from a difficult fix. If you can see in the pictures, the grab rails on the side only have one cross piece that I could use to avoid the strap slipping if I was going to double the strap back and clip it to itself. Otherwise, I'd need to go through the grab rail and clip it to an anchor forward of the grab rail.

[MarkP]

So if I went with poles, are they removeable? Just curious. Like I said, it's either on or it's off. It's never down.
They sure are removable. that’s what I did on my top because it was installed like yours is (in the back). I don’t know if I have a shot but I’ll look

[east tx skier]

What's involved in removing them? A couple of turn screws? How noticeable is the mounting hardware? Does it mount to the windshield too? Does it just clamp to the bimini support poles?

/can't stop asking questions.

[BrianM]

Yeah it removable. My rear supports attach just like the main attachments, with a bracket that monts flat to the gunnel and a thumb screw.

[BrianM]

The mounts are not much more noticable than the thing that the strap snaps onto. If you want really flush mount and super easy on and off you can use these.

http://www.overtons.com/cgi-bin/overtons/detail/pdetail2.cgi?r=detail_view&item_num=33714

Kind of spendy but one of these days I am going to upgrade all four of my mounts to these.

Currently I just have the standard gunnel mounts like here

http://www.overtons.com/cgi-bin/overtons/detail/pdetail2.cgi?r=detail_view&item_num=34369

but in black plastic. Even they don't get in the way where mine are mounted.

[MarkP]

Some shots

http://www.tmcowners.com/teamtalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=1410

http://www.tmcowners.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?t=1147&page=2&pp=10&highlight=bimini

[BrianM]

Mark,

Your pictures were the ones I was thinking of when I said someone had posted photos of their set up before but I couldn't find the thread.

[east tx skier]

Thanks all, food for thought. I'll tak a look at the links.

Robert, if I were to decide to stay with the straps, how did you have them run through the grab rails so they didn't slip?

[MarkP]

Mark,

Your pictures were the ones I was thinking of when I said someone had posted photos of their set up before but I couldn't find the thread.

Thats captkidds boat but thats how my set up is now.
When I bought my boat the bimini was all wrong. Its almost done now. I just have to have a new cloth made.

I especially like how it stays up when not in use.

[G-man]

Doug I just now looked at this thread. We discussed our bimini's before. I can tell you mine was way different. My back straps wrapped around the grabrail just behind the driver and went straight up. No mounting hardware for the back. I asked the dealer not to install the rear harware so I could do this. This way the rear straps didn't hit the tow rope going around bouys. My new bimini is the strapless style with the pole in place of the rear strap. It works quite well and with a little tension from the front straps no rattles.

[east tx skier]

George, any pictures of your old setup? Did your straps connect at the back of the bimini like mine, or were they on the side? If the straps were straight up and down, I'm thinking there wouldn't be a slip issue.

My hope is that I can redo this without mounting more hardware on the boat, although I'll probably need new straps with rings in them to reconnect (shorter straps, too). If I can get it set up this way, I'll run it by my glass guy and get that hardware pulled out and the holes filled.

[86PowerSlot190MC]

Some shots

http://www.tmcowners.com/teamtalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=1410

http://www.tmcowners.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?t=1147&page=2&pp=10&highlight=bimini

Do you trailer the boat with the bimini top in This (http://www.tmcowners.com/teamtalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=1410) position???

[BrianM]

I have basicly the same set up and I always tow my boat to and from the lake with the top in the up and stored position. It wiggles a little bit at 80mph:eek: if you hit a bump in the road but otherwise it rides great. I just put the top on when I leave the house and take it down when I get home. Plus during the day or late in the day if I decide I don't eant the shade I can store it in the up position out of the way.

[AirJunky]

Hey Doug,
Why not just run the straps down to the little cross support in the middle of the side rails? You could have velcro sewn to opposing sides of the strap, then loop the strap around the support & velcro it to itself. Then use the front straps for tension.

I used to have the velcro straps on an old Toyota bikini top & it worked great for years. Just be sure to get a good quaility of hook & loop that will hold up to the water.

[rem_pss308]

Tex:
The rigid mount comes off just as easy as the mount you have. You could have it off the boat in three minutes.

[MarkP]

Do you trailer the boat with the bimini top in This (http://www.tmcowners.com/teamtalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=1410) position???Sure do. Works just like BrianM said.

[east tx skier]

Hey Doug,
Why not just run the straps down to the little cross support in the middle of the side rails?

That's still pretty far back. What I'm thinking at this point is to just get some shorter straps, have one of my local shops sew some rings into them (unless I can buy them with rings, and relocate the to the sides so I can run them around the grap rails with no slipping. I'm just not too keen on adding more hardware if I can avoid it.

[AirJunky]

That's still pretty far back. What I'm thinking at this point is to just get some shorter straps, have one of my local shops sew some rings into them (unless I can buy them with rings, and relocate the to the sides so I can run them around the grap rails with no slipping. I'm just not too keen on adding more hardware if I can avoid it.

Rig a hook method from inside the gunnel pockets?

[east tx skier]

Yeah, I was looking at that possibility last night. Not sure how substantial my surfaces are under there. Definitely in consideration.

[prostar205]

East Tx Skier -

I had a '95 PS205 with a great bimini setup. My setup for the rear mounts was very similar to AirJunky's. I fed my rear straps thru the inside grab rail and used both velcro and snaps - that way it was never going to come apart and there was no hardware that needed to be drilled into the boat. The upper mount for the rear strap stayed in place by putting a eyelet on the rear tube. I'll have to find some pics and post them. You can go to my member gallery (prostar205) and see a picture of my setup. I do have pictures specific to the bimini.

You can call me at work and I would be happy to explain my setup in more detail.

Good luck.

[AirJunky]

I would say very substantial..... the PVC that the wiring goes thru is glassed in place & sturdy as hell. Just be sure you don't loop over some of the wiring too.
The issue I would be concerned with is the strap rubbing on the upholstry & leaving it's mark.
On the tops I've seen, the rigid supports mentioned earlier in this thread are super easy to get on & off & really clean things up.

[east tx skier]

East Tx Skier -

I had a '95 PS205 with a great bimini setup. My setup for the rear mounts was very similar to AirJunky's. I fed my rear straps thru the inside grab rail and used both velcro and snaps - that way it was never going to come apart and there was no hardware that needed to be drilled into the boat. The upper mount for the rear strap stayed in place by putting a eyelet on the rear tube. I'll have to find some pics and post them. You can go to my member gallery (prostar205) and see a picture of my setup. I do have pictures specific to the bimini.

You can call me at work and I would be happy to explain my setup in more detail.

Good luck.

Thanks, I'll go check it out now. The snaps sound like an easy solution, too.

[loeweb]

My brothers boat has a top in a similar setup to yours. He was having the same problem. what he did was lengthen the straps, go down to the T on the grab rail, then back to the mounting bracket. What this does is move the straps forward, and runs them back along the gunnel. works great.

[east tx skier]

I think I may have a solution. If I get a pair of jaw clamps (like what's used to hinge the bimini frame together), I can attach them to the grab rail and hook the rear straps to them. To shorten my straps enough, I'll use snaps. Have I left anything out?

Anybody know the diameter of the grab rails. I seem to remember 7/8" for some reason.

[OhioProstar]

Just attach a C-Clip to this:

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/overtons/detail/pdetail2.cgi?r=detail_view&item_num=20130

[east tx skier]

Eureka! You got a link to a c-clip just so I know we're talking about the same thing?

Actually, I think I may go with the jaw slide, as with it, I could just hook to the tightening screw.

Hinged Jaw Slide (http://overtons.com/cgi-bin/overtons/detail/pdetail2.cgi?r=detail_view&item_num=39960)

[MarkP]

I think I may have a solution. If I get a pair of jaw clamps (like what's used to hinge the bimini frame together), I can attach them to the grab rail and hook the rear straps to them. To shorten my straps enough, I'll use snaps. Have I left anything out?

Anybody know the diameter of the grab rails. I seem to remember 7/8" for some reason.
Dude

I didn’t think of that but you could probably rigid mount to that as well.

(with that link in your last post)

http://overtons.com/cgi-bin/overtons/detail/pdetail2.cgi?r=detail_view&item_num=39960

[east tx skier]

I looked into the rigid mounts, but have decided to save the $40 (plus shipping) and apply it toward gas. What will that get me, like a gallon or so?

[MarkP]

I looked into the rigid mounts, but have decided to save the $40 (plus shipping) and apply it toward gas. What will that get me, like a gallon or so?
When I went “rigid”, I just bought a 10’ piece of pipe from my local boaters world.

[prostar205]

East Tx Skier -

I will make you a great deal on some rigid mounts - FREE. I had them on my '95 PS 205 and since I have an X30 now, I don't have any use for them. I can send you a picture if you are interested. I have no use for them. Just pay shipping and they're yours. Let me know if your interested.

Work Number: (800) 827-3201 x458.

[east tx skier]

Prostar, I just emailed you.

[prostar205]

East Tx Skier -

I have not gotten your email, yet. Here is a picture of the bimini installed on my PS205. You can see the rear straps and how they wrap around the inside grab rail.

Let me know if you need additional details.

[prostar205]

Here is another angle.

[east tx skier]

Well, in case you don't get it, I was just thanking you for the rigid support pole offer. However, I ordered the jaw slides earlier today, so I'm going to give that a try with my existing setup. Thanks anyway though. I appreciate it.

[east tx skier]

Well, I got my jaw slides today. The 7/8" was a little big for the rub rail, but with a little bit of cut up rubber treadmill mat, I made a nice padding and they fit perfectly (was surprised they didn't have any rubber coating of their own. I snipped the stitching on the straps and shortened them using brass snaps. I think it turned out well for under $20.

[east tx skier]

And one from the front

[east tx skier]

Here 's a close-up of the jaw slides.

[Mag_Red]

Looks great! :toast:

[MarkP]

Looks like that will do it. You sure made fast work of that project

[BriEOD]

Nice ingenuity.

[MarkP]

Nice ingenuity.Go ahead with the big words:rant:

[BriEOD]

:uglyhamme

[prostar205]

Very nice and clean install.

[jimmer2880]

Very nice... I may have to do the same thing on my rear mounts!

[MarkP]

When I bring my boat home I am going to look to see if I can move my rigid mounts to that spot. I think I can:headbang:

[BriEOD]

Mark,

When are you going to bring it home, June 15th? :D

[André]

If Robin put a rip in his thight,then Batman open the Batcave and Mark can get his boat !
But if the Pinguin is in town,Mark could have to wait a bit more...

[east tx skier]

I'd say go with the 7/8 and add some padding. Not only with this protect the rub rail, but it'll keep the top portion open wide enough to get the hook in. The scariest part was cutting the stitching on the straps. Not so bad. Total install (after I figured out I need a hammer to install the snaps, was about 30 minutes.

[MarkP]

Mark,

When are you going to bring it home, June 15th? :D
That may be it if my weather doesn’t straighten out. It was easy for me to ***** last year as I was waiting for the test drive. Warmer spring last year too.

Hey Doug, Step Away From The Hammer :eek:

[east tx skier]

Hahaha. That may be it for projects for a while. And now, I'll hijack my own thread. 2 issues of late.

Throttle Return Spring Revisited
When the boys at SWCC took the slop out of my throttle cable, they shortened my return spring as well. So I'm back to having to keep my hand on the throttle. My wife hates this because she likes to use her right hand to swat at her hair when it blows in her face. This is not good while I'm skiing.

I kept trying to stretch the spring, but the result would be that my boat would hang at about 1,200 rpm when going from higher rpms to neutral. I picked up a less tense spring yesterday at NAPA and on their advice, put a little lithium grease on the throttle plate where it connects to the carb, which I was mulling doing anyway as it never stuck before, even without any return spring (on a brief test).

Perfect Pass Servo Doesn't always tighten upon Startup after Pumping the Throttle

So at startup, it usually helps to give it a full pump on the throttle before cranking. Ever since I got the new carb, I've noticed that my throttle response has been a little weird when I first startup. Well, I think I got it figured out. When I pump to full throttle, it completely unwinds my perfect pass servo. When I turn the key on, it winds up, but not all the way. I may have had a kink in the line under the knob, which I got out last night. Worst case scenario, I'll just reach back and make sure its wound tight after I give it a pump before startup. Once I'm on the water, this is a non issue. But has anybody else with a carb experienced this. Would it be different if I turned the key on (not started, just on) before I gave the throttle a pump?

Yes, Andre, I know you fuel injected guys don't have such issues. ;)

[captkidd]

I'm a little late at arriving on this thread, but since someone posted pictures of my mounting (and saving me the trouble of doing so) I thought I'd chime in.

BTW, good looking set up Doug. Just a question/suggestion: my straps/supports come off the side support poles instead of off the back of the top. Wouldn't yours be out of the way more if they did the same (or would they be in the way more)? Mine is much more vertical, but that's just the way I wanted it. It also seems as if having them vertical or a little more toward the stern would provide more support pulling down on the back of the top. Just a thought.

As far as some of the other ideas suggested, I disagree with the idea of using the little T-support in the middle of the grab rail as this seems like it's too far back and definitely in the way. I toyed with the idea of using the grab rail for attaching my rear straps, but was afraid of the straps rubbing the upholstery, so I finally bit the bullet and installed some of those little mounting brackets on top of the gunwales. They're really not in the way and don't look that bad; the stainless ones listed above are nice, but $50 for a pair of those and another $10 or so for the stainless ends for my support poles seems a bit much.

I really like my rear support poles because as others said, it gives me the option of quickly and easily raising/lowering the top; all I have to do is unsnap/snap the front straps. It's out of the way and much less likely to get stepped on or damaged. However, I never trailer with the top folded up. I'm sure that it's o.k. to do this, but it just seems that it's a lot of extra stress on the poles and brackets, especially at highway speeds. With my pushpins I can easily put the top up/down in two minutes or less; putting the boot on takes more time than putting the top on.

[BriEOD]

Why not eliminate the rear strap completely and put a rigid support angled slightly that mounts to the gunnel a bit behind the windshield. Mine is mounted like that and I love it. Rock Solid. I can remove the front straps and put the boot on and the top stays up but folded for trailering or late in the day when you don't need it anymore.

I can't find a picture of my boat with the top on but might be able to get one this weekend. I know I have seen photos of a couple of others on here that are mounted the same. Here is a quick and dirty photoshop of your pic showing what I am talking about.

Brian any photos of your setup?

[east tx skier]

BTW, good looking set up Doug. Just a question/suggestion: my straps/supports come off the side support poles instead of off the back of the top. Wouldn't yours be out of the way more if they did the same (or would they be in the way more)? Mine is much more vertical, but that's just the way I wanted it. It also seems as if having them vertical or a little more toward the stern would provide more support pulling down on the back of the top. Just a thought.

Thanks. I didn't come off the sides because I figured if I did, they'd slide around on the support poll as it's just looped around the support. Where it is, there's a cut out in the bimini top that kees the strap from sliding. I used basically the same tension as before. With the current setup, the top doesn't move. You can get a low E by plucking the straps, and I allowed for adjsutment either way if need be.

/edit. I just took a look at a different angle and I guess the loop would settle on the poll and not slide around with tension applied. But as it goes, they're not in the way and I'm happy. :wavey: Any further up and the rope would hit the driver's head before it hit the strap.

[André]

Good job Doug!
Now if your ski rope touch the straps it will be because you will have created a lot on angle on the boat!

[east tx skier]

Probably not much danger of that yet. ;)

[jrlocas]

I like the top I have the exact same boat and color scheme what was the cost if i can ask ?

[BriEOD]

Adding my photos to the thread:
3 Bow, Black, w/stanchions, Johnson Bimini Top with zippers

[BriEOD]

Different view....

[BriEOD]

Another one...

[BriEOD]

Last one...

[east tx skier]

If the question about cost was for me, I worked the deal on the bimini for just about cost as part of my purchasing the boat. It's listed as $0.00 on the receipt, but I recall it being about $400 or perhaps a little more ($420.00 maybe). Way less than list price for sure.

[Leroy]

Brian and Doug, your bimini's look really good.

I had to measure mine and I have the large version at around 7 - 8 ft square, for sure doesn't look as good. It has worked very well for our light skinned family.

[east tx skier]

If it keeps the sun off, it's passed the first test.

[BrianM]

Brian,

My top is mounted the exact same way as yours. I don't have the pole though.

[bradamerry]

If it keeps the sun off, it's passed the first test.
speaking of tests, I just sent one out on the LIST :worthy: !

[east tx skier]

I may have to wait until I'm home before I can have a look see.

[Footin]

Hey Doug,

Could you measure your top height like it the picture? Also the width between your mounting points on the windshield.

I am looking at a top on ebay but I am not sure if it will be the right choice.

Thanks Alot.

[east tx skier]

Sorry, I don't have my boat right now as it's in the shop for maintenance. The length of the longest pole is approximately 36" if that helps. Unfortunately, that's not giving you height.

[Footin]

I forgot you are boatless right now, I can wait till you get it back.

Here is the top I want, they always seem to have one on ebay so I if miss it there will be another one soon. I am concerned with the 26 inch height.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4542798360&category=26451

[erkoehler]

Looks nice~!

[east tx skier]

I'll let you know when I have it back. That height may not be too far from what I'm working with. If the length of the pole is 36", then then height would be shorter than that as the longer pole is at a pretty nice angle toward the rear. I'll be sure to get you a better number when I'm able.

[Footin]

Thanks, BTW I was in the great stae of Texas the other day, El Paso, great weather. Got my first sunburn of the year!

[east tx skier]

... and I was about to ask why you didn't stop by. :) This is our week of perfect weather. We get two per year.

[east tx skier]

Okay, Footin. Here it is. Thanks for being patient with me.

The width from mount to mount is 73.75"
The height from deck to the top of the canvas is 25"
The height from mount to the top of the canvas is 17"
The distance from the mounting point on the windshield to the back edge of the windshield is 15".

[BriEOD]

Footin--I saw one top that had on eBay today. The only thing that I found odd was that they only ship to the nearest "Greyhound Station." I recently sold an old bimini top that I had and I tried to ship it via UPS in the assembled configuration. However, it exceeded their standards and unless I wanted to send it freight for ($200+) I had to break it down. Anyhow, picking up your shipment at the Greyhound Station that is a new one for me!!

[east tx skier]

I ebayed a guitar amplifier two years ago and seriously considered using greyhound. UPS was just more convenient. A lot of people ship large furniture items via greyhound though. Apparently cheaper. They don't ship every day though from what I was told by Eric at EZ slalom on the Nicholls board. Suggested it as a possible way to ship a portable course cheaply.

[BriEOD]

That's a new one for me.

[rmckee47]

I just bought a bimini top from Memphis Boat Center which was delivered via Greyhound. Every piece of hardware on the top is riveted, so it cannot be broken down, which adds to the stability, but means it ships looking like a gigantic U. It was fabricated for a 21 foot Four Winns, but was the right shade of Sunbrella, the correct width, and 40% of the price, delivered.

The main and rear supports are both 7/8 tubing, with straps in front. I'd like to connect both supports to the windshield so it can lay back as others in this thread have shown. Right now the top sits about 6" higher than I'd like, probably 42" above the deck. I can cut down the tubing, but am unsure of the geometry to make it lay back properly. In plain English, what is the relationship between the length of the main and rear supports so it will lay back when not in use?