make my bimini work with my tower...........

jixxxer

I have a 97 prostar 205 with the factory bimini (its wide). Monster tower was added later and now to get the bimini up in place we have to disconnect the rear tower legs and slide the tower up and them put the bimini up! Its a hassle and takes a few peeps. Any ideas what i can do besides buying a new bimini?

gx205 · Outlaw Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 118

jixxxer, I kind of had the same problem, and after a lot of tweaking and thought I made my factory bimini top work with my Monster Tower.

I first just cut down the width, and height of my original bimini frame till it would fit under, and in between the tower legs, and used it that way the first year. It worked, but I couldn't fold it back up like originally, and the boot would no longer work with the way it folded up, as the legs were too far apart after I changed them. Plus the bimini top kind of hung down excessive on the sides, since I had narroed the original width. This got me by for the first part of last summer r, but I knew I needed to tweak it a little more.

I ended up marking where the factory bimini top hung down to far on the sides, and then took it to a local upholstery shop and had them cut off the excess, and then re-hem the sides. Now it looked fine, but I stll had to leave it up all of the time, since it still wouldn't fold up like originally.

Then over this winter, I installed a whole new stereo in my boat that included some Tower speakers. Now my bimini top again wouldn't fit, as it hit the tower speakers. so I decided to do it completely right this time, and started brainstorming of how to make it work again, BUT also fold up like originally so that if I didn't want to leave it up all of the time out on the lake, I wouldn't have to.

What I ended up doing was, leaving the way I fabricated the back legs the same, as they weren't hitting anything, and was at the height I needed to let people move around freely. I shortened the middle legs, and changed where they, originally mounted to the back legs, so that it would now just barely go under the Tower speakers when it was up. Now the front legs were useless as since I changed the mounting point on the middle legs, the front legs wouldn't come out far enough to cover the driver seat, much less have the straps mount to their original hooks.

I ended up buying a set of adjustable legs from Overtons, and adding them to my front legs. Now I could keep the slid in, to clear under my speakers, but then simply extend them to stretch, the bimini top out to it's original coverage area, and hook up the front straps.

Now it worked again fine, but again it wouldn't fold up right. The back leg was fine, the front leg could be lowered to go under the speakers, and them extended again to raise up close to the back legs, but the middle legs were still way to low to get my bimini boot on.

So put another set of leg mounts higher up on my back legs with quick conectors. Now once my bimini top is ready to be folded out of the way, I simply un hook the front straps, loosen the wing nuts on the front legs, and lower them all the way down, and fold them back onto the middle legs. now i fold the both of them back against the back legs. now i unhook the midlle legs, and move them up to the second pair of mounts, which makes the middle legs fold right under the back legs.

Then I just extend the front legs up right under the middle legs, and now my factory boot will fit again, as the bimini top now folds up again like originally.

Sorry for the loooong post, but I hope this helps. i know it probably sounds like a lot of work, and time, but it really isn't bad. Also I'm sure it seems like a lot of work to fold, and unfold the bimini top , but that doesn't take very long either. it's just a tad longer than what it took originally.

jixxxer · Posted: Feb 12, 2009 5:26 pm Post subject:

Thanks for that great post! It would really really help if you good get some pics of it up and down. How did u cut the width put the bimini back together???

Thanks again!

gx205 · Outlaw Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 118

No problem jixxxer, I'd be glad to send you some pictures.

Just private messenger me with your e-mail, and I'll send you some pictures of my top folded, and extended.

I just simply cut all of my bimini frame legs with a hacksaw, and then re-installed the mounts to the legs with stainless steel screws.

This board has been a great help to me at times, so I glad to hear I can help someone else out!!

WakeMikey · Addict Joined: 29 Mar 2008 Posts: 640 City: Fridley

Post 'em here! I have a bimini i just got that barely fits in my Monster Tower but I have a feeling it will be tough to collapse the tower as well as fold the bimini up. At least without some modifications. Mine is just a tough too wide I think.

I think it's backwards in this pic lol but it may fit better this way. We'll see this spring! Smile

gx205 · Outlaw Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 118

OK, I made a video of me folding and then unfolding my Bimini top, after I have altered it to fit my boat, since I installed my Monster Tower and Tower speakers.

I sent it to jixxxer's e-mail.

If you would like me to, I could also send it to your e-mail, WakeMikey, or if someone can tell me how to post it on this forum, I'd be happy to do that .

WakeMikey · Addict Joined: 29 Mar 2008 Posts: 640 City: Fridley

Thanks! The email is wakemikey@yahoo.com I think you can upload vids here but not sure about what size they can be. Thanks a lot for taking all this extra effort to help everyone out!

gx205 · Outlaw Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 118

Hey, I sent both of you guys e-mails with my video, but I haven't heard anything back from either of you.

Did you two get my e-mails?? Did the video work??

Thanks

jixxxer · Posted: Feb 16, 2009 7:08 am Post subject:

Never got it.................ortego4@gmail.com

Thanks!

gx205 · Outlaw Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 118

OK, Jixxxer I sent it to you again.

Let me know if it does or doesn't work please.

If it doesn't, I have another email account in yahoo, so I'll give it a try.

Thanks, and sorry for the email problems

WakeMikey · Addict Joined: 29 Mar 2008 Posts: 640 City: Fridley

Sorry I don't see it from this weekend either! Maybe spamblocker is catching it grrr.... You could also try dahlhm1@medtronic.com Thank you again!

jixxxer · Posted: Feb 16, 2009 2:47 pm Post subject:

No still nothing gx205; I got your original message but no vid.

gx205 · Outlaw Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 118

Jixxxer, and wakemikey, I compressed the video down to a zip folder, and sent it to the both of you again.

I'm thinking maybe the file is just too large, so maybe this will help it work.

I also think?, I've got it onto youtube, so as soon as it shows up there i'll give you two that address also.

Anyhow oneway or the other i'll get this video to you.

Thanks for your patience

WakeMikey · Addict Joined: 29 Mar 2008 Posts: 640 City: Fridley

Hey if it's easier I can wait for the youtube version. Smile

Sorry still not seein it

gx205 · Outlaw Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 118

Wakemikey, I sent you an e-mail with the link to the youtube video, but I guess you didn't get that one either.

I think the file was way too large to send through an e-mail and that was the first problem, then I compressed it for you and jixxxer, and re-sent it that way, but that didn't work either, so then I just sent you and jixxer an e-mail with the youtube link.

Jixxxer got that one as he sent me an e-mail back thanking me.

So here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXojYJpm2ps

This is the first video I have ever tried to make, and I have know idea why the song plays two times in the video. Once the screen goes black the video is done, but the song by "Pepper", starts playing again. I'm sure it is just a rookie mistake.

hope this helps you

m_lesney · Soul Rider Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Posts: 358 City: Austin

yea that looks like a lotta work

gx205 · Outlaw Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 118

I guess it really depends on how much time you think is a long time.

The first time I measured and cut the legs to a smaller width and height, took roughly less than hour and a half from start to finish.

Then to later mark where I wanted to take off the excess off the sides was maybe a whole 20 minutes.

My local upholstery person cut it and re-hemed it for me for $30.00, and had it back in a day.

Now I brainstormed on this last modification with the adjustable legs, for a good day or more, but after I figured out how I wanted to do it, I spent maybe another 3 hours on it.

So bottom line is, just barely over a half of days work, at a cost of:

Factory Bimini Top...................................no cost
Misc. stainless screws and pop rivets ......... $25.00
Uplostery shop cost....................................$30.00
Adjustable front legs...................................$45.00
extra mounts..........no cost, as they came with the adjustable legs
6 hours labor?.......what are you worth?

so total out of pocket cost is around $100.00

It was going to cost me around $545.00 for a tower bimini top, and my stock one covers a larger area.

m_lesney · Soul Rider Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Posts: 358 City: Austin

not bad

WakeMikey · Addict Joined: 29 Mar 2008 Posts: 640 City: Fridley

No youtube at work... Wow! First off awesome video skillz. Good song choice. Colorful

Is there a way for me to download it? Thank you!!

I will need to get another look at my bimini and boat before I know for sure, but I think your advice will help me a great deal! I think if both legs are adjustable I will be set! I think your setup is really slick!

Your boat looks great! I grew up on a much older Glastron Volvo Penta. My inboard is my first boat of my own and it has been a really good decision. We have not had any issues with a stationary propellor that I/my dad was afraid of in our somewhat shallow river.

My bimini was on backwards, but it seemed to fit better that way. I will experiment more. THANKS! Really wanna download that..