cutting bimini top and mounting

[badbowtie]

I am looking at buying a used bimini top for my boat I have found one but it is taller than I really want. I have read were people have cut the main pole at the bottom to lower them. I have not seen it to know how much can be cut so I will ask about how much would I beable to cut on a about 52" top. I am trying to decide how and were to mount it on my boat to work the best. I have seen them mounted all of the boats on the side windows on the outside of the windows or on the inside. Any mount better or worse I would think mounting to the top of the side windows would be the worse on stress.

 

[marcortez]

Re: cutting bimini top and mounting

The strongest mounting location would be on a flat surface....preferably on the top of the gunwales.......thru fiberglass.

If possible, use SS hardware and thru bolt the mounting pads and use nylon lock nuts and a fender style washer.

 

[PitchFork]

Re: cutting bimini top and mounting

The strongest mounting location would be on a flat surface....preferably on the top of the gunwales.......thru fiberglass.

If possible, use SS hardware and thru bolt the mounting pads and use nylon lock nuts and a fender style washer.

+1 THat is exactly what I did. My bimini top was way to high so I cut it down and put SS hardware on. Last year when I bought a tower I once again had to cut it down more to tuck it under the tower.

 

[marcortez]

Re: cutting bimini top and mounting

More mounting options:

 

[badbowtie]

Re: cutting bimini top and mounting

Also when I was looking at new ones they said they would fit like 80-88 wide how do they adjust for different widths.

 

[75TowerOfPower]

Re: cutting bimini top and mounting

The easiet way to cut it down would be to unbolt the support tube from the mounting foot and then cut there and re drill the hole for the sleeve of the mounting foot to slide back in and use the sotck hardware. Remember since its probably stainless its harder than steel and will take longer to cut and drill. When drilling try to step up the drill sizes and use some cutting fluid.

 

[marcortez]

Re: cutting bimini top and mounting

Also when I was looking at new ones they said they would fit like 80-88 wide how do they adjust for different widths.

The don't have an adjustment feature for width.
You just spread the support tubes outward enough to reach the mounting connections.

 

[badbowtie]

Re: cutting bimini top and mounting

Okay I figured that was the way the width worked. I figured that was how to cut it for height and I have worked with stainless before. I have plenty of tools to cut it and drill holes with a drill press even. I can even tig weld stainless so changing things is not a big deal.

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: cutting bimini top and mounting

When you order them they give 2 inches in or out on each leg thus the 8 inches overall. If yours will fit from 80 to 88 it was ordered as an 84 inch when new. Yours probably has the caps that fit over the ends of the down tubes which is common on the stainless stuff. I have seen them though that the end piece(eye fitting) is held in via a crimp in the tube and unless you have the tool to crimp it not easy to redo. Thats usually more on the alum. tube units though. When I installed mine I went with the fiberglass mount on the outsides of the windshield. I didn't want to mess with the windshield AT ALL one thing goes wrong and you are looking at a very expensive screw up. Plus the flat fiberglass mount seemed much more sturdy to me.