Hello,
I came across your forum thread while researching putting a Bimini on my 2004 Lund Explorer. A couple questions if you don't mind.
expidia says:
It looked funny when I was scrolling around some threads tonight and I saw my name as the thread starter 'from two years ago"
1. I have ordered a 54" high Bimini, so I don't have to bend over while walking about on my boat. I know it's a shade trade off, but it's difficult to reel and net while bending over. Do you have thoughts about this?
I had that problem deciding the same thing before I ordered mine. But it's a process of elimination: short, you can't stand up. Tall, it's going to look ridiculous. You will take a great looking boat and make it goofy looking. You will look like Big Bird cruising by. I hope your boat's not yellow
Why use one at all, if it's that high it won't shade you much. I think mine is 46 inches from the top of the gunnel. It's higher than you think it is cause it bows up in the middle. Go with the middle choice. They make adjustable extension brackets, if you absolutely need more room after you use it awhile.
2. I have the same sport track/gunnel issue. I am imagining attaching the hardware to the sport track bracket. Thoughts?
3. Depends on how you use your rig. I have a full enclosure and I can run at 30 mph. I would not trust those brackets at high speeds. They will snap if you go too fast. My enclosure gives me added support, but I still didn't like how flimsy it felt when I used the sport trak brackets, so I attached the Bimini to a top slide bracket mounted on the gunnel. The taller it is the more sway you'll get.
A higher bimini is going to catch the wind more like a parchute on windy days.
http://www.iboats.com/Taylor_Alumin...311588577--**********.923847450--view_id.2675
I can take some pics of it if you like. The brackets were about $20 for both. If you use the sport trak brackets the Bimini is going to sway back an forth with the wind and the waves rocking the boat.
If you use the sport trak brackets you will lose inches on each side when the frame is mounted inside the boat. My boat is small enough, I didn't like losing the space with the first installation.
Those brackets are designed for drink holders, gimbal mounted electronics, rod holders etc. The dealer uses them to install the Bimini I guess, but I did not like how rickety it was in my opinion.
3. Any other thoughts are appreciated. I just ordered the Bimini last night, but being it's Sunday, there's probably time to change things if necessary.
You can tell the online shop you ordered the wrong size. You can refuse delivery and when they get the item back they will ship the new one. Or you can ask them to charge your card again and ship the new one right out and refuse delivery of the first one (if this does not strap you money wise) and that saves the time of them getting the other one back. They will credit your card back when they get your return back (could take two weeks by the time they get it back and credit you before they ship though.
You can accept it, try it out and if you don't like the height you can cut the 4 tube ends down yourself. But you'll need to call them and order new eye end because they are pressed on and crimped. You'll need to order the ones with screws. West might carry the ends but at twice the price.
If you are going to use a custom trailering cover from Lund it won't fit on a top of the gunnel mounted system. I had to have a shop make up a custom cover for mine for about $450.
If you use the sport trak bracket you can still use a Lund trailerable cover.
Maybe you should post this question in the Lund forum to see who had their Bimini mounted with the sport trak brackets?
Navy Jr. recently bought a new Lund from a dealer. Maybe he will chime in if he has Bimini and how the dealer mounted it to his rig?
