bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

[bobbo268]

So i recently purchased a 16.5ft premier pontoon boat. Decent shape, and been learning lots from this forum. The one thing that pee's me off about the boat, is that the bimini top only folds forward, down onto the front seats, not over the back of the boat like every other boat out there (it does sit up at an angle backwards, but won't lay flat on the rear seats). Its not too big of a deal for storage, but for fishing, or working on the boat when the cover is on it, its just in the way. I've attached pictures, and as you can see, the middle bracket extends too far for the top to lay down. At first I thought it was on backwards, but there are snaps on the bimini top that are snapped to the poles, so its gotta be facing the right direction. Its a 96 and i thought maybe it was an old design, but my father has a 95 that lays back, and i've never seen a pontoon that HAD to have it fold forward....

Am I missing something? Is there an easy fix? Or am i destined to deal with this forever?

From what i can see, premier would have been a VERY GOOD boat back in the day, its all plastic, no wood (other than floor), with railing risers, thick braces, etc..... but why have an expensive boat that is made with such a flaw?

 

[The Rooster]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

Doesn't look like you need much more height. Maybe 1/2 - 3/4" taller rail bracket. May affect the height of your rear support legs as well. Should be an easy fix replacing w/ slightly taller brackets. If the rear support legs are not adjustable, just replace those brackets as well. Good luck !!!

 

[calamus]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

It all most looks like the bimini top is on backwards Im not sure I will go out and look at mine and take a pic this evening.

 

[britisher]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

Over tons do a bimini top slide assembly. Costs range from $40 to $70 depending on length. It's two tracks (1 either side of boat). Bimini main bracket sits in track. When not in use, you slide the top back on the slides to how ever far back you want it to go. Seems like a neat idea to me. Tried to put in the link, but the site doesn't like links, etc for competitors. I can undestand that, but doesn't help helping.

 

[bobbo268]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

If it was able to lay down it would fall right on the rear seat. It's that Damn bracket that won't let it fall flat. And I would have to say its on right because there are snaps on the rear of the frame and snaps on the back of the Bimini canvas and they match up.

 

[Grandad]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

If it was able to lay down it would fall right on the rear seat. It's that Damn bracket that won't let it fall flat. And I would have to say its on right because there are snaps on the rear of the frame and snaps on the back of the Bimini canvas and they match up.

Since I can't see exactly what you have, I wonder if the canvas, along with the bows, should be remounted in reverse. The snaps would still line up then. But I don't know if your top is the same shape front and back. - Grandad

 

[MinUph]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

What if you shortened the rear brace and moved the bracket up on the main brace. Or as I think already mentioned extend the main bracket higher to allow more clearance for the second bracket to lay on the rail.

 

[Old Screwball]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

It appears to me it is on backwards. Take out the 4 screws, turn it around and see if that works. Shouldn't take 5 or 10 minutes, if it doesn't put it back. Maybe the original owner had a reason for folding the top that way.

Good Luck!

 

[bobbo268]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

well, i opened it up and inspected it more closely, and I don't think there is any way to turn it around... as you can see, the back is not symmetrical with the front. The bows are larger and come down further. The part with the snaps on it is one long piece, and there is snaps on the front as well that match up with the bimini canvas and the anchor light is mounted and wired on the rear and comes out the drivers side... i think this must have been an experimental setup and they stopped after this one haha. I may have to make a bracket to bring the middle bracket off the railing further..... what do you think?

Same boats here, different length by 1 foot, but this one is on right....

but then this pic it looks like the anchor light is on the front?

 

[MinUph]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

Anchor light is generally in the front.

 

[bobbo268]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

and yet another one of what it looks like up on a different boat, the larger part of canopy is in back, the anchor light is apparently in back, but i can't see the brackets.... (i've only seen one pontoon boat in my life with the anchor light on the front, and that was just now looking at hundreds of pictures on google...

 

[MinUph]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

I'm gonna take a couple of these images and ask a few canvas people for you. Be back in a couple days with their response.

 

[calamus]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

since you have the pictures up I wont post mine the frame is backwards from mine and looking at what you have it looks backwards,but with the light being in the back maybe it was designed to lay forward when not in use? I am at a loss good luck.

 

[bobbo268]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

since you have the pictures up I wont post mine the frame is backwards from mine and looking at what you have it looks backwards,but with the light being in the back maybe it was designed to lay forward when not in use? I am at a loss good luck.

Do you have the same boat? Either way, is your anchor light in front? See my concern is That because the back of the Bimini canvas had the wrap around part, even if we're to flip the frame, the canvas wouldn't fit because the frame is not symmetrical front and back...

 

[The Woo Woo Kid]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

Maybe whoever installed it originally screwed up.......Looks like the frame is backwards.......then maybe they also installed the canvas backwards too.

How or where does the coverage fall ? does it cover the boat like a normal top?

 

[richard.prince]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

Mine doest fold flat either

 

[Capt Sully]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

bob, it looks like your missing a few brackets, a short one in the rear for lying down and the front supports. heres a pic of mine. note anchor light in rear and short brackets for lying down.

 

[MinUph]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

The consensus from all the canvas guys I shared this with is the top is backwards. So if you tried this. I stated this before. Take the canvas off turn the frame 180 degrees Front becomes back put canvas back on as it was front as front and back as back. If new studs need to be added to the rear frame do so.
In all honesty I doubt this was a factory bimini or one made by an experienced canvas person. It just doesn't look right. Try reversing and maybe the whole thing will even look right. Mine canvas was on backwards when I bought the boat and it looked odd. When turned around it looks fine.

 

[bobbo268]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

Maybe whoever installed it originally screwed up.......Looks like the frame is backwards.......then maybe they also installed the canvas backwards too.

How or where does the coverage fall ? does it cover the boat like a normal top?

Yea, as it sits its perfect. covers everything perfect. When I get another guy available i'll take it off, and the cover too. Like I said, I don't think the canvas can be reversed, because at the rear, the sides come down a bit and the rear bows look longer, and the light is on the rear and the wiring is on the drivers side, BUT i could be wrong, so I'll give it a shot.

I took off the front support arms (still have them) and replaced with straps because it was easier to put tension on the top and pull the canvas tighter.

 

[BLC]

Re: bimini top only folds onto front seats, not back..... why????

Try reversing the whole frame and switch the two middle bars around, if they are different sizes (front one to the back, back one to the front) and put the canvas back on. Should work. worse case you may have to drill another hole for the anchor light wire.