installing bimini on home made tower

[Liquid_force]

Doing a little brain storming here.

The process of actually attaching it should be simple enough.
I'm planning to simply drill a couple 3/8" holes through the tower and insert some SS studs which will serve as the pivot point.

The hang up I'm worried about is the point at the outer edges of the canopy rubbing against and/or not clearing the inside surfaces of the tower.

Would you think just being sure the width of the bimini is on the narrow side, so the attachment poles have to be pulled slightly apart (top narrower than base) would be enough to make it work?

The other option, that I'm trying to avoid, is buying a bimini with a taller frame that would mount, as usual to the surface of the deck.

 

[salty87]

Re: installing bimini on home made tower

my bimini is rigged a bit differently from the sound of what you're trying....but it works really well. it's not factory style, more like a trampoline...it doesn't fold up but in TX i either need it or i don't. if i don't, it stays home. its made of aluminum tubing with the top laced to the tubing.

the outer tubing of the bimini slides into rails that are mounted on my tower. the rails are hidden by the cross supports of the tower. there are stainless pins that insert through the tower cross member and through the bimini tubing to prevent any movement.

what i like the most about this set-up is that there are no additional supports or straps, just the bimini overhead.

it shows pretty good in this pic...

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: installing bimini on home made tower

i wish i had an 8 ft bimini than the 6 ft. mine is adjustable bow to stearn by 2 ft, on a sliding mount.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f119/tashasdaddy/port.jpg

 

[Liquid_force]

Re: installing bimini on home made tower

Salty, did you come up with that yourself, or is a set up like that available for purchase somewhere?

 

[salty87]

Re: installing bimini on home made tower

my tower was made locally and i went back to him for the bimini.

have you seen the newer bimini's where it goes over the tower? i think malibu is doing that. looks pretty cool but also looks like at high noon you're not getting too much shade since the bimini is higher and smaller.