Modify Bimini to fit under tower

[karlt5503]

Wanted to see if anyone could give me some advice on how to modify my stock bimini to fit under the tower. I have a 3 bow bimini that came with the boat and just installed a new tower. Now of course the bimini poles won't fit between the tower legs. I think I'm ok on height, just a little too wide on the support poles. I read where others have modified them, just wanted to see if anyone had some specifics. If I could just bend the poles inward a little, think it would fit. Is this something that can be done?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Bayliner175xt]

Re: Modify Bimini to fit under tower

Hi, we had the same problem, I shortened the legs by about 10 inches.
because your changing the radial shape of the bimini the sides will become loose.
We had to have to top of ours recovered, because we didn't want it flapping around, we also changed colour to black.
The cost was $600 Australian, you can buy a Monster cargo bimini, from what Iv'e seen they maybe universal.

http://shop.monstertower.com/p-103-cargo-rack-bimini.aspx

Ours is a Monster MT1 Tower, but we are going to change to a Monster Bimini mainly because they look better and can carry stuff on top.

 

[Tabes117]

Re: Modify Bimini to fit under tower

Tower is mounted on the outside of the hull? Should be mounted wider than bimini supports. I also shortened the bimini supports, lowering the top. It was able to fit through the tower. I unscrew the front bimini support, and swing top under my speaker cans. Once open I screw the support pole back in. Takes two minutes extra.

 

[karlt5503]

Re: Modify Bimini to fit under tower

The tower is mounted to the outside of the hull and the bimini supports mount to the windshield. The tower is wider at the bottom, but curves inward at the top. This is where the bimini makes contact, and will not fit through. I hate to lower the top much, as we would not be able to walk under it very well.
I was thinking, could I cut the support poles in the middle, take out 1-2 inches, making them narrower in width, then put a pipe in between to join them back together. Then, I would probably have to change the bend at the top, as they would now have a different angle, not the same 90 degree, that way they would still mount to the windshield. This would allow support poles to be narrower in width, but still fit in the mount on the windshield.

Would that be a bad way to go about it?

 

[texomatom]

Re: Modify Bimini to fit under tower

I have the Monster bimini on my Monster (MT1) tower. What they did to make it work is mount it to the rear legs of the tower and added a slip joint to the legs of the front bow. When deployed or stowed, the legs are fully extended. When you open the bimini, you shorten the front legs to get the bow under the front tower legs.
Tom

 

[karlt5503]

Re: Modify Bimini to fit under tower

Thanks for the advice guys. I ended up shortening the width of the front support pole. I cut about 3 " out from the middle, then used a pipe joiner to attach the pole back together. Its now about 2 " narrower across and will just fit through the front tower legs enough to put up the top. I still have to disconect the front support pole to swing through the tower legs, then reattach with screw, but no big deal.