Replacing bimini top with walk-on hard top

[cBooms]

Hi everyone, I have a 1995 JC Tritoon and it currently has a bimini top to it. I was lookin at different boats on the web a while ago and saw a pontoon boat with a walk on hard top. I was wondering if it would be possible to change our bimini top to a walk on hardtop. Have any of you guys done this before or does anyone know if it would even work?

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: Replacing bimini top with walk-on hard top

I enclosed the back of a Party Hut and a Party Cruiser with a walk on hard top. My sig shows where I enclosed the back of my 24' Bentley but I did not design it to walk on.

All obvious construction techniques come into play; mainly light weight and braced well for flexing.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Replacing bimini top with walk-on hard top

Welcome to iboats.

You can make an uper deck but not from your bimini, it would have to be all new construction, the rails would never support the weight.

The bimini frame is just not made to hold that kind of weight, we have had an upper deck option on our boats(bennington) and it is a super beefy deal, lots to think about, you have to place the feet on a crossmember and take into account all the weight of people on top bouncing back and forth in a wake, it is a real project.

As I always say, draw it out first in a measured drawing, if you can't do it onpaper you probably can't do it in metal either, then see if you cna find the materials to do and what they will cost.

I have taken out a top deck and I can tell you with all that weight high they really flop in wake with that much weight that high.

So yes, a top can be added, you just need to figure out if YOU can do it.