Top track questions...

[Mark42]

I haven't actually started to cut and fit the poles to the boat yet, so this is all speculation on my part. But I need input from you folks with bimini tops and slide tracks. So please bear with me.....<br /><br />I would like to use a side mount slide track for the top. This is because I don't want the track on top of the gunnel and the mounting holes that will go with it in case I remove it, and a track is needed to slide the top back to the splashwell so it is out of the way when not in the up position. I figure I'll need about 2ft of track on each side. If the top wont slide, it will be right in the middle of the open are behind the seats when folded down.<br /><br />Now the problem I see is when the top is up, it will connect around the seat back area of the boat which is the widest part of the beam, but when folded down and slid back 2 ft, the beam narrows a few inches and that will force the framework to sort of 'ride up' the sides of the gunnel and not lay flat on top of the splashwell. In other words it will always be pointing up at a 30* angle or so (or so I think it will) because althoug the side poles will flex to match the varying beam, the top bows will not and the side poles will rest on the gunnel at their mid points. Can you picture what I'm describing? <br /><br />So I'm wondering if the poles should be bent near the slide track mount so that when folded down, the poles will be parallel with the gunnel. I think a 45* angle about 3 inches up from the slide track would do it. The slide jaw for the second bow would have to go above the bend. What this does is this: When the top is up, the first three inches of the pole is near horizontal in a fore and aft direction. When the top is down, the first 3 inches point up at a 45* angle to the aft before the poles lay flat in a plane above the gunnel. So when sliding the top back even thought the beam narrows, the top will still lie flat on the gunnel and splashwell.<br /><br />Do you follow me or do I sound crazy?<br /><br />So my question is how do you folks with bimini tops and side mounted tracks deal with varying beam as the top slides on the track?

 

[gewf631]

Re: Top track questions...

Mark<br />I can appreciate you wanting to keep the install as "clean" as possible, but the track isn't necessarily a bad thing - heck, you could even get creative and recess-it into the top of your gunnel.<br /><br />I looked at your pictures. Have you thought about mounting it to the outside of that gunnel-hump? I don't know if you'd have the same narrowing issue (or if it's as severe), but maybe that's an option.<br /><br />Finally, you said that beam narrows a few inches. Have you measured the length of the bimini vertical supports? I'm figuring they're something like 48" long, so for each of them to have to bend an inch, you really ain't talkin' much in the way of flex. True, they won't slide real easy, but the bowing shoudn't be that much of an issue.