Towers and Modifying biminis

[skongolf]

I just got an Aerial Airbourne tower on ebay and am not sure if my stock bimini will fit. Probly not, but I am wondering how many of you have modified your existing biminis to fit under your towers. I have a 20 foot maxum and the middle bow of the bimini sits at 71 inches above the boat deck when up. It also mounts to the side of the boat but I have the pins on the windows that I can use if need be. Anyway, if any of you have any tips I would appreciate them.

 

[Hansolo99]

Re: Towers and Modifying biminis

I just bought a different one for mine, but there are people out there do modify the Bimini's to fit the tower. You should check with some Bimini builders I know it is MUCH CHEAPER!

 

[Tabes117]

Re: Towers and Modifying biminis

I added a tower and speakers light bar etc. I shortened my bimini support poles, but still unscrew the front poles to swing it down under the speakers. Once its up still looks and works great.

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: Towers and Modifying biminis

Alot of times the window mounts are more for the convertable type top that snaps to the windshield. A bimini is much more likely to put stresses on the glass that can do damage and boat glass is SUPER expensive to replace. To me not worth the risk to mount on glass/frame. If you can modify the bimini to work it will be much cheaper than to get a tower specific bimini or one that mounts right to the tower. Plus most of the ones that mount right to the tower are only four feet long which doesn't provide as much coverage. I had to modify mine a bit to make it work and it won't fold right down cause it hits the tower but I can put it on/up in just a few minutes and it didn't set me back 4-5 hundred plus its big enough to give the coverage I want.

 

[PitchFork]

Re: Towers and Modifying biminis

I put on a Aerial Tower 8 months and modified my bimini poles and mounted them outside of the glass frame. I had the bimini on the frame and it bounced around a lot since I mounted it to the fiberglass it barely moves around.

 

[eric-holmes]

Re: Towers and Modifying biminis

How do you like that tower Pitchfork?

 

[TahoeQ4Pilot]

Re: Towers and Modifying biminis

I have quick disconnect pins at the hinge pivot point, I can pull the pins, extend the bimini, put it in place and insert the pins back, viola! Plus, it helps get the top in and under the speakers.

 

[Moku'ula]

Re: Towers and Modifying biminis

I have to unscrew the eye on the middle support poles on my bimini, raise it and reattach at the foreward, aft and mid supports. It takes all of two minutes now that I have it down. I like the height of my bimini and prefer this minor issue over lowering the bimini height.

 

[PitchFork]

Re: Towers and Modifying biminis

How do you like that tower Pitchfork?

Yes I really like the tower. It folds down below the windshield in about a minute. I remove four bolts (two on sides and two at top of tower) with an allen wench and back it into the garage all less than five minutes and includes getting the wet life vests out and hanging them on the boat to dry. I had to purchase new M8 x 12mm set screws $13 that were deeper where the allen wench goes in because the original ones stripped easily because they aren't very deep. I used locktite when installing the new set screws.