Best shade system?

[Wyota]

Researching options to provide some shade while fishing at troll in a 80s 14ft mirro v tiller drive.

Concerned that a bimini would get in the way of fishing. Thought about a homemade T top, or just a big umbrella or 2.

What have others done, and thoughts?

 

[gogittum]

I ordered one of these last week: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0853WRVR5?ref=ppx_pt2_dt_b_prod_image Doesn't look real heavy duty but it's cheap and a bungee from the front should hold it in place. It's mostly for my dog, so will mount it low so's I can see over it.

If the sun really gets bad, I can remount it to shade myself and pooch can sit at my feet.

 

[DaleH]

Heavy beach umbrellas are only $25-$35 around here (Boston). The 7' diameter should provide some coverage.

FWIW, Marine Part Depot (http://www.marinepartdepot.com/newststrodho3.html) sells a 4" SS rod holder set at 90-degrees, for $10 each. At that price you could have a few spots to hold them or just go cheap and fasten some PVC tubes in a few spots!

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[Wyota]

Heavy beach umbrellas are only $25-$35 around here (Boston). The 7' diameter should provide some coverage.

FWIW, Marine Part Depot (http://www.marinepartdepot.com/newststrodho3.html) sells a 4" SS rod holder set at 90-degrees, for $10 each. At that price you could have a few spots to hold them or just go cheap and fasten some PVC tubes in a few spots!

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Rod Holder, 90-degree.gif

Thank you. I have been leaning towards the umbrella Idea.--Didn't think about beach umbrellas, I'll check that out.

 

[Wyota]

I ordered one of these last week: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0853WRVR5?ref=ppx_pt2_dt_b_prod_image Doesn't look real heavy duty but it's cheap and a bungee from the front should hold it in place. It's mostly for my dog, so will mount it low so's I can see over it.

If the sun really gets bad, I can remount it to shade myself and pooch can sit at my feet.

Those versabrellas are some of what I have been looking at. How high do they mount? I have folding "bleacher" chairs mounted to the bench seats that would give it something to connect to, would it go high enough to be out to the way yet provide shade?

 

[gogittum]

Mine should be here mid-week, so I'll let you know.

 

[LDUBS]

My previous 15' boat had a bimini top. It provided good shade, but definitely got in the way when fishing/trolling. When I was fishing solo, I would loosely secure only one of the rear straps with a piece of velcro so I could fold the bimini forward to get it out of the way. Not very elegant, but hey, it worked.

 

[gogittum]

I looked at the 7 ft beach umbrellas but the boat is only a bit over 5 ft wide and I figured they would be an awkward thing to set up and run with. The one I ordered "looks" to be big enuf to be effective and won't have as much drag in the air when running. I hope.

 

[DaleH]

I'd mount it high off the center/back of your boat seat, then whichever you turned ... you'd have shade. The dog? ... maybe ...

 

[Kismet]

We're wantin' some picture here, guys.
:roll:

 

[LDUBS]

Well, maybe not. :LOL2:

 

[gogittum]

Sport Brella came in yesterday and fussed with mounting options some today. Think I've got a good preliminary setup in place now, so will water test it tomorrow and post pictures afterward. I think it'll be too small for really good personal protection and it's very light weight, but appears to be perfect for my hot dog.

 

[Wyota]

Well, maybe not. :LOL2:

Screen Shot 2021-07-24 at 5.43.17 PM.png

We have a winner!!

 

[Wyota]

Sport Brella came in yesterday and fussed with mounting options some today. Think I've got a good preliminary setup in place now, so will water test it tomorrow and post pictures afterward. I think it'll be too small for really good personal protection and it's very light weight, but appears to be perfect for my hot dog.

Awesome, look forward to it. I chased couple walmart specials down but they were all out, soook forward to seeing your setup.

BTW, like the fishfinder mount. I now have to rethink mine (currently mounted on a flat board pintle mounted into one of the rowing lugs

 

[gogittum]

I also built a full sized working mock-up of an instrument panel and finished it today. I'll show it in tomorrow's pictures. It mounts at an angle on the aluminum plate below the Lowrance. When I'm sure there aren't any bugs (none showing so far) I'll build the permanent one out of an Acacia slab similar to the one the Lowrance is mounted on. (very pretty grain cutting board) I have yet another Acacia wood board that will mount between the 2 and carry the VHF radio that's still in storage. (long story)

 

[nytebyte]

Them little umbrellas do work great for my black lab to get a bit of shade. I keep it down low so she can get under it otherwise it catches to much wind.

 

[Colorado1135]

I've got a vertically mounted PVC rod holder on the left console of my fisher 19. lash the umbrella down or it will take flight with a gust of wind. works great to keep shade in the boat and doesn't interfere with fishing

 

[gogittum]

My run today was a bust. Got it launched and couldn't keep the motor going. I just put in the larger tank the boat came with and couldn't make the bulb squeeze firm.....must be sucking air in the tank or something - the fuel hose and squeeze bulb worked fine on my test runs with the smaller tank last week. Squeeze the bulb for a long time and seem to feel some pressure and the motor would start, run for 30 seconds and die. Bulb empty. Always somepin. Anyway......

View attachment 2

Looking forward from driver's seat while seated. Visibility forward is fine. Stand up and it's a non-issue. I agree with nytebyte about keeping it low - the umbrella seems well enuf made but very light and fragile. I doubt it'll handle much wind. Also, it throws the shade too far forward to be really practical.

As threatened, there's my new experimental instrument panel and it works fine. Voltmeter and tachometer, circuit breakers, main power switch and bilge pump switch. Later I'll add another breaker for the VHF and I may add a 2nd bilge pump. Undecided at this point. The VHF will go on a new shelf between the Lowrance and the instrument panel.

I took a piece of 4 quarters 2x6 and made a spacer to set it back away from the seat. This is a very temporary setup for proof of function. The push-to-release angle adjustments work very well and have a good range of motion, but again, seem fragile. We'll see.

I don't think it's really big enuf to do a person much good, but is a perfect size for my 50# dog. Throws a good patch of shade and is rated UPF 50.

 

[gogittum]

A quick add-on to show the rest of the system.....

I mounted the grab bar on hinges so's I could lay it flat while trailering and when covered. It uses 2 heavy duty steel hinges. The bar itself is a golf cart item that cost me just $35 on Amazon. A doubled 1/8" x 1" steel strap, here swung out of the way, holds it solidly when running. You could swing from it. It plugs into the home made fitting on the front of the seat and is locked by a push pin locking bar. Motorcycle battery is in the black box.

I made an X frame at the back to support my push pole and a smaller brace on the center seat to support the middle of the push pole. Grab bar is completely out of the way. This makes a very neat and sanitary installation and keeps leaves and debris out of the boat. (I park it under a forest of Oak trees) It tows beautifully, too and keeps prying eyes off'n my stuff. Now I worry about push pole thieves. Always somepin.

The cobbled up seat mount is the only way I could figure to mount it on a pivot base without making it too high. Hey....it works.

 

[Wyota]

Nice setup, like how it folds down!