Bimini question

[sirbeigealot]

I just finished installing rod holders on my 14 ft aluminum Valco.
I think I'm finally ready to take it out for the first time.
However, I installed a bimini top, and the more I look at it and think about it, the more I'm wondering how we are going to fish around the frame and straps.
Anyone ever fish with a bimini?

I may soon have a nice one for sale...

 

[nomowork]

What happens when it's a hot sunny day and the bite is slow. You'll be glad you had that bimini. I just finished installing the clips for mine today as I use it on two different boats.

But seriously, if you plan to sell it cheap, I may be interested.

 

[sirbeigealot]

What happens when it's a hot sunny day and the bite is slow. You'll be glad you had that bimini. I just finished installing the clips for mine today as I use it on two different boats.

But seriously, if you plan to sell it cheap, I may be interested.

I would've taken it to Newport Marina yesterday if it wasn't a holiday weekend.
I hope to get out there this week and see how the top works out.
If I decide to sell it I'll get back to you.

 

[Aaron Lariscy]

Without stealing your thread id like to pose another question. How exactly do these adjust for width of the boat? A local guy has one of those from cabelas/basspro for sale cheap but my boat is small at 48" beam can I make it fit?

https://m.cabelas.com/cabelas/product/detail.do?itemId=737023&categoryId=&path=

 

[nomowork]

I would've taken it to Newport Marina yesterday if it wasn't a holiday weekend.
I hope to get out there this week and see how the top works out.
If I decide to sell it I'll get back to you.

Newport is a nice harbor but beware of the afternoon winds in such a light boat.

I kayak fish in the harbor a lot and launch from the beach at the Aquatic Center for kayaks. The afternoon winds are so strong, once I was fishing solo (two seater kayak) and the winds kept turning my kayak around in circles.

 

[bcbouy]

i saw a guy and his wife fishing last weekend,he had a patio umbrella for a sunshade on his 12 foot , it looked so funny a laughed all morning.

 

[hkmp5s]

I just put a bimini on my 15ft mod-v and I love it. I got the 44" or 46" tall x 66" wide, I can't remember exactly. As far as fishing with it up it's kind of a pain but you can't live with out one here in this brutal Texas heat. One thing I ordered that I'm going to try out is the adjustable bimini support poles for the back.
https://www.boatersland.com/tay11995.html

With 2 people it's fishable but if it gets to be in the way to much you can just stow it away.

 

[sirbeigealot]

Without stealing your thread id like to pose another question. How exactly do these adjust for width of the boat? A local guy has one of those from cabelas/basspro for sale cheap but my boat is small at 48" beam can I make it fit?

https://m.cabelas.com/cabelas/product/detail.do?itemId=737023&categoryId=&path=

The ad says that they have a size starting at 54"...I don't know if it would bend to accomodate 48". They are flexible to a few inches, but that would be close I think.

 

[sirbeigealot]

I would've taken it to Newport Marina yesterday if it wasn't a holiday weekend.
I hope to get out there this week and see how the top works out.
If I decide to sell it I'll get back to you.

Newport is a nice harbor but beware of the afternoon winds in such a light boat.

I kayak fish in the harbor a lot and launch from the beach at the Aquatic Center for kayaks. The afternoon winds are so strong, once I was fishing solo (two seater kayak) and the winds kept turning my kayak around in circles.

I used to rent the skiffs from Davey's Locker...I hear you on the wind.
Looking forward to getting out there this week.

 

[sirbeigealot]

i saw a guy and his wife fishing last weekend,he had a patio umbrella for a sunshade on his 12 foot , it looked so funny a laughed all morning.

LOL...you may have just saved me from making a big mistake.

 

[sirbeigealot]

I just put a bimini on my 15ft mod-v and I love it. I got the 44" or 46" tall x 66" wide, I can't remember exactly. As far as fishing with it up it's kind of a pain but you can't live with out one here in this brutal Texas heat. One thing I ordered that I'm going to try out is the adjustable bimini support poles for the back.
https://www.boatersland.com/tay11995.html

With 2 people it's fishable but if it gets to be in the way to much you can just stow it away.

I basically have the same size as yours, glad to hear that it works for you.
Thanks for the link for those those adjustable poles.
I may try to make the top taller if I keep it.

 

[hkmp5s]

That link has them for about $20 cheaper than Ive found any where else. My Bimini is a 6 foot 3 bow and i can stand under it with about 1 inch clearance. Remember as you go higher you loose a little shade. I also got some Bimini clips that let you clip a towel for more shade. As for putting a Bimini on a skinny boat the taller you go the more you can adjust it in for a smaller with.

 

[justnortherns]

With 2 people it's fishable but if it gets to be in the way to much you can just stow it away.

+1, although I've also wondered about the feasibility of fishing with a bimini. Thinking out loud (but not having tried this) maybe you could compromise by installing the bimini over a very small area of the boat (i.e. something like less than 1/2 the length of the boat). That way you could have space for fishing out in the open but still have a small area onboard where you could get a break from the sun now and then.

 

[bcbouy]

i screwed a golf umbrella holder (for a pull cart) to the back of my seats and they work great,plus they disassemble for stowage,and cost me about forty bucks.

 

[sirbeigealot]

That link has them for about $20 cheaper than Ive found any where else. My Bimini is a 6 foot 3 bow and i can stand under it with about 1 inch clearance. Remember as you go higher you loose a little shade. I also got some Bimini clips that let you clip a towel for more shade. As for putting a Bimini on a skinny boat the taller you go the more you can adjust it in for a smaller with.

Are you saying that these support poles made your bimini taller?

 

[sirbeigealot]

With 2 people it's fishable but if it gets to be in the way to much you can just stow it away.

+1, although I've also wondered about the feasibility of fishing with a bimini. Thinking out loud (but not having tried this) maybe you could compromise by installing the bimini over a very small area of the boat (i.e. something like less than 1/2 the length of the boat). That way you could have space for fishing out in the open but still have a small area onboard where you could get a break from the sun now and then.

That is how it is currently, it's more towards the rear half of the boat...actually the straps cover 2/3 of the boat, which is the potential problem.

 

[sirbeigealot]

i screwed a golf umbrella holder (for a pull cart) to the back of my seats and they work great,plus they disassemble for stowage,and cost me about forty bucks.

I was thinking of getting a large patio umbrella and screw it into the center bench...but someone saw that being done and couldn't stop laughing!

 

[hkmp5s]

That link has them for about $20 cheaper than Ive found any where else. My Bimini is a 6 foot 3 bow and i can stand under it with about 1 inch clearance. Remember as you go higher you loose a little shade. I also got some Bimini clips that let you clip a towel for more shade. As for putting a Bimini on a skinny boat the taller you go the more you can adjust it in for a smaller with.

Are you saying that these support poles made your bimini taller?

No the support poles just replace the back straps. You can adjust how high you stow the top with them though. I have mine mounted on the back 1/3 of my boat and if I stow it flat it rests on the motor. I didn't like that so I got the adjustable support poles so I can stow it up about 2 1/2 to 3 feet in the air out of the way of the motor. I hope I explained that better.
The tops are kinda on the expensive side so I understand people wanting to be sure before spending their money on one. I can say that mine was money well spent.
On a side note my top says 25mph is the max speed to run with it up but i've ran mine at 32 with a 10mph head wend with no ill effects.

 

[hkmp5s]

One more option is this.
https://www.westmarine.com/webapp/w...toreNum=10118&subdeptNum=10836&classNum=10838

You will need to order a base fore it to fit your application. I like the looks of it and was thinking about ordering one for the fishing seat on my bow. It folds up and stowes easy and they look well built.

https://www.pro-techt.com/media/upload/Pro-Techt Mantis Models and Mounts Bass Boats(1).pdf

 

[crkdltr]

Me and the little lady just went out fishing this past Sunday and I put up my bimini top for the first time since i mounted it. That thing was a life saver! For where I mounted it, it worked fine for the front deck. The rear deck would have had a problem making over head casts and fishing anywhere near the bow. By the time it was hot enough for the cover to go up, my wife was content sitting under the cover and started reading her nook. Depending on the angle of the sun, even though the bow seat is not under the cover, it gave me shade. A must for summer time in the south!