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View Full Version : Bimini Top Positioning



cab13367
04-08-2007, 04:04 PM
I just put up the factory bimini on my 2006 Mobius LSV for the first time yesterday and have issues with it. First off, the rear straps would not reach the rear eyelets as installed (or the front, depending on which ones you hook on first). Both the front and rear straps were adjusted to it's max length, and the rear straps were about 6" too short. When I got home, I loosened and had to slide the mounting collars about 4-1/2" rearward in order for the rear straps to click into the rear eyelets. Even so, the front straps are so short that instead of the canopy sitting level, it has a pronounced slope towards the front, so much so that I have to duck under it to get to the bow. Is everyone's else's factory bimini set up like this? It looks ludicrous to me as well as being impractical.

I plan to ask the Moomba dealer to give me longer straps for the front so that I can adjust the bimini to sit level.

I'm disappointed at this lack of attention to detail. I installed an aftermarket bimini on my last boat and I can tell you, I did a helluva lot better job than the folks at SC!

Al

Wolf-
04-08-2007, 04:38 PM
I'm disappointed at this lack of attention to detail. I installed an aftermarket bimini on my last boat and I can tell you, I did a helluva lot better job than the folks at SC!

Al


It is my understanding that the biminis are put on by the dealers.

Buttafewcoe
04-08-2007, 05:27 PM
Sure it isn't on backwards?
.
B

cab13367
04-08-2007, 07:59 PM
If it was ordered from the factory with the bimini, are the dealers still the ones to install it? Either way, they did a horrible job. Obviously, they never even put it up to test the placement of the mounting points and the strap eyelet things.

Yeah, I'm sure it's not on backwards. The front straps are much shorter than the rear ones, as the fronts hook on high up on the tower legs whereas the rears hook on to a point on top of the gunwale, so the rears have a lot further to go.

Al

smokedog2
04-08-2007, 10:15 PM
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8Aat27Jk1auHdw&notag=1

I have an 05 - check your set-up with these. This came up b4 and I sent these pix. Note the bimini direction and the tiedowns - you should have lots extra

SD2

cab13367
04-09-2007, 12:54 AM
SD2,

Thanks for the pics. But your 05 is a lot different set up than my 06. The tower is different, the attachment point of the bimini pole to the tower is different, etc. I do have the main support poles going towards the back, and the other two shorter ones going towards the front. That's got to be right because the straps on the front are so short (about 18", if that) that there's no way they would reach the rear eyelets if I turned the bimini 180 the other way.

I'll call the dealer tomorrow and see if they can send me some longer straps. I can make it work from there.

Thanks,

Al

lowdrag
04-09-2007, 06:31 AM
I'm assuming that the eyelets to attach the bimini are installed by the dealer as well. Maybe they installed the ones in the front incorrectly too far away from the bimini and that's what is giving you your problems. I did notice on my 06 that the clamps that attach the bimini were off by over a foot from one side to the other, but that was an easy fix after I noticed it. At least with mine there is plenty of room for adjustment. You can move things around so you can bimini in about any position you want it.

cab13367
04-09-2007, 10:56 AM
the clamps that attach the bimini were off by over a foot from one side to the other

Sounds like they didn't test fit your bimini either. I guess they leave it the customer to do the final fit up.

Yeah, looks like the front eyelets were mounted to low on the tower leg. Moving them up will require redrilling holes in the tower and plugging the others. I'll try the longer strap route first. I'll have to partially break down the bimini in order to replace the strap but I prefer that to drilling additional holes.

I remember there was another post recently where a new boat owner could not find the rear eyelets on his boat when they put up their bimini for the first time.

Seems to me that this ought to be all sorted out and ready to go when you pick up a new boat, especially one that was ordered with the bimini.

Thanks,

Al

smokedog2
04-09-2007, 08:23 PM
Yea, Did you get the open water checkout with the dealer? I'm big on those.

SD2

Wolf-
04-09-2007, 09:03 PM
Yea, Did you get the open water checkout with the dealer? I'm big on those.

SD2

Very true.
Jeremy at Atlanta Marine spent over an hour with my wife and I. Wouldn't let us leave until he felt comfortable with our ability to drive the inboard (both of us) First class experience.

Orlandoboats
04-09-2007, 10:46 PM
This may be a dumb question but did you lower the bimini down to the clamps? There should be some push buttons on the main support leg that you use to lower the top when in use. Then you can raise it back up out of the way when storing.

davidl
04-09-2007, 11:05 PM
:o Did you happen to find the buttons on the bimini frame that lower the top? look on you main rails for a small tab to push in and this will allow you to lower the top and hook your straps up. Hope yhis helps.......David

cab13367
04-10-2007, 12:58 AM
David and Orlando,

I did, and that's what we ended up doing just so we could have the top up, but then it was much lower than stand over height - I had to constantly duck under it and I'm average height (5-10"). I don't think that the lowered position is the intended height, or maybe the dealership though so and that's what they based the eyelet placement on. It makes a lot more sense to me to use it at the extended height.

I'll take some pics the next time I have the boat out.

Thanks for all the helpful input!

Al

cab13367
04-10-2007, 12:29 PM
Orlando and David,

You are correct. I just talked to the local dealer and he tells me that the bimini is designed to be used in the down position (main support poles slid down against the mounting point to the tower). Up position is designed only for the storage position.

This is too low for my preference so I may drill additional holes in the bimini support poles so that I can lower it down to a point that I can still walk under it without having to duck.

Thanks,

Al

Roachman
04-10-2007, 03:20 PM
I have an 06 LSV as well and my bimini slants forward also. My rear straps were too short also so I moved them below the bracket they were on. I then extend my top to the factory drilled holes. I also ordered some longer straps off ebay for about 10 bucks. I put these on the front. I am your size and can walk under it in the middle and rear, but I still do have to duck a little to get to the bow but I rarely go up there.

cab13367
04-10-2007, 05:33 PM
Roach,

Thanks. Glad it's not just me that thinks the top is too low.

Al

KarMobLSV06
07-14-2008, 03:38 PM
I adjusted my factory 2006 Mob LSV Bimini so that it was in the up position in use. I moved the tower brackets and adjusted the straps and got it to work-for a while. The tubing of the lowest arm got bent 90 degrees right at the joint where it goes into the next tube up, in the up position. I think in the up position, there is not enough strength at that joint if you travel at speed into a brisk wind. In the up position you can see the strain on the tubing. Mine broke while trailing just up the hill to the storage unit in some wind with the bimini in up position and open. So be careflu you don't break your bimini using it in the up and open position like mine did. I ordered the forward black bimini fron the ealer and we'll see if I like it or not. Have some reservations on the effectiveness of it now-we'll see.

gcombe74
07-14-2008, 04:00 PM
When I rolled up to pick my new boat the dealer installs the tower and bimini brackets! I know they (the dealer) do the eye-lets on the boat.. because the genius's broke off a screw in my new boat gel coat as I arrived and worked for 3 hours to get it to state that I found acceptable...