WARNING: Supra owners with FXOne Folding Tower

[DDD123]

I am in dry storage so they put my boat in water and pull it usually weekly. Each time I put the cover on it nicely and make sure the boat is prepped to be put away and one of the most annoying covers to put on is the one that covers the bimini since you have to get it over the speakers. A friend of mine said why are we putting this cover on if you are about to put the tower down and cover the boat and tower at same time. I said great point. Fast forward, I get back into the boat, take cover off, raise my tower and he a very odd noise. I dig around and try to figure out where it is coming from and what happened was the top of the bimini is the only section that doesn't actually lock into place, it does on the back and it does after the first fold going out but not when it is resting on top. So while moving the tower up that front part fell down. First part lodged itself into my steering wheel, the other side hit my vinyl on top and then worked its way up to window where it destroyed 3 inches of my brand new tint that I now need to fix. I almost damaged the steering column but was able to finagle out and save the day after a few scrapes and a future fi of tint. So frustrating and seems like a design oversight since you shouldn't have to cover that if it is going underneath the main cover, but beware!

[cwfehr]

I feel ya. Just did the same thing. Tough lesson to learn! Looking for some straps to keep the front of the bimini in place without putting the dreaded bimini cover on. Let you know if I find anything.

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[KnoxMojo]

Your brand new boats should have the newer bimini lock above the driver seat on the arm, make sure it is fully engaged. I run a pair of bungee cords over the tower sides to secure it as I have never used the bimini boot. These towers came out in 18, they recommend using the boot, people learned tough lessons back then. Sucks it happened to you, but it is by no means a design oversight just because you don't like it. Did you have the lock engaged? If you did, it shouldn't have fallen forward.

[cwfehr]

Didn't realize there was a lock in the folded position. Will look for it when I get back to the boat. Are the bungee cords you use just in case the lock fails ?


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[DDD123]

Your brand new boats should have the newer bimini lock above the driver seat on the arm, make sure it is fully engaged. I run a pair of bungee cords over the tower sides to secure it as I have never used the bimini boot. These towers came out in 18, they recommend using the boot, people learned tough lessons back then. Sucks it happened to you, but it is by no means a design oversight just because you don't like it. Did you have the lock engaged? If you did, it shouldn't have fallen forward.

On this section i don’t see a lock, only on last flip over and the back pieces that pull out.

[KnoxMojo]

On this section i don’t see a lock, only on last flip over and the back pieces that pull out.

I have a 2018, before the lock. I use 1 on each side to keep the folding frame in place. Not the most elegant solution, but it works. I've seen people use big rubber wire ties as well.

You should have a lock on the thickest part of the frame that doesn't fold. Stand on the side of your boat and you can see how it positively engages. I'd still use a backup if not using the bimini cover.

[SONIC]

I've done the same thing twice.
My 2020 has the lock but it doesn't always hold.
Stupid design. I need to grab some bungees for it.
I've got a nice gouge in the top of my dash from it.

[KnoxMojo]

I've done the same thing twice.
My 2020 has the lock but it doesn't always hold.
Stupid design. I need to grab some bungees for it.
I've got a nice gouge in the top of my dash from it.

You need to take a close look at it, I did on a friend's boat. It locks tight if you do it right, but can also see it not holding if you think you locked it but it's not. Sucks, sorry.

[SONIC]

Mine popped off just last night actually and I personally locked it and pulled on it to make sure it was latched correctly.
I have a suspicion that once I fold the tower and make the bumpy drive home it works its way loose.
It could certainly also just be me after 12 hours on the lake not paying enough attention, but either way it's a crappy design IMO as it's just too easy to fuck up a brand new boat.

It needs a catch like the other pieces of the bimini that locks itself when closed, not a little pushpin that has a 50/50 chance of being correctly engaged.
even just a couple velcro straps sewn into the bimini would be just fine. Maybe in the offseason I'll sew some in.

[Prospersigman]

Been there done that...torn my upper dash panel all up on my 2018 first time out, $400 dollars later I had to order a new upper dash panel. I have bungees as well, but typically just do the bimini boot. Once you have done it 15-20 times you get it down and it doesn't take that long.

[DDD123]

This is crazy, I thought it was going to be more, "you're a dumba$$" than see so many other people, thought I was missing something. I totally assumed that it would automatically lock there but if you guys are saying there is a lock that you have to manually engage, can someone point out where that is? I did not see this, I have a 2021.

[SONIC]

Starboard (driver side) There's a little knob on the bottom of one of the arms, you push it up and spin it to lock the bimini.

If you look at most any jeep JK on the road they all have a little dent on the driver side engine cowling. When you take the doors off for the first time just about everybody unhooks it and lets it go and the mirror arm slams into the cowl and leaves a dent. Almost every one of them has it at this point.

I feel like this will be the same. "Yep it's got the standard dash vinyl ding from that damn bimini, and a tear in the seat from the tower folding down into it, they all have it" :rolleyes: