Tower Bimini's - Anyone made one? (DIY)

I am thinking about making a bimini for my boat as I think $ 500.00 an up is a bit much for what they, I only have a need for one once in a while and frankly I'm kind of poor right now so I don't want to spend a lot. I was looking at buying some 3/4" EMT conduit and have an electrician I know bend the corners and so on to make the frame. I found the parts to mount and getting canvas or vinyl is easy.

mounts: http://www.canvascountry.com/shop-bimini-accessories.html

Anyone have pics/ideas for bimini's you have made?

We are going to have tower biminis (no straps) for $350.00 in about 60 days.. I will probably do a group buy for about $275.00 (probably cheaper than you can DIY) in about 30 days.

Ken Land
Bullet Lines
www.bulletlines.com

you do one for 275, I will buy one tomorrow

I may jump on that wagon as well Ken!

Why 60 days?
I met with my canvas guy this past Monday throwing ideas around for a custom build. Any chance we can get pics of the biminis you are offering at this price?

Ken, are these the same ones that used to be $600?

I had to go by my notes from my last meeting about this product, so I will need to firm up the group buy offer, but $275.00 should be close. Retail is $450.00..

They are not the same biminis.. This new bimini is a new design that costs us less to manufacture

Here is the only pic I have right now.



Thanks,

Ken Land
Bullet Lines
www.bulletlines.com

(Message edited by bulletlines on March 19, 2009)

Wow, thats a no brainer. Wait for the Bullet Lines one. I've got a contact at the UCD waterski team that will definitely want on for teh team.

Will it be made out of sunbrella?

Don lol my friend.

Try Ski-it-again.com. Find an older bimini. Take off the canvas. Split the bimini frame apart where it is joined in the middle. Cut it down to fit your tower. Rejoin: get a short piece of copper tubing that fits inside the bimini piping, and rivet the two halves back together.

This is what I plan on doing shortly. I will post a link to threads of others projects I have seen tomorrow.

Oh and bimini tower clamps can be found at diywake.com for $15/ea +sh

I will have to go back and check all my notes before I have full details. Our bimini will have clamps included, and Wakemikey your DIY bimini will more than likely have straps to hold it up: the bimini is the easy part, make it mount solid to a tower without straps is not something everyone is going to be able to do.

Ken

(Message edited by bulletlines on March 19, 2009)

Nice design. I like the way it is lower=provide better shade. The higher the bimini=less shade, depending on time of day, sun angle, etc.

count me in for a group buy. Way to make them affordable Ken

Ken,

How long will this bimini be?

Thanks

$275 is a great deal. I made mine a few years ago from a $250 generic Overton's Sunbrella piece.

I'm in for group buy. +1

Dave,
I emailed you.
Thanks,
Spencer

A friend of mine in Dallas made this one a few years ago..... first bimini above the tower I ever saw.

I had a guy that made t-tops for center consoles make my top on my old outback. This was on a monster tower. Gave plenty of head room and did not have to remove it to haul the boat. worked great. Cost me around 650.00.

I would go to towerbiminis.com They are very nice people and they have tower mounted bimini tops.

Posted here before http://www.mastercraft.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?t=25912

Yes they are Sean ... for $750 and up! I had one on my Tigé and after using the Moomba one i don't know if i'd do it again just for the strapless deal. Just my 2 cents

Tower Bimini
[IMG]http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn127/suprahunter/biminitop005.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn127/suprahunter/biminitop003.jpg[/IMG]

Ken,

If those bimini's will fit my first generation Next Level Designs tower then I might just do that. I would like to mount it a bit higher on the tower if possible?

Razz... I havent ever actually used one. I have the factory Mastercraft one on my boat. I like how easy it is to use. We just have done alot of machining for Tower Biminis in the past. I know they fill alot of dealership orders.

Thanks for posting up the pics hunter.... they look pretty dang sharp on the boats.... i'm not sure how user friendly they are. But heck.... they look good :-)

Ken thanks for the tip on the straps I will research.

Ken, will you have one for an Illusion X tower?

Ken, Keep W/W in the know because I'm sure there is alot of guys that would go in on a group buy me included.
I just need one to fit my New Dimension Tower.

Ken,

I will also be in Line for one that fits a Tige E series tower.

Nevermind Looks like your only pick is similiar to these.
http://www.boatcoversdirect.com/products/bimini_tops/specialty/universal.php

I dont think I would have one with straps. Not after having one without them.

Ken,
I am in for a group buy also

I'm in for a group by. Chris what do you mean nevermind. The one your posted would be $750 with the double brace. If ken can do it for $275 that would be AWESOME!

I'd be in for a bimini as well.

I would also be interested in buying one of these Bimini's. Seems like a great deal.

Ken, Will they fit the Evolution tower and if so are they going over the top of the tower?

OK, im a surfer, NO ONE makes good wakesurf racks and i did not like my bimini either and did not have room for a bimini and a real board rack. Made this one myself (see pix) just finished it about a month ago and have had it on the lake 3 times now and it is "Towable"!!! always up! so 75 mph ready! down the Hwy! I got about 100 bucks in it not including the fabric part which a fabricator charged me about 280. Trampoline style. I did use some hardware i already had. Shown here unfinished (ie with tie wraps and no front support but is finished now and I laced it with black rope and put some nice front supports on it. Will write more later if anyone cares. But i totally LOVE IT!

That top is killer...VERY nice.

KEN,
Count me in on the group buy.

OK not to be a jerk but can we keep posts like "DIY bimini" here and "Bullet Lines $275 Bimini Group Buy" in another thread? Ken that is an awesome awesome deal. For me personally, everything adds up and some people want to DIY.

TRACE - I see you have some supports going from the bimini to the tower. Were these included from the manufacturer or did you rig them yourself?
I have no problem with straps, but if you know how to avoid using them, great!

Scotty that top looks awesome!!! Very clean. Nice job bud. What kind of boat?

Thanks Doug and Mikey! Thanks a lot!
My boat is a Tige 22v.
And Dave: This top is made out of conduit but it is Ridged Aluminum 1" you could easily do it out of 3/4" but i would not do it out of metal EMT. Any good electrical supply should have it, and it is not much more. I might post some more pix soon now that it is finished. The main thing i love is that i can stow a board in 5 seconds and in Texas you always need shade.

Ken, I would like to get in on your Group Buy. Thanks!

Scott that looks really good.

Similar to what I have been thinking of doing as well. I was figuring I would try and make a bit cargo net or something on top to get some bags out of the way as I don't have much storage in my boat.

1" aluminum tube eh? I'll look in to that for sure. I just have to figure out how I can hang/mount it to the tower itself on my boat.

Good Job though, looks great!

I cut apart an old bimini this weekend. It was super easy took maybe an hour. Finishing it up next weekend, will take pics. A little extra fabric since I cut out about a foot of metal.

I'll put my name in the hat for the group buy, if this is indeed possible. I have a 2001 Super Air with a FCT. Thnx.

---

quote:

TRACE - I see you have some supports going from the bimini to the tower. Were these included from the manufacturer or did you rig them yourself?
I have no problem with straps, but if you know how to avoid using them, great!

---

Those are the standard poles that you see holding biminis up in the air on I/O's going down the road. I just cut them a lot shorter and oriented them upside-down, with the base on the tower.

Ken,

Any word on when you guys may offer the bimini for sale

Weskel

Damn Scott, that is nice!

Scott post some more pics man! That thing is awesome.

Ken,

Will it fit a Samson Sports Razor tower?

Ken, I'm in for the group bimini buy if that will fit my '04 Supra with the wide rad-a-cage and no crossbar (like the one here - http://www.supraboats.com/archive/04launch/image1.jpg)

Sorry to jack with the DIY thread

Thank ya'll for the high 5s! So i thought i would post some finished pix since i said i would and Brenner ask, so here they are.
Just thought i would say a little more here about the thing. It was very easy to make, took 8X thinking than work and that is why i posted here, thought i could help and not waist all that thinking. But MAN, not having boards laying everywhere is fantastic! Yeah, im the SPF 50 kind of guy if you know what i mean bimini wise, but having a place for boards...priceless. And being 75mph towable, well think about oh ScottyMc next time your fighting with your bimini. I switched out to quick connects 2 years ago on my old bimini because i (and friends) dropped about 6 thumb screws to the bottom of the lake (you've been there RIGHT!) But those dang quick connects where 30 bucks a piece X4!!! and still hated putting it up! Anywho, been dang windy here havent been out much and hopefully will rain this weekend!
PS. i was going to put a Tige sticker on in but one of my buds said to put my name on it and i thought OK! so can you the my sticker on it? it says "ScoTTops" LOL
C U on the Lake!

In for a group buy if it happens sooooooon. Prostar 205 w/MT1 tower.

Scott thanks for the additional photos. That's pretty much exactly how I would like to make mine. I sourced out the 1" rigid aluminum tube. Where did you get the brackets that mount the bimini to the top of the tower?( the monster tower looking clamps) Now I just have to get the boat back so I can start.

If you add the bimini top support poles, how does the bimini top fold up? Do the poles disconnect, or fold?

Overtons has them, but for $60 a pair, ouch.
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=87822&pdesc=Adjustable_Bimini_Top_Su pport_Poles&cname=Hardware-Accessories&aID=14E&merchID=1009&r=view

Don't get the adjustable poles. Use the solid ones, take the fitting off of one end, cut them to the proper length, and reinstall the fitting. I have quick release pins on my poles at the tower, and disconnect the poles to stow. I use a couple velcro straps to hold the bimini up against the tower when it's stowed.

Any links for cheaper pricing on the poles? I see some people have used one set of poles, some use two. Thanks! Should have some more pics this weekend.

http://www.outdoorsuperstore.com/product.asp?prod=262487

yeah I have the same question as dave I need to find those monstertower looking clamps at the top! very nice job by the way. that thing looks awsome!

DIY lists them on Ebay for $23.

They are actually only $19 each on the diywake.com website. But the ebay has free shipping. Which is cheaper?

Don't forget to get a plastic protective sleeve for these clamps or they will mess the paint up on your tower real bad. I would call Monster Tower and ask them nicely.

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--Does anyone have a pic of their non-ridgid bimini collapsed/folded up against the tower? I want to see what you do with the support poles and if it would be worth moving away from straps.

--Do the poles also offer extra support when driving the boat with the bimini up???

-How are people attaching the short velcro strips onto the bimini to easily attach to the tower for storage? Do you attach the velcro to the boot or right to the bimini? Thanks all!

Dave i used a combination of old wakeboard racks that i had and just made it work. You could use just a standard wakeboard clamp for the tower and just drill through the 1" conduit and bolt to the clamp. I couldnt find any good 1" clamps, wished i could have.

Hey Scott.....just saw your post on here, and the bimini looks great!

I modified the bimini that came with the boat, long before there was a tower on the boat. It was a bimini made by Adlee in socal somewhere. I cut the tubes in the middle to take out some of the width. I then inserted a smaller piece of aluminium tubing and used rivets to hold it all together. The front mounts I purchased directly from Towerbiminis (stopped by the shop in Gilroy) the rear tower clamps I bought off ebay. I had to have the fabric modified slightly and that was done by the bimini maker at Boss in Rancho Cordova. Its been a few years and I kind of forget what it cost, but I think I have between $250-300 into it, not including the cost of the original bimini. I works great, stores out of the way, and sets up in a few minutes.


Here is a shot of it folded up, yes it does get in the way of the speakers a little bit.

This is a bimini frame I saw on a Sanger while driving about 70 down I5 at about the same time I was thinking about making one like it. I like this style and several of the other ones posted here, but I used what I had and made it work. The front mount from Towerbiminis are the best, they eliminate another strap or pole.

Looks good Mark need more pics

Any word on the bulletlines bimini group buy?

Any updates?

just want to get on the list for group buy. Ken, email me you have more deets.

Another for group buy. Let me know.

Another one for the group buy!

I'M in for a group buy..I wanted one that could go over top of the speakers though...perhaps I can rig this one...as well...can I rig it so it only attaches to the tower so I can leave it up when I tarp my boat?

looked @ the pic again..disregard the tower attachements..it looks like this one will work..
Sweet..let me know when they're in!
All black canvas please.

Scott,

That is exactly what I would like on my ride, maybe a smaller tube than 1' if possible. Can you post your steps to help ease the pain for those of us who who like to make our own. Thank you.

Got email from ken that he is still working on the bimini's, no word when they would be ready.

I am having trouble getting my DIY older bimini to fold up and down on my Monster Tower. It fits underneith the tower and speakers fine. But I would like to raise it up higher to be right under the speakers.

Problem is then when I close it, it wants to close up over the speakers. The rear bar is behind the speakers and the front bar is in front of the speakers. No good.

I fixes the width but it's still not working that well. We'll see.

Hey Mikey,
Titan's bimini has a slider down by the lowest mount on the tower so that you can lift or lower the bimini into various positions when you put it up or down.

When I open mine, I have to lower it way down so it'll open, then I expand the bimini, and push it up just below the speakers.

When I close it I lower it down to clear the tower, collapse the bimini, put the cover on it, then lift it way up so it's up against the tower & the front of the speakers, then strap it in place.

Not sure I've seen that slider on any other make of bimini. Works pretty slick.

Bill - I am thinking I may be able to adjust mine similar to what you are describing. I can loosen the screw holding one of the bars and lower it. That may allow it to pass the speakers and fold flat against the main bar. Even if I can't adjust this height quickly, it might work to fold and just leave the bars uneven bars. Still kinda unsure about this project..

Scott how does yours fold up?

My bimini does not fold. It is 70mph towable. I never fold the tower down. If i needed to remove the bimini it would take about 3 minutes to remove 4 allen screws and pop 2 quick links in the front and would go up back about as fast.

As for steps for building the thing, pretty strait forward. Might post something this weekend. I really love this thing you need to make you one! 3/4" rigid would be good.