Is It Possible to Shorten Height of Bimini Top?

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Simo
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Is It Possible to Shorten Height of Bimini Top?

#1 Post by Simo » Sat Jun 12, 2021 4:38 am

Hi All,

My bimini is tall enough for Bill Russell to fit under! I'm having to lower and raise my bimini top every time I dock under my covered dock due to it being too high to fit under the roof overhang. Is there a reliable way to shorten the poles and still have the bimini function geometrically with the existing attachment points?

Thanks!
Simo
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riplipper
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Re: Is It Possible to Shorten Height of Bimini Top?

#2 Post by riplipper » Sat Jun 12, 2021 4:46 am

Simo wrote:
Sat Jun 12, 2021 4:38 am
Hi All,

My bimini is tall enough for Bill Russell to fit under! I'm having to lower and raise my bimini top every time I dock under my covered dock due to it being too high to fit under the roof overhang. Is there a reliable way to shorten the poles and still have the bimini function geometrically with the existing attachment points?

Thanks!
I am sure if there is a will there is a way. Funny you mention this. Mine is WAY up there too and I am pretty tall.
I am the guy at the boat ramp that gives you dirty looks when you are a complete idiot and too stupid to know it.

KPC
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Re: Is It Possible to Shorten Height of Bimini Top?

#3 Post by KPC » Sat Jun 12, 2021 6:00 am

I have the same problem with my Sweetwater. There is a bridge over the canal that connects our local lakes and we pass through it often. Unlike most other pontoons I see, unless my bimini is in it's lowest position, I'm not getting under it. It's quite a hassle putting it up and down every time we want to pass through.

bimini height.JPG
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KPC

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Re: Is It Possible to Shorten Height of Bimini Top?

#4 Post by KPC » Sat Jun 12, 2021 6:00 am

I have the same problem with my Sweetwater. There is a bridge over the canal that connects our local lakes and we pass through it often. Unlike most other pontoons I see, unless my bimini is in it's lowest position, I'm not getting under it. It's quite a hassle putting it up and down every time we want to pass through.

bimini height.JPG



KPC

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steve1313
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Re: Is It Possible to Shorten Height of Bimini Top?

#5 Post by steve1313 » Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:26 am

My top setup is very similar to KPC's and I had a similiar problem with one of the low bridges on our lake. I don't actually deploy the top that often, but even when stowed, it's still too high to get under the low bridge. I installed a couple of linear actuators behind the rear supports and then just folded up the supports. Both actuators wire back to a switch at my helm and with the touch of a button I can lower my top about 18 inches. Here's a video of it in action. https://youtu.be/4KhWwzFbGbY
Last edited by steve1313 on Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Is It Possible to Shorten Height of Bimini Top?

#6 Post by riplipper » Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:36 am

steve1313 wrote:
Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:26 am
My top setup is very similar to KPC's and I had a similiar problem with one of the low bridges on our lake. I don't actually deploy the top that often, but even when stowed, it's still too high to get under the low bridge. I installed a couple of linear actuators behind the rear supports and then just folded up the supports. Both actuators wire back to a switch at my helm and with the touch of a button I can lower my top about 18 inches. https://youtu.be/4KhWwzFbGbY
Crap!!! you are smarter than the average bear! That sounds awesome, I don't have that issue where I boat, but if I did that would be the ticket.
I am the guy at the boat ramp that gives you dirty looks when you are a complete idiot and too stupid to know it.

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Re: Is It Possible to Shorten Height of Bimini Top?

#7 Post by KPC » Sun Jun 13, 2021 7:53 am

steve1313 wrote:
Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:26 am
My top setup is very similar to KPC's and I had a similiar problem with one of the low bridges on our lake. I don't actually deploy the top that often, but even when stowed, it's still too high to get under the low bridge. I installed a couple of linear actuators behind the rear supports and then just folded up the supports. Both actuators wire back to a switch at my helm and with the touch of a button I can lower my top about 18 inches. Here's a video of it in action. https://youtu.be/4KhWwzFbGbY

Nice!!

I'd actually like to lower the whole unit about 6 inches so I can pass under the bridge with the bimini in the deployed position.

KPC

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Re: Is It Possible to Shorten Height of Bimini Top?

#8 Post by Horsepen » Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:54 am

I also have a Sweetwater very similar to KPC above. In looking at the photo, I can’t see where I could cut the forward legs and then reattach them to the aft pair. And if I cut only the aft pair, I would only gain a very small degree of lowering.
Anyone ever do something like this or know a pretty surefire way to lower a top?
One mistake could cost lots of money for new legs and replacement hdwe.

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Re: Is It Possible to Shorten Height of Bimini Top?

#9 Post by Steiner » Tue Jun 22, 2021 5:33 am

I've looked at the geometry seven ways from Sunday and to keep the same size top in the exact same place you would have to do this....

1. Move the front mounting point on the fence forward.
2. Disconnect the radar arms (or rear arms) from the top frame and move the rear mounting point on the fence backward.
3. This would drop the rear of the top more or less straight down, then reconnect the radar arm so you keep that right angle triangle.
4. At this point you would have the top sitting low in the back and high in the front so then
5. Disconnect the front frame arms (that clamp to the middle arm) and let the front of the top lower until the top is level and figure out where you need to cut the arms so they clamp back at 90 degrees to the middle arms.

You could shorten the radar arms and reclamp them so you keep the right angle triangle and the adjust the front arm length, but that would not keep the top in the same place as now, it would move it backwards. The mounting points on the fence have to be widened to get the top to drop straight down.
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Re: Is It Possible to Shorten Height of Bimini Top?

#10 Post by Horsepen » Tue Jun 22, 2021 3:33 pm

I hear you Steiner, but it seems that unless the front and rear top bows are cut to make them lower (shorter) nothing changes as far as the height of the top. Tell me what I’m missing in your write-up.

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Re: Is It Possible to Shorten Height of Bimini Top?

#11 Post by bansil » Tue Jun 22, 2021 4:12 pm

Easiest way I see is to move top forward 1-1/2" or so drop it down to next ledge (most tops have a couple inches of width adjustment) and make 2 brackets per side to replicate mounting points and have it fold "outside of fence"
Otherwise I hope you know how to use cad, a saw and welder :P

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Re: Is It Possible to Shorten Height of Bimini Top?

#12 Post by Steiner » Tue Jun 22, 2021 5:21 pm

Horsepen wrote:
Tue Jun 22, 2021 3:33 pm
I hear you Steiner, but it seems that unless the front and rear top bows are cut to make them lower (shorter) nothing changes as far as the height of the top. Tell me what I’m missing in your write-up.
I left out having to cut down the rear radar arms. You have to kinda visualize each step and imagine what each does.

You want to keep the top in the same place so you can use the rear as a reference point.....

So imagine folding the radar arms up with the top still open. Then imagine disconnecting the front straps and leaning the top backward, the rear is going to both lower and move backward while the front moves up and backward.

To get it back in position, you move the front mounting points forward.

OK now the radar arms need to reconnect and still stay at a right angle to the fence. So, the frame is now closer to the fence so you have to cut down the radar arms and possibly move the mounting point rearward.

Now you've got a top that is low in the rear and sitting at an angle. To get the front lower you disconnect the forward arms and start dropping the front to level it out. You're anchored at the front mounts and radar arms at this point so as you lower the front and keep the top taut it's going to level back out. The arms would then reattach higher up than before and I was wrong about cutting them you'd actually need to extend them. They make sleeve tubing.

The last thing would be the very front straps would get shortened and then need new clip points forward from original.
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Re: Is It Possible to Shorten Height of Bimini Top?

#13 Post by Horsepen » Thu Feb 10, 2022 6:38 am

Well, it’s been a lomg time since I had an opportunity to revisit this topic here. My solution to solve my problem was to have the roof of my boatfouse raised. Cost a few bucks (actually quite a few) but now I can leave my top up and the boat slides in and out very nicely.

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Marc K
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Re: Is It Possible to Shorten Height of Bimini Top?

#14 Post by Marc K » Thu Feb 10, 2022 4:29 pm

:lol3 :lol3
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HandymanHerb
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Re: Is It Possible to Shorten Height of Bimini Top?

#15 Post by HandymanHerb » Fri Feb 11, 2022 7:17 am

Not cheap but there is an option https://www.sureshade.com/power-bimini/
PS doesn't carry them anymore, they had them when we rebuilt built mine
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