Biminis while trailering. Now: under deck ladder

[Wishing]

Awesome! Great to hear a good review. I am worried about accessibility. One of the people who'll be using the boat a lot has some issues equivalent to those of a mild stroke. No use of left arm and some left side weakness. Otherwise still young and strong. I am trying to figure out if it will be too hard for him to use.

[OK Toon]

Wishing, you might also check farther up the bimini frame for the location of the quick release pins. On our boat, the release pins are up just above where the bimini top snaps to the frame. The arm then folds forward and lays on the fence rail. The bimini frame rests on the support arm that was folded forward. Our pins just slide through the holes in the support arm and the bimini frame. The weight of the bimini top keeps the pins held in place. The pins have a round ring on the end to pull them back out (when we hold the bimini frame up a bit to take the weight off the pin). We store the bimini top down when trailering - we also have to store it down when we have our boat on the lift at our dock (not enough roof clearance in the dock when the lift is in the raised position).

[Wishing]

Thanks. I'll run by the storage place today and give it a once over. We find we keep inventing reasons to run over and see the boat.

I suspect it would be nearly impossible to get new bimini frames that matched up with the current ones. Ours are not in awesome shape.

[HandymanHerb]

You buy a new top with all the hardware, I went from an 8 foot to a ten foot

http://www.pontoonstuff.com/collections ... -boat-tops

[Bryden24shp]

They call the down position "trailering position" for a reason. Trailering at highway speeds you get alot of swaying motion that can weaken and break the supports. Plus you loose alot of fuel mileage, even with it rolled up and in the bimini top cover, it still acts like a parachute. I put on between 2000 and 4000 miles per year towing back and forth to Lake of the Ozarks and have found this the hard way on first tow down south with the Manitou. One of my main supports broke at the rail mount from side to side motion. After watching the top almost fall off the boat on the interstate, in the rear view mirror, I had to remove it and put it inside the boat for the rest of the trip. After doing so I noticed the boat pulled better and I gained a few MPG's with the GMC.
Around town and short trips to the ramp, I'll leave it up. On the highway, its in trailering position.
By the way, it was not covered under warranty, either.

[Wishing]

Yeah, I think we will live with what we have for a while. It's a double and we do not have the $$$ to replace it!!!

Thanks for all the help. I ordered my under deck ladder today and will be trailering with the biminis down. I'm about to post a new topic about batteries.....

[zoom650]

Have a look at Aqua Stairs. They had a darn impressive booth at the Atlanta Boat Show.
http://www.aquastairs.com/swim-platform ... ladder.php

I am worried about accessibility. One of the people who'll be using the boat a lot has some issues ..

[redbeard]

We have the under deck ladder and love we also use it as a ramp when we beach. As for the D-ring pins you can get them at the hardware store. I used them for a few years but I have a seat back that sets close to the bracket so I now use these.
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product ... rd&i=34364

[TSip85]

redbeard, with that under deck ladder, does it come out angled like that in the water? Or does it drop straight down? I need something for my dogs to be able to get in the boat and I was thinking I could make some sort of ramp out of that ladder if it angles out in the water.

[Pwatton]

Drop it down flat! It made a huge difference to my 07 F150 when I towed at highway speeds.

[redbeard]

Sorry it took so long to reply new job just didn't feel like being on line (working on that) no the ladder hangs down at about 85 degrees but you could just not pull it out all the way and it will hold at any angle for the dogs not people.