Marine hardware expert needed,,,

[grouser]

OK this may be to complicated for me to explain well,,, but here we go,,
I have a Bimini on my party hut that attaches at one end to a hardtop by sliding a nylon rope that is sewn into the canvas into a round channel in a piece of aluminum that is screwed into the hardtop,,,,
The frame of the Bimini does not fold back into a nice compact bundle that would facilitate a boot to be put on it for trailering because the one end mentioned above does not come apart easily from said channel on the hardtop,,,
So the channel is screwed to the hardtop. My first thought was to have a cordless drill handy to remove the screws holding the channel, drop it down,,pull it off the canvas and roll the canvas up to put the boot on to trailer the boat.
Then I saw these things



and though I could use them to attach the channel back to the hardtop with out needing a drill. The channel about an 1/8 inch thick I'm guessing and I would use these every 12 inches or so.
I would like to find something bigger or stronger to do the job. If you were able to follow what I am saying and know of a better piece of hardware please give me a link !!!! Thanks

[babock]

Show a picture of what you are dealing with.

[Bryden24shp]

I think I know what you mean... Your Bimini is permanently attached to your hardtop by a draw cord. To raise it you pull the cord and it will move up to the hardtop or do you it lower to the back of the boat? Kinda like a window shade?
Yep, a pic would be great...

[RcgTexas]

I think I know what you are talking about. if you use those twist snaps, you may experience some water blowing under the soft top, making for a wet rainy day. They would probably hold but the rain may get under the soft top.

Can you fold the soft top back against the hard top and use those and some straps to hold it in place?

[grouser]

I think I know what you mean... Your Bimini is permanently attached to your hardtop by a draw cord. To raise it you pull the cord and it will move up to the hardtop or do you it lower to the back of the boat? Kinda like a window shade?
Yep, a pic would be great...

you slide the canvas with the cord into the channel from the side. You have to have the canvas and or frame disconnected from it's anchor to do this. Can't be undone with out taking all of it apart,,,, there in lies the problem. It's not set up to be folded down at all for trailering,,, poss poor design !!

[grouser]

I think I know what you are talking about. if you use those twist snaps, you may experience some water blowing under the soft top, making for a wet rainy day. They would probably hold but the rain may get under the soft top.

Can you fold the soft top back against the hard top and use those and some straps to hold it in place?

you have a valid point,,, there will be some kind of gap created using the snapps.... makes me think about just using better screws like ones with hex heads to be drivin in easier,,,

No you can't just fold it back,,, tried it,,,,,geometry is way off,,, that would have been the easy way

[grouser]

Will work on the pictures ,,,,thanks for the patience and help !!!

[Bryden24shp]

Gotcha! You want to be able to leave the bimini attached to the aluminum fr me all the time, so you don't have to slide the bimini out of it. I have used a lot of Dzus fasteners for a lot of projects and swear be them. These are exactly what I use. As a matter of fact, reminded me I need to order some more for my Prowler side panel project. I get mine from a local speed shop. But this is what I use.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DZUS-FASTENERS- ... fe&vxp=mtr

The bases are thin enough that they fit tight, and I run a bead of silicone between two sections of 3 to 5 layers of masking tape, about 1/4 inch apart to make a permanent gasket about a 1/16 of an inch thick. Stops rattles, too. Foam tape works ok, but eventually tears and flakes off.
Hope this is what you are looking for!
Bryan

[woolznaz]

grouser, this is going a different direction but I have an idea that might solve your problem. You could have a canvas guy sew a zipper (and a flap) into your canvas top about 3" from where the c-channel is, running parallel with the c-channel. Then you could just unzip it there and fold the rest of the canvas back. You could then either leave the 3" piece of canvas attached in the c-channel, or you could also easily pull that piece out since it would be free to slide out of the channel then.

[Bryden24shp]

That is a great idea!

[grouser]

Gotcha! You want to be able to leave the bimini attached to the aluminum fr me all the time, so you don't have to slide the bimini out of it. I have used a lot of Dzus fasteners for a lot of projects and swear be them. These are exactly what I use. As a matter of fact, reminded me I need to order some more for my Prowler side panel project. I get mine from a local speed shop. But this is what I use.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DZUS-FASTENERS- ... fe&vxp=mtr

The bases are thin enough that they fit tight, and I run a bead of silicone between two sections of 3 to 5 layers of masking tape, about 1/4 inch apart to make a permanent gasket about a 1/16 of an inch thick. Stops rattles, too. Foam tape works ok, but eventually tears and flakes off.
Hope this is what you are looking for!
Bryan

DING DING DING DING YO GOT IT !!!!! Those are interresting little gizmos,,,,, never seen them before,,, thanks so much for the link !!!

[grouser]

grouser, this is going a different direction but I have an idea that might solve your problem. You could have a canvas guy sew a zipper (and a flap) into your canvas top about 3" from where the c-channel is, running parallel with the c-channel. Then you could just unzip it there and fold the rest of the canvas back. You could then either leave the 3" piece of canvas attached in the c-channel, or you could also easily pull that piece out since it would be free to slide out of the channel then.

This was my original plan of attack!!! But I wrote it off as "not strong enough",,,, do you think the zipper would hold up to the wind underway??? If so this would be the simplest way,,,,, and the flap I had not thought of but it's certtainly a great addition THANKS !!!

[Bryden24shp]

I don't think the wind would hurt it at all. Mine zips on the front and has not shown any wear at all from running the boat with it up. That's the way I would do it! I was overthinking it too. My motto is KISS...."keep it simple stupid" and I blew it!

[woolznaz]

The zipper should hold just fine. It would be just like zipping two bimini tops together, which is how just about every boat you see with double biminis work. There is just a zipper and a little flap of extra canvas. The only difference is that one of your "bimini tops" would just be that little 3" strip that has the part that slides into the c-channel rather than a full bimini. It seems like it would work well. Good luck!

[grouser]

I think you guys are sot on about this,,,,,
That's what I'll do,,, have'em put a zipper in it...
PROBLEM SOLVED
Thanks gents !!!