WOO HOO!! Bimini Top came in and it's INSTALLED!!

[TrepMan]

Got home from lunch with my oldest at school and at the front door from UPS/BPS was my top!! Opened it up, read the directions, searched for Rich D's posts and read his suggestions and checked out his pics. And it took me all of about 1 hour and that included checking the measurements twice, and caulking the holes!!



Oh and when it's down it lays perfectly on the back deck forward of the steering cables.



Now just gotta find some time this weekend to try her out!



The top leans a little forward in the picture, I adjusted the straps and it's level now!!



ordered it on Tuesday here on Friday! Way to go BPS! Oh total cost including Shipping was $141. Now gotta hit Home Depot for 2 clevis pins so I can easily remove the top when i'm fishing without the family.

 

[Mark Hofman]

Looks great Trep!

 

[Donald Fruge]

Now you wont get a sunburn on the top of your head....LOL



It looks great Trep

Wolf

 

[Andrew Zuber]

nice job Trep!

will it keep all that RAIN down there off of you too???



az

 

[TrepMan]

Wolf - Already had the Sunburn fix, my JarJar hat (as Rob calls it!!).



Andy - it FINALY stopped raining last night, we're expecting 2 days of NO RAIN!! If the lake came up much more i'd just drive the boat OUT OF THE GARAGE!!! with out the trailer!!



My hope is this top will get Beka on the boat more, she usualy lasts about 1 hour in the sun before getting to hot, so more time in the boat is more fishing!!

 

[Jim B]

looks nice Trep. There have been days i wish i had something like that on my boat.

 

[Rich D]

Trep,



Looks good! Glad my posts helped. I only use mine a couple times a year, but it is well worth it! Here is a tip: If you travel without a cover, by a couple small straps or bungies to keep everything bundled up. Otherwise, when driving down the highway, you will look like a dragster with the chute open!



Rich D

 

[Carli Drake]

Hey Trep!



That looks way kewl!!! Better than holding an umbrella over ya while you fish!! LOL

It will not only keep the family cool while you fish...but the bass bunnies too!!!



Carli

 

[Bruce Yeaton]

looks great! now you just need the lounge chair on the back deck!!!

 

[George Bryant2]

TrepMan,



If you were a really nice person, you would have installed that on my Pro Crappie!! But really that looks great and I bet it works great also! Can you provide the catalog number and any tips on installing it?



The sun hates me and that would do the trick!

 

[Bob G.]

Nice job Trep! Can you leave that up at WOT? My boat came with a bimini top but I removed it immediately cause I need to look over the windshield to drive and the top blocked my view!



Bob G.

 

[TrepMan]

George - See the link below, its Item #38-581-746-00 on the BPS Site. Install tips are just follow the directions. Putting it together took me about 10 minutes, then I layed it down on the back deck. The instructions say to have someone help you hold it up/open and decide where you want it mounted. For I wanted it as far back as possible but when down would rest on the back deck and NOT interfer with my steering/motor cables/hoses. SO I just layed it down on the deck as far back as I wanted it. Marked the holes for the center mount, drilled, caulked, screwed it in. I just measured from the back of the boat to the first side and used that for the other side.



Rich - Thanks for the hint on driving down the road. I was on a budget so no "boot" for the top. I noticed the 4 straps looked liked they would just FLAP behind me or get pulled off. Will see if I can get Beka to make a boot or 2 velcro/snap straps to put over the area where the straps are to hold them inside.



Bob G - haven't had her out yet, I would assume at slow to medium speeds I might keep it up. Rich? I'm hoping it holds well enough for 10-15mph tubing.





Trep
http://www.basspro-shops.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=16122&hvarTarget=search

 

[Steve Rizza]

Looks good Trep.

Give us a update,I'm thinking of adding one to my boat also.



Steve

 

[Dan J.]

Great job Michael! If you're ever looking for a part-time job...............

 

[Mike Levesque]

Trep, my wife took one look at those pics, and said something like that would definitely get either her, or the kids, to stay out longer on those hot sunny days.



Looks great, nice job Trep! egMike

 

[Staci Matheis]

Heck, egMike, something like that would keep ME out longer on those hot summer days!



Nice job, Michael!



Have you seen the commercial on television - I think it's GE's - about the perfect marriage of beauty and brains? I think of you every time I see it! They have the "brains" strolling along the beach in a Jar-Jar hat!



me!

 

[Rich Stern]

Michael, looks good. Nice fit. I foresee many happy hours of Beka lounging in the shade while you cast from the front...

 

[Mike L.]

NICE MIKE!

 

[Rich D]

Trep,



I have kept my top up WOT, but that is only around 20mph. I don't think you would have a problem, and if you would encounter difficulties, I would think adjusting the angle of the top with the straps should resolve it.



Rich D

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

When are you putting in the wet bar and shuffleboard court?



TOXIC

 

[TrepMan]

Haven't had her in the water yet, hope to do that tomorrow afternoon. Spent Friday night and all day today moving boxes/furniture from old-to-new house. Should be done by lunch on Sunday.



Dan J. - I'd LOVE to retire and sell Tracker boats! That's my dream, hit 50-55, have enough in the 401K/savings and have FUN!!!



egMike and Rich = That is my HOPE, more time in the water with (as Tex says) "Mama happy!!!"!



ME! - JarJar is under the driver's seat just WAITING for a hot summer day!! So far though the autographed white BPS hat from Dan J. is a good luck charm!!



Rich D - thanks for the WOT update. Mine will push 30mph but my hope is 15mph-20mph tubing, knee boarding and cruising will keep Beka and the kids cool!



Mike L. - Thanks!!



Tox - Wet bar came with the boat, just put your glass up to one of the 2 live wells! Or if you want Aerated Water hit one of the 2 bait wells!! LOL As to shuffle board, this is NOT as long as your 929 which IS a shuffleboard court!!

 

[TrepMan]

Maiden Voyage with the Top!! Took the family out from 10am - 1pm today, top worked GREAT!!! We only had her up to about 20mph but the top was stable. Beka admited that she "Loves the Bimini Top, you were right to get it!"



Storm just came in, off to unpack more boxes!

 

[Dan J.]

Good to hear Michael! You know what they say..."When momma's happy, everyone's happy!" (LOL!)

 

[TrepMan]

Maybe you're onto Something X-basstrap. Right now the "crossover" market in SUV's is the hottest. If Tracker marketed the boat with a standard Bimini and the boarding ladder I added they could call it a Fish/Ski!!! Now just beef up the transom so it'll handle a 115hp Merc and she'll realy pull a skier!!!