2000 SPORT 13 with Side Rails: Location of Mount for Bimini

[Reid]

[This question was separated from an older thread that was on a different topic--jimh]

Where should the mounts be put for [the frame base hinges for a] Bimini top for a 2000 Sport 13 with stainless steel side rails? There is a side railing right in the middle of the gunwale, where the bimini would mount. I saw that some folks mounted their Bimini top frame on that railing, but I didn't like the look--plus it would not store flat. I hope to get side mounts and mount it on the inside.

Does anyone else have a 2000 Sport 13 with side rails and a bimini?

ASIDE: I am new to the list and this is my first reply. We live in North Carolina. This boat is at the Key West Naval Air Station RV park storage lot. I am retired Army and we travel in our motorhome to Key West every December and stay three months. Until this year, I have carried either a Porta-Bote folding boat or 8' inflatable,, along with a 2 HP air-cooled Honda outboard. It just became too difficult to get either of these to Key West, and once there, getting them ready for launch. I came across this 2000 13 Sport with Mercury 25-HP engine in Marathon Florida that was in good shape and good price; I drove down and then was able to get a storage site on the Navy Base. Having been boating in Key West before, I knew that the sun get hot and my wife would want a bimini. Didn't think that it would be a problem but after looking at the photos, [saw the interference with side the railings]

[jimh]

I am new to the list and this is my first reply.

This is not a list. It is a web-hosted forum. About 25-years ago there were email distributed messages threads called lists. This is not one of them.

If Boston Whaler offered a Bimini top as an option of the 2000 SPORT 13, look at their method of mounting the frame rails.

2000 Boston Whaler SPORT 13

bostonWhalerSport13_863x395.jpg (21.77 KiB) Viewed 3137 times

As seen above, it looks like it will be impossible to attach the Bimini top frame base hinges to the gunwales and not have interference with the side railings. The most likely solution is to use a Bimini top frame base hinge that will mount to the inwales. Below is a typical hinge, called a side mount deck hinge for a Bimini top. You can find these at many suppliers.

Side mount Bimini top frame hinge

sideMountDeckHingeSmall.jpg (2.45 KiB) Viewed 3137 times

The side-mount deck hinge may also be a problem, as it looks like there will be interference with the controls on the Starboard side. You may find that your dislike for the appearance of the rail-mounted frame base hinges will have to be overcome in order to have a workable solution.

Another solution may be found in mounting the Bimini top frame iso that the long leg of the top frame attaches to the gunwales ahead of the side railings, and when the top is folded down it stows to the bow. This is actually the normal method of stowing a Bimini on a Boston Whaler small boat due to the general area available as a result of the square bows.

[Reid]

jimh,

Thanks for the response.

I think putting both of your solutions together might be the best option for me, i.e., using a side mount bimini top frame hinge and mounting it just forward of the starboard controls; and attaching the long leg of the top frame there with top stowing to the bow.

Reid