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Author Topic:   Mills Fly Top Shake

Dan posted 05-07-2001 08:49 PM ET (US)
Called Mills Canvas today to ask them why my new fly/sun top for my 1999 Outrage 17 shakes when stored upright and unopened when I'm underway.
When I ordered the top all my questions were filtered through Leslie, who's very nice but it's nowhere near as good as speaking directly with the designer.
Anyway, before ordering I asked if the top could rest forward or aft when not in use. I was told that it had to stay up, but could rest aft over the rear quarter seats when trailering. So there I am underway with the top in the upright position. The faster I go the more violently the top shook from side to side.
When I called Mills/Leslie and told her about the shaking, she said it shouldn't be shaking and would ask George and Bob Mills what I should do. An hour or two later Leslie calls and tells me that George and Bob say the top shouldn't be stored in the upright position when underway. Furthermore, the design was specified by Boston Whaler not them. I reminded Leslie that when stored down the top blocked the rear quarter seats and rested in part on the motor well. Leslie said she would look at a photo of my model boat. Later she called and said I'm right but that they really don't have a solution. I told her I don't want to have my top in the deployed position all the time and asked her to ask George and Bob Mills if they have any solutions/suggestions. The top is nice. Hopefully someone on this board has run into this problem and has some ideas. Oh, and I still haven't tried the top in the open position while underway, but I think it will be okay.
Peter posted 05-08-2001 10:14 PM ET (US)
Dan,
Peter posted 05-08-2001 10:26 PM ET (US)
Dan,
The top should be fine in the deployed position. The top tends to self stabilize because it acts like a kite or parachute underway. However, my Suntop on my old 18 Outrage had two lateral stabilizing lines that connected to the console to form a V. I would think that your top should have the same and you should use these when deployed. On the 18 Outrage, the bow hinges slid in 18 inch tracks which allowed the top to be stowed under the bow rails. This was an ideal location as it was out of the way when stowed. I think the 18 Outrage bow has a greater flare than that on your 17. How are your hinges mounted to the gunnels? Can the top fit under the bow rails if it were slid under?
The Whaler Guy posted 05-09-2001 01:43 AM ET (US)
You are goung too fast!!
Dan posted 05-09-2001 09:45 AM ET (US)
The problem isn't in the deployed position but in the stowed upright position. Unfortunately, the bow rails on the 17 are flared too narrow for forward storage. I may try installing tracks for the forward hinges so the top will rest just in front of the rear quarter seats instead of on them. Or, I might try attaching adjustable straps to the top in the stowed upright position and securing to aft cleats.

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Author	Topic: Mills Fly Top Shake
Dan	posted 05-07-2001 08:49 PM ET (US) Called Mills Canvas today to ask them why my new fly/sun top for my 1999 Outrage 17 shakes when stored upright and unopened when I'm underway. When I ordered the top all my questions were filtered through Leslie, who's very nice but it's nowhere near as good as speaking directly with the designer. Anyway, before ordering I asked if the top could rest forward or aft when not in use. I was told that it had to stay up, but could rest aft over the rear quarter seats when trailering. So there I am underway with the top in the upright position. The faster I go the more violently the top shook from side to side. When I called Mills/Leslie and told her about the shaking, she said it shouldn't be shaking and would ask George and Bob Mills what I should do. An hour or two later Leslie calls and tells me that George and Bob say the top shouldn't be stored in the upright position when underway. Furthermore, the design was specified by Boston Whaler not them. I reminded Leslie that when stored down the top blocked the rear quarter seats and rested in part on the motor well. Leslie said she would look at a photo of my model boat. Later she called and said I'm right but that they really don't have a solution. I told her I don't want to have my top in the deployed position all the time and asked her to ask George and Bob Mills if they have any solutions/suggestions. The top is nice. Hopefully someone on this board has run into this problem and has some ideas. Oh, and I still haven't tried the top in the open position while underway, but I think it will be okay.
Peter	posted 05-08-2001 10:14 PM ET (US) Dan,
Peter	posted 05-08-2001 10:26 PM ET (US) Dan, The top should be fine in the deployed position. The top tends to self stabilize because it acts like a kite or parachute underway. However, my Suntop on my old 18 Outrage had two lateral stabilizing lines that connected to the console to form a V. I would think that your top should have the same and you should use these when deployed. On the 18 Outrage, the bow hinges slid in 18 inch tracks which allowed the top to be stowed under the bow rails. This was an ideal location as it was out of the way when stowed. I think the 18 Outrage bow has a greater flare than that on your 17. How are your hinges mounted to the gunnels? Can the top fit under the bow rails if it were slid under?
The Whaler Guy	posted 05-09-2001 01:43 AM ET (US) You are goung too fast!!
Dan	posted 05-09-2001 09:45 AM ET (US) The problem isn't in the deployed position but in the stowed upright position. Unfortunately, the bow rails on the 17 are flared too narrow for forward storage. I may try installing tracks for the forward hinges so the top will rest just in front of the rear quarter seats instead of on them. Or, I might try attaching adjustable straps to the top in the stowed upright position and securing to aft cleats.