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Author Topic:   T top for 17

Marlinspike posted 08-10-2003 08:36 PM ET (US)
Does anybody have plans and pictures to build a T Top for a 1998 17 foot Montauk? Would like to have one that can fold down or be removed easily to get into a garage. Thanks
T Party posted 08-10-2003 10:20 PM ET (US)
I'm sure I read it here somewhere: a T-top is not recommended for a Montauk. Good luck.
WhalerGoFar posted 08-11-2003 10:16 AM ET (US)
I am sure T Top you probley did read it here....but what did you read (details please). I for one see no problem with a T-Top on 13 a footer if that is what you want.
If it has to do with the mounting ...amount of wood to attach to or such...then I would like to hear more about it.
Mike
WhalerGoFar posted 08-11-2003 10:17 AM ET (US)
I ment " T Party ". The subject was to close in name.
Bigshot posted 08-11-2003 11:13 AM ET (US)
Not enough wood to mount to floor and in a strong wind, it could literally flip that boat. I have a T-top on a 20' Hydra-Sports and it can really lean that boat over when a squall kicks up....don't do it.
DJS posted 08-11-2003 11:25 AM ET (US)
marlinspike,
You can use the search engine to find what you are looking for. A few posts that may help are listed below.
http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000597.html
Others to try are Forum 8 and 000498, Forum 3 and 000767 and Forum 1 and 000896. Hope this helps.
David
Rick Dewees posted 08-11-2003 12:48 PM ET (US)
There is a hybrid looking device called a bimi-tee made by Taylor Made that sells for under $500. It is described in Taylor Made press releases as being the best of both worlds. I've never seen one in person, but it looks interesting from the photo:
http://www.basspro-shops.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=45081&hvarTarget=search
andygere posted 08-11-2003 02:38 PM ET (US)
I've seen the Bimi-Tee on an aluminum center console boat (estimated 18-19 footer) recently, and the thing looked like it was about to shake apart in a mild chop (1-2'). The boat was not going terribly fast, but the Bimi-Tee was swaying and shaking, and the canvas was flapping like crazy. It looked like a cheap, junky piece of hardware to me. In contrast, the Mills flying top on my Montauk always seemed very steady and stable, even when running in snotty conditions. I'd stick with a flying top or sun top (bimini) and stay away from T-tops on the 17's.
4Runner posted 08-11-2003 03:09 PM ET (US)
Has anyone tried the T-Seat made by G.G. Schmitt or similar? Looks very functional and sturdy. Smaller top will have less sail area but also less shade. Can be made to fold down. Gas tank will fit in the space for the cooler. Major down side is the cost!
http://www.ggschmitt.com/
SteveFC posted 08-14-2003 02:33 PM ET (US)
I installed a Taylor Made Bimi-Tee on my 1965 Sakonnet several years ago. I reinforced the framework somewhat. While not as solid as a real t-top, it was reasonably stable. On the plus side, it was no where near strong enough to withstand the wind force required to flip the boat. But it was a lot more solid than a conventional bimini.
The canvas will not flap if properly set up with the tensioner provided with the unit. But proper setup requires a lot of four-letter-words applied while standing on the seat, an interesting exercise in a three foot chop.

The big drawback it that the Bimi-Tee frame is always in the way, especially if you have fishing rods. On a large boat, a T-top can be sized to provide adequate shade for the helm area, while still allowing ample clear area on all sides. On the 16/17 Whaler, the Bimi-Tee is small enough to provide only marginal shade, but big enough to be in the way no matter where you are in the boat.
After putting up with the contraption for a season, I pulled it off, reinstalled the old Bimini, and never looked back.

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Author	Topic: T top for 17
Marlinspike	posted 08-10-2003 08:36 PM ET (US) Does anybody have plans and pictures to build a T Top for a 1998 17 foot Montauk? Would like to have one that can fold down or be removed easily to get into a garage. Thanks
T Party	posted 08-10-2003 10:20 PM ET (US) I'm sure I read it here somewhere: a T-top is not recommended for a Montauk. Good luck.
WhalerGoFar	posted 08-11-2003 10:16 AM ET (US) I am sure T Top you probley did read it here....but what did you read (details please). I for one see no problem with a T-Top on 13 a footer if that is what you want. If it has to do with the mounting ...amount of wood to attach to or such...then I would like to hear more about it. Mike
WhalerGoFar	posted 08-11-2003 10:17 AM ET (US) I ment " T Party ". The subject was to close in name.
Bigshot	posted 08-11-2003 11:13 AM ET (US) Not enough wood to mount to floor and in a strong wind, it could literally flip that boat. I have a T-top on a 20' Hydra-Sports and it can really lean that boat over when a squall kicks up....don't do it.
DJS	posted 08-11-2003 11:25 AM ET (US) marlinspike, You can use the search engine to find what you are looking for. A few posts that may help are listed below. http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000597.html Others to try are Forum 8 and 000498, Forum 3 and 000767 and Forum 1 and 000896. Hope this helps. David
Rick Dewees	posted 08-11-2003 12:48 PM ET (US) There is a hybrid looking device called a bimi-tee made by Taylor Made that sells for under $500. It is described in Taylor Made press releases as being the best of both worlds. I've never seen one in person, but it looks interesting from the photo: http://www.basspro-shops.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=45081&hvarTarget=search
andygere	posted 08-11-2003 02:38 PM ET (US) I've seen the Bimi-Tee on an aluminum center console boat (estimated 18-19 footer) recently, and the thing looked like it was about to shake apart in a mild chop (1-2'). The boat was not going terribly fast, but the Bimi-Tee was swaying and shaking, and the canvas was flapping like crazy. It looked like a cheap, junky piece of hardware to me. In contrast, the Mills flying top on my Montauk always seemed very steady and stable, even when running in snotty conditions. I'd stick with a flying top or sun top (bimini) and stay away from T-tops on the 17's.
4Runner	posted 08-11-2003 03:09 PM ET (US) Has anyone tried the T-Seat made by G.G. Schmitt or similar? Looks very functional and sturdy. Smaller top will have less sail area but also less shade. Can be made to fold down. Gas tank will fit in the space for the cooler. Major down side is the cost! http://www.ggschmitt.com/
SteveFC	posted 08-14-2003 02:33 PM ET (US) I installed a Taylor Made Bimi-Tee on my 1965 Sakonnet several years ago. I reinforced the framework somewhat. While not as solid as a real t-top, it was reasonably stable. On the plus side, it was no where near strong enough to withstand the wind force required to flip the boat. But it was a lot more solid than a conventional bimini. The canvas will not flap if properly set up with the tensioner provided with the unit. But proper setup requires a lot of four-letter-words applied while standing on the seat, an interesting exercise in a three foot chop. The big drawback it that the Bimi-Tee frame is always in the way, especially if you have fishing rods. On a large boat, a T-top can be sized to provide adequate shade for the helm area, while still allowing ample clear area on all sides. On the 16/17 Whaler, the Bimi-Tee is small enough to provide only marginal shade, but big enough to be in the way no matter where you are in the boat. After putting up with the contraption for a season, I pulled it off, reinstalled the old Bimini, and never looked back.