Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?
May 04, 2025, 18:56:09 pm
« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: Bimini Options  (Read 1671 times)

airrelu

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 1
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
    • Email
Bimini Options
« on: February 28, 2005, 04:37:05 am »
Hello all,

I have a 1999 X22 and would like to know what bimini options have been the most successful with this tower.  I have speakers above and would like the bimini to be as tall as possible under the tower as I'm 6'0" tall.  Any pics out there, please share. 

Airrelu

Logged

phenom_1819

  • Toyota should pay me
  • *****
  • Posts: 691
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Once an Epic owner ...always an Epic enthusiast
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Bimini Options
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2005, 07:58:17 am »
Welcome to the site!!  This thread has Derek's name all over it.  I have the stock bimini, and I like it (though use it rarely).  I'll wait to elaborate until after a chime or two from Derek, the archives and bimini god of epicmarine.com.

Again, welcome.  And I know Derek will tell you this, so I'll beat him to the punch.

"Post pics!"
Logged
Cal
Yakima, WA
Previous owner of 2001 Toyota Epic X22

cyclone

  • Administrator
  • Toyota should pay me
  • *****
  • Posts: 2577
  • Karma: +4/-0
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Bimini Options
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2005, 12:30:08 pm »
I have the trampoline top, which is very cool but definitely on the low side, I bang my head on it all the time. I had the factory bimini at first, it was a little lower than the tramp top. Derek built a massive bimini that attaches to the top of his tower, you may want to do something like that. Do a search on all posts by gr8dna if he does't chime in soon.

Welcome to the site, be sure to look at the How TO page for lots of good stuff on keeping your boat running!
Logged
Pete

'01 Epic SX

toyotafreak

  • Toyota should pay me
  • *****
  • Posts: 1515
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Classic and clean
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Bimini Options
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2005, 15:15:16 pm »
My pics are at home, but you could see one of the early pics here:
http://www.wakeworld.com/cgi-bin/Discus4/board-profile.cgi?action=view_profile&profile=toyotafreak-users

I don't use the aft bimini straps anymore, so it's really easy for everybody to climb in and out off the back. I'm almost 6" and can stand and drive under the thing. Was kind of a pain to find someone to build it even though I had drawings -n- stuff.

I wanted the aft cockpit shade as large as possible, wanted to keep the aft bow as high as possible, and wanted to have it strapless. It is just awesome for a summer week - you can easily go all week without getting burned out by the sun.

I still haven't figured out how to get boards back on the tower. The bimini frame cuts right across where you'd normally place racks. Last summer I moved my rack to the inside of the tower, way up high. With it, I could have a skate and one board under there (over the driver's head), but there was still plenty of room for me and it wasn't an annoyance to the rest of the crew.



This thing's definitely not for most. For most of the year, a trampoline top would be much better. Hoist the awning when heading to Havasu for the week, though.
Logged
Derek Boyer
derek.boyer@att.net

2000 Epic S22
Powered by Lexus, Fueled by Chevron, Lubricated by Mobil 1 ... DNA by Toyota

Bitzco

  • Toyota should pay me
  • *****
  • Posts: 507
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • How Gilligan got off the island.
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Bimini Options
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2005, 18:06:44 pm »
If you look at the photos section of the site, you will see several bimini options on people's boats. I personally have had three bimini's on my boats. The first was the factory trampoline top. It was by far the coolest looking but people banged their heads on it a lot. The next was the purple one you will see on the yellow and purple SX. This one was my favorite. Lots of coverage and snug up against the bottom of the tower. You couldn't get it higher without going over the tower. No head banging. The only problem with it was that you had to pull the pins on the tower and tilt the tower forward a little when you put the bimini up. Once it was up, you put the tower back down into its place and put the pins back in. It took about a minute of extra effort to put it up. Well worth it in my view. The third is on my current boat. It is a folding trampoline. I liked both of the other tops better. I am going to replace it with one like I had on my old SX. There are other options which can be had as well. Custom Covers in Salt Lake City has several different biminis that were specifically designed for our Toyotas. You might check them out on the web.

www.sewlong.com
Logged
03 Pilot, 01 Epic SX, 330 cc bombers and 4 kids in back. Working to retire to a lakeside cottage with my own boat dock.

festivus

  • Toyota should pay me
  • *****
  • Posts: 515
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • you know you want one
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Bimini Options
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2005, 20:32:15 pm »
Welcome Stranger.
I have bimini envy of Derek and Bitzco.  Mine is so small...
Looking forward to seeing your pics with the speakers up top.  Don't see that too often. 
I like my bimini, although small, and here's why-
It is a rock.  I never have to put it down.  I could probably tow with it up.  It lasted through a 80mph windstorm at Powell last summer that wrecked up a lot of stuff.  I can put my boards on/off easily, my lights work above it, and It is a snap to put up and down.  I can't remember hitting it, then again, it isn't as fixed as the factory tramp tops, so it forgives.
Did I mention it was sort of small.  It covers my wife and I though.  The kids can fry.
Welcome to the site.

Logged
1982 Bayliner 175 Cuddy 125 Foh-rce ob
1982 Reliant K- light sky blue
1988 Ford Taurus- deep gold
Pages: [1]
« previous next »