Thread subject: Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos :: Mounting a Bimini on a slide?

Posted by Finnegan on 11/25/14 - 8:24 PM
#3

I may be old fashioned, but all Boston Whalers, using Mills designed canvas, and before Great Lakes started making Whaler's canvas, had ALL running canvas (Forward Shelter, Flying Top or Sun Top), stow forward, and inside the bow rail, most often using a slide. To answer your question, both my Outrage 18 and my Outrage 25 have the Flying Top (what you are calling a "Bimini top") supporting leg mounted into a slide. The booted canvas (Sunbrella) than slides forward when not in use.

In this photo of the Outrage 25, if you look carefully, you can see the 4' long slide used for the Flying Top (black fitting at the front). The front leg of the top is at the BACK of the slide track when up, held in place by a snap strap. On the Outrage 18, the track is only about a foot long.

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/lgolt...0454810006

I think it is extremely poor canvas design to have a Flying Top/Sun Top stowed backward, or even worse, require that it stand angled back on a pair of legs (where it wobbles all over the place when running). Terrible, and the sign of a cheap boat and poorly designed canvas! My daughter's 1999 Dauntless 14 (I begged her not to buy it!) has one of these awful Great Lakes Sun Tops. When it is stowed, the stern of the boat is completely cluttered and practically unaccessible, and stowing in the "leaning back" position is just as bad, as noted. It wont' stow forward because it won't fit insde the bow rail - bad design. No wonder Whaler only made that boat for two seasons.

I HIGHLY recommend you get a Sun Top for your boat from Wm Mills Co. Check their website for availability to your model. It is premium quality equipment, and will stow forward, where it belongs, possibly using a slide, so you are thinking correctly with your slide idea.

Edited by Finnegan on 11/25/14 - 8:27 PM