Bimini Help

[Darren Henry]

I'll set them up

Just make sure your deck hinges etc... are spaced the same as on the boat and you can't go wrong.

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Just make sure your deck hinges etc... are spaced the same as on the boat and you can't go wrong.

That makes perfect sense; however, I don't have the boat, just the bows.  So, I should call Jerry (owner) and ask him to measure what on the boat for me?  Or should I be able to figure it out by looking at the bows?

Thanks!

Virginia

[Darren Henry]

You are best to get Jerry to measure the boat. You need the width of the boat (centre of rail to centre of rail). You also need to know how far apart the deck hinges that the tops attach to are from each other. Finally you need to know if there are deck straps (top is held up by straps) or or more deck hinges for solid support bars and where they are. With that you can make a mock up of his boat out of a couple of 2X4's and your tops will drop right into place. I would wait until you have the actual boat to install snaps on the side/stern curtains.

[brmax]

I would need the boat

[Darren Henry]

she's making the boat [wink]. All the attachment points on a pontoon are in a straight line down the rail.Once she copies that layout on a couple of 2X4's she can set up his old bows just like it was on the boat.

You're right though that doesn't work on a boat with a windshield and anchor points inside the hull etc...

[brmax]

Oh ok, didn't pick that up i was on break and had my mind stuck on windshield fitting.

Good day
Floyd

[Mike]

ii set up frames all the time on a 2x4 and build a top with the boat absent

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Jerry is measuring the boat today and is coming over tomorrow morning.  We are setting the bows up in the garage (my incentive to get this done quickly -- before hubby has a tizzy fit about my turning his garage into a boat ; o ).

Thanks for the help.  I have cut some smaller pieces of the bimini out.  They sew on the bimini and then zip together.  Knew I couldn't go wrong on those.  I am very eager to get this up and going as I also have the fabric in house for my BIL & SIL's oversize recliners.  Busy, busy, busy and lovin' it!

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Have the bows set up in the garage, also Jerry made a very detailed drawing of the inside of his pontoon and measurements between deck hinges, etc.  I probably could have set the bows up in my new room off Sew & Sew, but it would have cramped it up and I already have a couple of hs girls bringing prom dresses over in the next few weeks so.....

I see no reason why this project will drag out though.  Hubby wasn't at all upset over turning the garage into a make shift pontoon.  Had one of the zippers sewn in fabric and gave that to Jerry to take home so his wife can see the fabric that he and I picked.  He agreed that Tempotest is very fine stuff.  As Chris said up somewhere in this thread, it folds very easily and I like that as well.

Virginia

[Darren Henry]

Good for you. How much did you have to adjust the bows to get the shape and spacing you wanted?

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

These guys are aluminum and the front section was 20" between the hole that the slide piece fits in.  They fold up flat so I unfolded them and measured between the holes until my stick hit the 20" mark.  The back section will be a bit trickier as there are three slide pieces (hope that makes sense).  Jerry made a great diagram that shows all the dimensions on the boat.  Quite cool. 

I think that after my 2 appointments for prom dresses come next week, I will move the bows downstairs into my new room.  Weather is going to be wintery again.  For the last 10 days, we have been in the high 50's to mid 70's (76 was our high yesterday), so I haven't minded going in and out of the garage.  That is going to change and it will be much more convenient to have them downstairs.

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

I've had the small bimini piece done for several weeks, just waiting on my customer to come by and check it out.  Finally came by this afternoon and he grinned from ear to ear when he saw it and is now very excited for me to finish the larger piece (they zip together).

Larger piece has gone much faster as I made all my dumb mistakes on the first section.  Did a better job labeling, pieces, etc., so sewing has gone much faster.  Have maybe 7 zipper halves left to sew plus the binding.  Have already cut binding and folded it so once all the zippers are in place, I'll whip the binding in place.  Told Jerry that, barring an unforeseen crisis, he can plan on picking it up next Monday.

Really love working with Tempotest.  It's been a dream, pretty much from start to finish.  Very easy to cut, fold and sew!

Virginia

[Mojo]

Ingrid loves Tempotest. It is a stiff hand to it so makes working with it great. Especially if your folding and seaming.

Sattler has a bit of a softer hand as does Recacril. Docril is somewhere in between Sattler and Tempotest. Docril quality I feel is better then Recacril. For some reason the quality of Recacril has steadily gone down hill.

Chris

[Mike]

chris I havnt been able to get with mike ( havnt tried hard) hes always travling.  did you say Docril  is in florida?

[Mojo]

Yeah Mike has a warehouse in Miami.