Trojan Boat Forum

Randy P, and all

I noticed your boat has a rear shade canopy and was wondering if it is a store bought Bimini or you made it yourself.
I am in the planning stage of making one for my F25 and although I have a plan, I could always use another idea or two.

I plan to use 1" square aluminum and Bimini fittings to secure the tubing to the rear railing and the rear of the hardtop.
The canvas will attach using grommets around the three outer sides, and snaps along the hardtop.

If yours is homemade and you don't mind sharing or anyone else who may have done the same, could I get pic's and how you did it?

Thanks ahead,

Larry

Larry, I am a marine fabricator.

Please go with 1" thick walled stainless tubing for the back. It will be heavy enough to go with your shade top and to support an enclosure someday.

Go with Sunbrella. Its proven out there in the marine industry for the climate changes and etc. also it has an 8 yr warranty.

Don't just do a shade canopy. Do a nice back bimini camper top. Don't use the grommets, use the zipper pockets.

Just trying to help!

Joe

Hi Larry. Mine was made by a local uphosterer who did a lot of boats in our area. The frame is 1" stainless steel tubing, bent to fit with ss fittings. It's not attached to the rear rail, but to fittings mounted on the body of the rear deck. The fabric (Sunbrella) is grommeted and snaps into the inside of the rear of the hardtop - about 9 snaps I think. The cover is only part of side and back curtains that zip into place and make the entire cockpit a camper. The side and back curtains are also Sunbrella and have clear vinyl windows that can be rolled up to allow built-in screens to be used. The cover, etc was on the boat when we bought it in 99. It had just been installed that year. Total cost was around $1500, but you can do stuff yourself for less. I wash and waterproof the covers each spring and have a local upholsterer sew any weak seams and replace any bad or cracked vinyl. It's kept up over the past 10 years and I hope to get a few more years wear out of the set.