+1 for Drill Doctor, FWIW. Love it.

Ok, I just received my 2 quick relase bimini brackets as I only ordered 2 instead of 4. I checked the underside of where the mounts are going to be attached and all is clear on the port side and have a few steering and throttle linkages to push to the side on the starboard side, which I already knew I would have to do. While standing on my head looking at what I had, I saw little screws poking through and they were for the cockpit snaps and then saw the bolts with a mounting bracket used for the cleats. This got me to thinking, the quick release mounting instructions say to use #10 screws but thought about using #10 bolts and put an aluminum backing plate similar to what is used for the cleats for a rock solid bimini mount. Any thoughts???? I already have 1-1/2" wide aluminum flat stock to use as the backing plate if I go that way.

Through bolts with backing plates would be better, if you can do it.

agree with bob. if you have the room, it's better.

Thanks for the second and third opinions.

Just Bob, once this is done, I will be off to Blue Marsh to test how it performs. I'll let you know when I go.

I take many hours in thoughts on how to do something before I actually start to do it and when I finally get to do it, I realize that it wasn't as bad as it seams. This is true in this project.

I have been busy lately and the boat is still winterized from last fall and this weekend we plan to go out.

I have received information from many on how to drill thru fiberglass with success and last night I wanted to get the ather's day present (that I wanted) to spend time working on this project. So, with drill in hand, I put 4 holes in the boat with great success. I still have 4 more holes to drill but that is when my son decided to wake up from his nap. Tonight I hope to finish the drilling. I took some pictures of my wife helping me out and she has some of me working.

All in all, once you get past the initial fear of drilling a hole in your boat, it isn't much diffent than drilling thru a piece of scrap wood (beside the money aspect).

I will post some pictures shortly. Thanks for your patience.

Measure hundred times, drill once


Admiral helping with securing the aluminum backing plate to the underside


Me doing the other side as junior just got up from his nap


Front quick release braket secured.

I made sure that when the cockpit cover is fastened, the pre-made bimini top access points line up. In the first picture you can see a pen in my ear. I was looking around and my wife asked what I was looking for. I told her the pen. She said it was in my ear. I guess I was so focused on drilling that I misplaced it.

It is my wife's birthday today so I will have to wait until tomorrow to finish this up.

SCRAP WOOD????

That said, I've been over drilling holes in mine for a long time now.

Just an expression, not devaluing anyone's boat.

Next question, the front of the top has straps that fasten to hooks. The magazine shows these hooks in the gel coat just in front of the windshield. If I place them as shown, I almost run out of strap length. I thought about putting the hooks into the aluminum frame around the windshield but making sure that when the cockpit cover is on, they don't interfer with it. Also making sure that I don't drill thru the windshield.

I still need to try different areas for the best location.

Mine are located inside the windshield on the gunnel. Do you have room to do that? They pretty much go straight down from the front of the bimini.

I'm sure you already know this, but if you put screws in your windshield frame, and you so much as touch the glass with the screw, the glass will shatter.

Go ahead, ask me how I know.

I suspected somthing like this but wasn't sure. I wontask you how either.

The bimini top worked pretty good, I still have the rear support poles to install. For our first outing last weekend, I used the straps and connnected them to the stern cleats. Hopefully when the rear support is attached, and the front straps fully tightened, the top wont shake as much.

I kept saying that I don't know why I didn't get a bimini top 4 years ago. There was no way we could have stayed on the water all day and not have shade for the first mate.