Pictures?

As of now, this is the only picture I have. As you can see the rear strap is jerry-rigged for the days outing. I plan to finish the project this week so it will be complete for next weekends adventures. You may be able to see a hole just above the strap, there is actually 2 for the rear brace mount. For this outing, I attached the the other end to the stern cleat.

This is my next issue. The rear brace that gets mounted to the deck is suppose to be vertical or angled towards the stern. The angle is not to be towards the forward mounting point. I mounted the front points in line with the pre-manufactured cutouts in the cockpit cover. If I use the aft cut outs, then the angle will be slightly forward of being vertical. I am thinking of mounting them in the location that will provide the best stablization. I don't trailer with the cockpit cover on. For the few times that the boat is stored outside, I will need to take the bimini top off and store it inside the boat in order to put the cockpit cover on. Another option is to modify the cockpit cover for the new location.

No need to point out that the FM is without a pfd in the above picture, there were a few times that he was without one but that was only when we were anchored and he was in the boat. While he was in the water/ tube or when the boat was underway, he wore a pfd.

I got the top finished!

I worked on it Thursday and Friday evenings so it would be ready for Saturday's adventures. It would have been done on Thursday however I needed 2" stainless bolts and not the 1-1/2" that I had. Friday during lunch was a good excuse to take the Harley to Lowes to get them. Friday night I continued and then realized that I was 2 nuts short (no comments please) so stopped by a different Lowes on the way to the lake.

With adding the rear support brackets (shown as straps in the above picture) made the top more rigid and doesn't shake as much.

Even though this project took way too long, it was fun to do and gave me the confidence to take a shiny new drill bit and make holes in my boat. If I had to do this for someone else, it would be too expensive for them to afford.

I installed one rear support bracket (shown as a black strap in the above picture). When it was time to install the second one, I had to make sure everything was in line with the first one. Then I had to make sure the angle was correct when looking at both from the side. I didn't want one at a 40 degree angle and the other one at a 38 degree angle or whatever the real angles are. To do this, I stood on a ladder across the garage to eye them so I only saw one bracket with the second bracket behind the first. I made adjustments and then eyed it again and so forth. It is pretty close but not perfect. At this time, my wife comes out and see what I am doing. I explain it to her and she told me that I have OCD. I corrected her and said that I have CDO. She didn't know what that meant so I explained to her that it is OCD in alphabetical order.

As I said before, if we didn't have this top we wouldn't be able to be on the water during the day because of our 8 mos old son.

As for the next project, trying to add a couple more feet to the boat.

Way to go! Looked for you on Saturday at BM (after 5PM), but didn't see you. Found the cliffs you pointed out, and a rope swing, though!

we were on the water by 930 and off by 230. Next time we will go later so the morning routine is not as rushed and to avoid the peak hours of the sun. the early morning is so wonderful as the lake is quiet.

Likewise the early evening is AWESOME. We stayed on the water 'til 9:30PM. Didn't get home until after midnight!

BTW, that beach area on a hot Saturday afternoon is a freaking ZOO.