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Does anyone out there have the tracks mounted on their boats for a bimini top?

I bought a pair of tracks and their are no directions in the pack. Installation was easy, however, my question is this. When you tighten the bracket that holds the vertical arm of the top, does it tighten down to the bushing in the track so hard that it won't move at all unless you loosen the screws a bit?

When my screws max out, the bracket still slides. If that is the case, then I guess the support poles and straps keep the top from moving forward and backward when in use.

Thanks.

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I have tracks on my Montauk. I never move them after I set them, where I wanted the bimini top. If I was to do it from scratch I would use the kind that are fixed [no track] I also would mount on the top gunnels not the lower (on Montauk)
Its kind of hard to say when I do not know what model of Whaler you are talking about, ever thought about making a personal page.
Guts

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Guts:

I am in the process of making a personal page. I've just been busy with work.

I have an '81 Montauk. I am putting the tracks so I can move the top depending on where I need it. Its location just depends on if the wife and kids come on the boat for the day. I want to be able to shade the entire bow of the boat for different reasons as well as use it in the middle location when needed.

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nvaccaro Hey same year as mine. I will go out and put mine up tomorrow and take some pictures while using a tape measure.
Too hot outside right now. I see you have your email address in your profile... I will send them off in the am Saturday.
Guts

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Guts:

Thanks. I appreciate the help.

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In 1996 Whaler/Mills started putting the tracks on top of the gunwales so the top could be stored in the down position in front of the bow rail and outside the boat.

I always preferred this method as opposed to the earlier style that had the top resting inside the boat taking up room.

Here is one example although you can't see all of the track.
http://users.sisqtel.net/blewis/Monta...ntauk.html

Here is another example of my prior Montauk 17
http://users.sisqtel.net/jkriz/Montau...ntauk.html
In some of the above photos of my Montauk you can see where the top was inside before I moved it to the outside of the railing.

Much better in my opinion and also Boston Whaler and Mills Canvas.

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N -

If the base still slides, there is a problem.

My Montauk had an after-market top and tracks. When tightened, the base would not move. I used fore and aft straps and 2 that crossed to the top center of the console rail.

What brand track did you get and what type of hardware slider and knob do you have?

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The one I have has two sliders, one in front and one in back of where base attaches. I think they are Taylor made slides. The center pin does not lock it to the base just locks in fitting. I have mine on inside so it folds down inside of bow rail but I agree with JK about having it outside for more room. You can see how they are mounted on my personal page

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I know there are at least two types of hardware.

On my Montauk, there was a nylon base that fit in the slot of the track. The base had an ear to take the bimini pole. Forward of the ear was a large slotted head that threaded through the base and made contact with the bottom of the track.

On my Outrage, (Mills hardware) the base had a short webbed strap above the base and below the ear. On each end of the strap was a female snap. This snap attached to a male snap on either end of the rail. The male snap was on the screws that attach the rail to the gunnel.

I actually prefer the snap method. No need for a screwdriver to set or stow the top.

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nvaccaro sending pictures now... I like the way Joe Kriz has suggested putting the top on the top side of the gunnels. Mine will not fit that way. any one else want to see the pictures, email me.

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Hey guys:

Thanks for the information.

Guts: I'll be looking at your pics shortly. Thanks for taking the time to send them.

Phil T: My tracks are Taylor Made from West Marine. My top is a Sunbrella.

When I bought the top a few months ago, I mounted on top the sides so it could fold down outside of the bow rails. The problem I have is that it works itself loose after a some time. I thought someone mentioned here recently about a problem with the top mount that their isn't any wood or not enough wood for the screws to bite into. I thought that maybe the tracks would be a better mounting method because they are longer and would have more screws fastening them down. Don't get me wrong, I also wanted to be able to adjust the location of the top as I mentioned earlier.

I called West Marine yesterday afternoon and the salesman said that when the screws are tightened, the ones that fasten the bimini arm bracket to the plastic insert inside the track, that it is not suppose to fasten down tight and not move. I agree with the opinion above that this is a problem.

I have support poles that hold the top, when folded up, above the rps so it is out of the way when fishing. If the bimini arm bracket won't tighten down in place, the arms aren't doing any good because it wants to slide all the way forward until it "bottoms out" against the end cap on the track.

I have come up with a way to modify the design with the plastic insert inside the track. I won't have to do any cutting, or put any extra holes in the boat, so it is worth a try. I believe what I have come up with will let me tighten the bracket down at any location within the track. I'll let you guys no how I make out.

Knowing me, I have over thought this and the simple solution is staring me in the face, but I'm too blind and can't see it.

Again, thanks for all of the suggestions and help. Keep them coming. God knows I can use all the help I can get.

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I got it all worked out.

I went down to West Marine today and talked to both salesman on duty today. Neither neither knew if the thing was suppose to lock down and not slide when positioned in the desired location. Of course, I had bought the last set of tracks, so we couldn't look at another for directions or to see if I was missing hardware. After that, I figured enough was enough.

I went to Lowe's and got 4 stainless steel 1/2 inch screws (10-24), 4 stainless steel fender washers and 4 nuts. I eliminated the use of the plastic inserts in the track and slid the fender washers and nuts into the tracks. When I run the screws in and tighten them down, I have no movement. I can loosen the screws just a bit and then slide the bimini base forward and aft to wherever I want and then tighten it down again.

Chapter closed, for now.

I like the guys at the local West Marine. One salesman who I deal with pretty often is going to call the manufacturer tomorrow to find out what their installation method is. He's going to let me know. As I said, it's probably something so simple that I missed it.

Thanks again for the help and suggestions.

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I think what you are referring to is a "Slide Lock" which for my slides is an additional fitting with a thumb screw that pushes down into the Slide and keeps the Bracket from moving forward. This is separate from the Bimini Mount bracket. The challenge I have with the setup is that the slide lock only prevents it from moving forward, which if you tension the bimini properly is fine. If I had my way, I would actually like a slide lock on both sides of the mount. I know you found a solution...any chance you can take a quick snapshot of that? I think I am tracking (No pun intended :-)) but just in case, I think a picture showing your solution would be helpful.

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There are several other options and ways to do this.

Mills has something unique. They put a piece of nylon strap between the slider part and the mounting part. When the sider is forward, there is a snap to hold it in position. The same when it is moved in the other direction and in the down position. Here is the Mills Canvas version.
http://www.whalercentral.com/photogal...hoto_id=81

The stops as mentioned above works. You can have one stop that automatically gets you in the same position every time. Then move the other stop up to lock the slider bracket in place.

There is also a slider bracket that has a thumb screw to lock it in place. This nylon one was very hard for me to find. I cannot seem to find a SS one that has the thumb screw. Attached is a nylon one just for reference.

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Same one I have Joe there are port and starboard one's... SeaDog Line part# 273285 and # 273286 come in white and black.

http://www.marineengine.com/products/...in=3161038

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I wish someone would make a fitting for sheet tracks on sailboats. These tracks are much more robust than the ones sold for traditional bimini hardware. The sheet cars slide on the tracks and lock in place with spring loaded knobs/pins at predetermined points. You can move car 4" or 4' by simply pulling up on the pin and sliding it. Some twist to lock down.

Jeff

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That's A great Idea Jeff If I do replace mine that's what I'm going to use.

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The salesman at West Marine called me today. He spoke to two of the other stores and none of them had any answers for the problem I was having. Oh well.

I'm happy with what I came up with.

Wjsherid: I will take a picture for you tomorrow and send it over.

Take care, guys.

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My personal page has several photos that show the track on top and one with the bimini folded down outside the rails. I can't imagine it folded inside the rails taking up all that room.

The stops that I have are like the one that Joe has pictured above (but black). Once I lock the ss screw down the slide does not move.

Jack

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I have a slide lock on either side of the top mount so I can slide the top to various positions and lock it there.

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I have been thinking of mounting slide tracks on my '85 Montauk like you have been discussing here. My question is this, I have looked at the wood locating diagram and can't tell whether or not there is any wood at the top of the gunwale. Should I be concerned about this?
Thanks, Josh

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Josh,

No need for concern. The 4 straps hold the top down, not the slider.

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Thanks Joe, That's what I figured, there would never be any tension pulling the track up anyway. Do you know what length track was used on the Montauks?

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Josh,

That I don't know.

I do know that it needs to be long enough in the front so the top can go over and in front of the bow rail and then the top slides back slightly to be up against the bottom of the bow rail and behind the bow light.

Then of course the slide needs to be long enough to put the top up in the position you want it to be when its up.

Maybe someone can measure their original Mills slider on a 1996 or newer Montauk.
Or someone that has added one of the newer styles to their older Montauk that has a bow rail.

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Lucky,

I don't have a Mills cover but I measured mine for you anyway. I have a 1989 Montauk.

My track is 36 inches long and I recall thinking that I might get away with a 24 inch track but I'm glad that I went with the longer one. When I am folding the bimini down I need to move the track all the way forward so that the bimini will go over the bow rails. I also wanted to be able to adjust the location of the bimini somewhat (more over the back seat or over the front seat) and I needed 36 inches to accomplish it all.

One additional benefit of the 36 inch track is the ability to screw it down with three or more screws. I was able to hit wood with at least two of them.

Check my personal page for photos of the location of the track and the location of the bimini both standing and folded forward.

Jack

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CapnJs
That has to be the cleanest installation I have seen. I wish mine was that way, I would use it more. Great Job !!!

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CapnJs top is just like the ones that I show in one of my first post in this thread.

That is the newer style mounting and as far as I am concerned, better than the earlier version with the canvas inside the boat. Even Mills and Boston Whaler decided this was the preferred method as they starting putting this style in the 1996 and newer Montauks.

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I don't think mine would fit over the rails. and it is like new shape, so I wont be buying one soon. but you never know. I like the close up picture on CapnJs personal ( the last one)

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Guts,

You never know until you try.
Have a helper hold the other side of the top for you on top of the gunwale where it would normally mount on a slider. Then lower the top and see if it clears the rails.
Mine was just barely wide enough. Some obviously won't be wide enough to clear the outside of the rails.

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I've got a question about the Bimini tracks on my Outrage. I've never seen any like this and I'm wondering was this a manufactured product or something a previous owner came up with? I've posted pics on my personal page of the tracks. Its a nice design because of the angle it puts the frame when I have it down. Anybody seen this before?