Rinker Factory top and enclosures

Stever00

Just had couple zippers resewn  for my bimini top. Got all the panels to try and zip up all the enclosure for the winter. To my dismay most of the big plastic zippers were coming unzipped as fast as I zipped them. I paid 45 dollars to get two zippers sewn back down. I cannot imagine what it would cost to put all new zippers on Fiesta Vee  enclosure. It's crazy how the top was designed anyway. In front where the top zips to the clear plastic and snaps to windshield the top does not even extend forward enough to keep sun off helm. Read where one guy extended his bimini top in front. Also there is no cover over the rear of the boat. I wonder if a bimini top could be made to extend further forward and further back rather than trying to fix a bad designed enclosure. I 'll try post a picture of what it looks like. I believe the tops were originally made by Taylor.

Stever00

Here is a 242 with the canvas extended in the rear. Looks like you could use existing zippers on back of top if they are any good and buy some more poles and framework.

reneechris14

The back is called camper top

Stever00

How do you get one?

reneechris14

@boattech01 TJ is the guy some guys on the forum has his Email

PickleRick

I extended my bimni on my 235 fv over my dash. Im the one at the helm so i dont want to be in the sun or touching a hot dash. I ordered and 8 ft bimini top from eBay. Sub 200 dollars.  Needs the camper awning canvas waterproofer spray to make water proof.  Its for a pontoon so it doesn't fit out of the box.  Legs are 4 ft long i believe.   Its a 4 bow.  I separated the 1st 2 bows from the rear two.  The front two bows were mounted on the windshield first then cut down to height where i can step over glass(my front glass doesnt open and im 6ft2) .  i have standing headroom if i stand up at my helm seat.  

I then mounted the back bow and cut it to where i had a slight rake rearward to help keep the afternoon sun from sneaking onto the bridge from behind.  

I don't boat in cold weather so no glass or zippers for me.  The only zipper i deal with is the sock for covering the top while storing or towing.  

I'm going to build my own rear bimini extension shade.  I need 2 aluminum telescoping poles.  One will stick into each side of the rear transom in the rod holders.  

I will drill/attach rivet held button snaps into the bimini frame to attach one side of sumbrella material and then tie the other off to to the poles. I need sub 3 ft of shade to cover the remaining rear of the boat.  

I have thought about buying enough material so i can attach shades to the front/sides/ rear so that we can privately shower on the engine hatch cover while standing without putting on a show for others.  Something light, folds down enough to stow under a seat.  

We weekend on the boat. Sitting to shower sucks.  Going to bed fresh and clean after a day on the water is always a plus.

If my front glass opened i could have lowered the top a bit, would look better lowered about 6- 8 inches but function>fashion i have to be able to step over the glass.  If i wasn't so tall i also wouldnt notice less head room.  My issue with sailing was i was always hunched over when on board even with 6ft head room and after a weekend on the lake my lower back ached.  

rasbury

I have the full camper pck. And really like it. It's like a room addition when it is up. I have a head with the shower but often use the platform shower just to rinse off or cool off with so as to not tease the Gators...

PickleRick

I like how a lot of guys bashing hard tops are the same ones with full enclosures. No matter what you're blocking out, it improves your boating experience.  Rain, sun, wind or cold a bimini, hard top, camper enclosure or awesome Canadian beer sponsored umbrella makes otherwise awful weekends much better to be on the water.  It also improves the great ones!    I had no idea what i was missing without a bimini.  I had been boating all my life. Installed my first one at 35 or 36.  Best modification to a boat ever!

rasbury

The first year we had our boat we did not-2nd year we got the front half done and completed it the following year. Like I said it makes the upper deck seem like an additional cabin, it's amazing.

Willhound

PickleRick said:

 awesome Canadian beer sponsored umbrella makes otherwise awful weekends much better to be on the water. 

I recognize that comment! It's actually starting to get known at area marinas when we visit. "Oh, you're the guy with the big umbrella and swim platform". The guys in our home marina know that when the umbrellas up, the bar is open!

PickleRick

  rasbury said:

The first year we had our boat we did not-2nd year we got the front half done and completed it the following year. Like I said it makes the upper deck seem like an additional cabin, it's amazing.

 One thing you can never have enough of on board is usable space.  Towing you're always thinking this is too big. Once on board you're wondering where all the room went. 

@Willhound

It is a sweet umbrella.  I used a beach umbrella my parents got when i was 5 or 6.
I need to upgrade. After seeing yours I've started looking for a good beer umbrella.  Or one that has Goonies on it.  

Stever00

While were on the subject how in the heII do you fold these 240 tops back to trailer and not take whole top off? When I bought boat ask guy if I needed to let the top down. He said no. Halfway home it was hanging off the back of the boat. Now I gotta figure better way to mount back running light which was mounted on back of top. Seems like stupid place to start with.

PickleRick

You dont want to tow over 35 to 40 mph with top up.

My bimini stays upright in the back supported bow and goes into a storage sock.  Takes 5 min to pull out or stow. 

Ive never seen a camper top fold down that easily, too many sections to deal with.  There are marinas and close proximity to the lake storage facilities around here that cater to trailer storage for that reason.  You keep your boat minutes from the lake on the trailer, fully set up.  Just hook up an dip.