# Canopy/Bimini......maybe a total enclosure



## sheffsboat (Sep 10, 2012)

Ahoy Tinboater,

I'm thinking about putting a canopy/bimini on my 14ft aluminum jon boat. I fish out here in coastal NC so it gets hot. I was thinking about making a full enclosure so maybe I can sleep out on the water in the calm inlets out there. Anybody got pics of their set-ups? Can anybody show me how they built their own? Where do you get the material for the canopy top? I think I can make the pvc frame but I'm gonna need some guidance on that. Hope somebody can help. Thanks.

Sheff


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## Zum (Sep 10, 2012)

Theres a guy maybe two that have exactly what your looking for and on the same size boat.
The name is not coming to mind rate now but atleast 1 is still a regular and I hope he chimes in.


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## Ictalurus (Sep 10, 2012)

Zum said:


> The name is not coming to mind rate now but atleast 1 is still a regular and I hope he chimes in.



I think Patriot, maybe patriot2, built an enclosure on a 14' v-hull. I have a bimini on my 14' jon, absolutely love it, a hurricane 2 bow bimini top from cabelas.


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## 200racing (Sep 10, 2012)

we used to have a Bimini on our wellcraft we slept on it several times. we just tied a big tarp on at the bow went over the top and the at the stern. it worked pretty good,granted we never endured a storm just some light rain.

that thing was the biggest pain to have on a fishing boat. made casting hard when up, made moving around hard when down.


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## atuck593 (Sep 10, 2012)

+1 I added a bimini top to my boat this past summer. I love it. I set it back so I am in the shade while driving and I can fish off the front deck without interference. Not to mention my girlfriend loves to read in the shade while I am fishing. Girlfriend in shade cool = more time on the water fishing lol.


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## River (Sep 11, 2012)

Have had this on the boat for 8 years or more. I think it was from Cabelas. Would not have another boat without one. When folded down it does not get in the way at all. When up it limits fishing from the rear. I mostly longline for crappie so its not much of a bother at all. When up on a hot day it feels like AC....lol Hope this helps ...River


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## River (Sep 11, 2012)

This is the one on my big boat...River


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## Zum (Sep 11, 2012)

I stoll this picture from Patroit2,it's his boat....hope he doesn't mind.


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## PATRIOT2 (Sep 11, 2012)

Zum said:


> I stoll this picture from Patroit2,it's his boat....hope he doesn't mind.
> View attachment 3


Nope, he doesn't mind petty theft  . . . just returned from a few nights on the river . . . good sleeping weather. Got a chance to try out my brand new halogen driving lights =D> . . . . Anyway, the whole rig ran about $75 and is 3/4" and 1/2" EMT galvanized conduit and about 100 snaps.


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## MOE (Sep 12, 2012)

That is pretty darn cool especially the air horns =D>


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## Jonboat Jerry (Sep 12, 2012)

Here is a 4 Bar Bimini I put on my boat. Since it had to be taller, I reinforced the tubing inside
with smaller tubing and outside with larger. The other mod was to attach tubing in the back
(stiffarm) to make it stand up when stowed. Casting from the front or back is ok.  Jerry


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## muffin (Sep 12, 2012)

how do they attach to the boat? i see they come with mounting brackets, but what kind of bolts do they come with? self-tapping? something else?


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## sixgun86 (Sep 12, 2012)

PATRIOT2 said:


> Zum said:
> 
> 
> > I stoll this picture from Patroit2,it's his boat....hope he doesn't mind.
> ...



Okay, this is the first time I've seen this camper jon. After spending past 20 minutes digging through posts to find more pictures could you make it easy on me? Where are you hiding the pic cache! Great idea, want to see more of the enclosure construction, even the remote setup. 

Whats plan B if the motor cuts out 30 miles in ?


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## Jonboat Jerry (Sep 12, 2012)

muffin said:


> how do they attach to the boat? i see they come with mounting brackets, but what kind of bolts do they come with? self-tapping? something else?


The black plastic brackets came with self taping screws that I was afraid would pull out when running with the bimini deployed. I slit a piece of 1" aluminum tubing in half on my table saw to give me 4, 3" pieces.
I used small SS bolts with Nylock nuts on top to fasten the plastic brackets to the tubing sections, then put 4, 3/16 poprivets
to fasten the tubing to the rail. Probably overkill, but it won't come apart....Jerry


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## muffin (Sep 12, 2012)

Jonboat Jerry said:


> muffin said:
> 
> 
> > how do they attach to the boat? i see they come with mounting brackets, but what kind of bolts do they come with? self-tapping? something else?
> ...



Thank you very much, sir.


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## novaman (Sep 12, 2012)

This is on a slightly bigger scale than a 1648, ( although I've already measured my Grizzly 1648 and it would work just as easy) as this is on a 2072, with a 96" beam. I got the idea from a guy here in NE IN. who has a similar setup on a river pontoon. The frame is a pontoon bimini top frame I bought off ebay (new) for $100 + $25 shipping out of NC about 4 yrs ago. I took it to Shipshewana Canvas, who made my road cover as well, and told him what I wanted. 5 days later he called and said come look at this and see if it suits You. We've changed one little thing in 4 yrs, ( extension tabs for one side cover snaps) as it doesn't want to stretch real well at 15 degrees in Dec, Jan. #-o . It all rolls up and stores in a bimini boot, ( it hangs about 6'4" off the floor when zipped in) so You can run flat out if necessary :wink: I think I've got about $450 dollars in everything, and have absolutely no regrets.


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## muffin (Sep 12, 2012)

*novaman*, that looks amazing, took a look or two, but i like it a lot. how does it handle while going higher speeds


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## donmac (Sep 15, 2012)

I'm from NH but currently 'doing time' in the mid-atlantic and found the jon boat way too hot in the summer. The tin surfaces were barely touchable when it was 90+ and the sun was beating down on them. So, I hydro-turfed the decks and floors and installed an attwood 4 bow bimini. Works great. It covers the front bench and large floor area of the my 1655.


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