Bimini support poles replacement +other questions

[scttwht1]

Need some advice. I recently purchase a used Ve22 and the only thing that seems to be a problem is the bimini. Both of the rear facing support poles are both broken off at the base where they are inserted into the Alpha Z tower. The poles are stainless steel with a black piece of plastic that seems to be a stopper for where the poles are inserted into the tower. Also, the metal in the tower is slightly wallowed out. So a new pole is going to still move around a bit. It appears to me that the prior owner had the bimini on too tight. I wanted to know if there is an aftermarket replacement for the poles. Also, wanted to know how much slack others experience with the rear support poles. Last (and easy question) when the bimini is folded down put in its cover do rear poles stay up? Or do you pull the the rear support poles down? I can’t figure out how to cover everything if the poles stay up
Thanks for your thoughts.

[sooner25]

I'm going through almost the same thing. I think I've found almost all of the parts expect the black grommet. I have the websites written down at my office. I'll post them tomorrow. I'm going to have to replace the rear frame tubing as well. Will you post pics of what yours looks like? I lost mine in the lake, so I need to find out what kind of caps and bends it has. As far as when it was folded, the poles should be taken out of the tower and folded into the boot.

[Duncan]

Re slack in the rear poles -- NONE in ours. That bimini is stretched really tight.

Note, if you have the bimini extension, there is a separate set of longer poles.

Also, Tige switched bimini makers mid-year 2009. The old frame works with the new style (post mid-2009) bimini top. Supposedly, the old bimini extension support tube does not work with the new bimini extension (and vice versa).

Good luck!

[Dave S]

So there is no metal passed the black stoppers? There should be about 1-2", don't remember exactly. You insert those poles first attached to the rear frame and then insert into tower, then fold the front bar from the back of the boat to the front of the boat and the back will get tight. The only place the back poles should "lock" in place is with push pins into the rear frame. If you are in fact missing the 1-2" of metal pole in front of the stopper, you could probably rig something up until you get the correct poles.

[scttwht1]

Thanks

For now - I have rigged a soution. Everything purchased from Lowes. Inserted zinc plated steel 1/2 inch into the stainless steel rode. Added a PCV stopper (hole cut to 1/2 inch) over the zinc rod. Inserted the final 3 inches zinc rods into a short piece of clear plastic tubing to create a cushion around the rod where it is inserted into the tower. Thanks for everyones support.

[Dave K]

I am just waiting for my black plastic bimini hardware to break. I hate plastic so i ordered some of these below. I figured with a the angle and pivoting parts it would reduce any stress on the joint.

Maybe this web site has some parts that will help. It appears that they have many bimini parts but in metal.

http://www.marinepartdepot.com/newststdehi.html