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Do You trailer with bimini attached to tower and racks in or out?
We did our first 600 km trip to the lake yesterday with the new Z3. Bimini was in boot strapped to Alpha Z tower and racks in. Then we used stretch film and wrapped the whole tower. I peeled it off this morning and not a single bug . Also kept the racks folded in place nicely until the last 100km or so when the film got a bit shredded around the racks but they stayed folded in nicely.
All in all a pretty easy tow but this morning I have to figure out if it's the truck or the trailer that has an issue with running lights. All the other trailer lights were fine and I checked the wire harness in the trailer when we stopped for gas. Im leaning towards a fuse in the truck but I left my multimeter at home in my other truck so I'll have to build myself a 12V test light and have a look today.
Woke up to 11mph winds coming straight down the bay towards us . Maybe a good day to put a few hours on the break in period and test the new bigger boat in semi-rough water conditions.
On short trips (less then 200 miles) we just wrap bimini in cover and leave it on tower. We took a long trip last summer - 3000 miles round trip. Halfway there one of the bimini poles came out of mount on highway and I lost a bolt. I took it off and put in boat for remainder of trip.
Racks alwasy in, bimini stays attached and open all year round. Our tow to the water is very short and not very fast speeds, so the top stays extended. I boot it up only for long trips to other lakes and destinations. The bimini set up on my tige is extemely difficult to install and remove and it loves bitting fingers, so it only gets stowed or removed only if absolutely nec.
I don't want to go to work, take me wake surfing instead!
Can someone take a picture of this "boot"? My boat and alpha Z came without any straps etc for the bimini (used) and I would LOVE to fix it up so I don't have to take it off anymore.
Also, how do you fold it for travel since i've never seen it? Any pics of it folded up?
This image shows the straps that are on the cover for the bimini coming over the tower. I don't have a close up shot of the cover and bimini folded up...
We just did a 600 mile each way road trip to NC from FL. Bimini folded, zipped up in the cover, and strapped to the tower. Board racks in... and no problems during the 1200 mile trip.
Racks alwasy in, bimini stays attached and open all year round. Our tow to the water is very short and not very fast speeds, so the top stays extended. I boot it up only for long trips to other lakes and destinations. The bimini set up on my tige is extemely difficult to install and remove and it loves bitting fingers, so it only gets stowed or removed only if absolutely nec.
That's what I did when I lived closer to the water (like on the lake). I have to set up and fold down the bimini by myself now every time and I've gotten pretty quick at it. I can have it extended or folded in under 5 min. It's just part of my launching prep or wipedown routine.
2009 RZ2, PCM 343, MLA Surf Ballast, Premium Sound.
2013 Toyota Sequoia 4WD W/Timbren SES
I would not trust the straps on the stock boot for the bimini on an Alpha Z. Those little plastic buckles look underwhelming.
We always wrap a few bungies around the tower and bimini when highway towing.
Also, I replaced the metal brackets that attach the bimini poles to the tower. Cheap as dirt. The originals were slightly bent up.
Lastly, if you think the stock bimini is a pain to fold up, try it with the extension. The rear poles have a completely different arc from the front poles making it difficult to get a stable wrap.
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