Rear lounger Bimini Concept

[MrG]

Ok I have been trying of figure out a way to add shade to the rear loungers on my Q. The back lounge chairs get very little use because 1/2 the time it's just so Hot under the direct sun that im way happyer under the Bimini.

When I first thought of this Idea I thought it would be cool to encorprate a motorized awning that retracted in and out. I looked into RV awnings and they have 12v Awnings that would work perfict. The problem's I saw were. #1 I would need to make a Tower that held the awning (not that big of a deal)  But I couldn't get over the look it would create. I did some drawings and the rear section of the factory Bimini has a nice curve. The motorized awning is of corse straight or flat. So where the motorized awning mounted up against the stock biming it would look kind of funky.Round Vs Flat.  Im not sure I was able to be ok with the way it looked. So I pretty much junked that idea! But here are some of my Ideas / crude drawings . The Red is the Tower I was thinking.

Here is a drawing of the Tower. It would mount to the rub rail and be removable with 4 pins.

THere is a drawing of the underside of the motorized awning It would mount to the tower and this is what it would look like #1 Pic is of the awning opening and the #2 drawing is of it closed. This is what it would look like if you were in the loungers looking up.

 

[MrG]

Here is a drawing of the underside of the motorized awning It would mount to the tower and this is what it would look like #1 Pic is of the awning opening and the #2 drawing is of it closed. This is what it would look like if you were looking up. The awning is fully self supported and needs no support legs. It would only be used while parked. Another advantage is the Motorized awing adjusts. You can have it extend as far as it is wide (6 feet)  that happens to be at the edge of the swim deck so you could get full coverage. Or you could just extend it a few feet to shield your face from the sun

 

[MrG]

But Like I said I kind of gave up on the Motorized Bimini project. I Started thinking "Why re-invent the wheel? Why not take the existing biming design and encorprate it for the rear. What if you took a Front bimini and turned it around backwards! and then mounted it to the rear. Then the rear bimini could zip or attach to the New lounger Bimini!

Closed

Open

So the Idea would be the same as what the current factory Bimini set up is.  

 

[tyjy]

That seems like an awesome idea! 

 

[TomS]

I like it. Even here in Indiana my rear loungers get steamy hot at times.

 

[JoeR]

Hmm??? I like IT!!! All about the Frame and getting a local upholstery shop to blend it as factory,,, It can be done!!! I am guessing at least $1K  or there abouts.

 

[highpond]

The easiest and cheapest way to keep the sun off the lounge seats is ...................................................are you ready?

"TURN THE BOAT AROUND"

 

[MrG]

^^^ Great Advise^^^^

Tell me does this work when the sun is directly overhead?

 

[MrG]

While out on the water I came up with another Idea. The picture of the Bimini I posted (my concept) would require me to make or extend the length of the bimin legs. This would require me to source some factory Bimini aluminum, and I don't think Bennington would sell raw material to me threw a dealer but that's not a for sure thing.

Ok back to my Idea. If I made some lower Bimini attachment points that attached to the Rail that go's around the loungers. These attachment points would simply bolt up and create factory like attachment points for the Bimini.

And because the polished stainless rail is as high or higher then the factory fence I would NOT need to extend the legs, in fact I'm sure I would have to cut the legs down a few inches. And that's much easier then extending them