Genius! Much appreciated! Thank you very much for sharing these tips. I have been so undecided on what to do here. I too, did not want to drill in my rail. I have the Express Bass/Duck Hunting Flat Bottom. I have the 45 degree gunnel wells but those Door Hinges will still work perfect. Very well done sir.
Hey , great idea . Only thing I would do is to run the 2 screws that attach the mount to the hinge upside down from what you have there. The screw heads would be nearly flush to the hinge under the hinge and you could just use a thin piece of rubber underneath if necessary.
I am in the process of doing this aswell. I might be able to find a 90 degree piece of stainless that has its own rigidity without the freedom of the hinge.
Bro hindsight is always 20/20 however , in the future or anyone wanting to install a bimini on their rig consider this. The cleaner more refined streamline your hardware is as far as scratching maring visibility and especially snags the better everyone is . On that hinge you would want to run the bolts from bottom up so your lock washer and nut screw on from the top side. A piece of conveyor belt or even a thorn proof bicycle inner tube cut up to exact dimensions of a hinge side a shot of adhesive glue and the tapered head stainless screws will insure that the inice big rubber gasket wont slip . When you start tightening the nut, the head of bolt or screw will compress the rubber gasket thus counter sinking the head to prevent the screwhead from contacting the mating surfaces. You might have to use an oversize drill bit on the hinge holes to help the head of the stainless screw to recess beneath the rubber mating surface. Thank you !
You give great detail and explanations. I have the versa track system and this will be a perfect solution for me. Thanks for taking the time to share this.
Hey Buddie, thanks for the information and the video. I'm in the process of trying to figure out what to order right now. Your video came at the right time great idea with those hinges. If you reverse the thing it should stay off the side. But great idea thanks again
@@ifishcatfish A hing will close all the way one way but if you try to close it the other way it stays apart. You won't be able to close it all the way. Plus you have a industrial spring hing on the boat and you where showing a normal hing but either way try close that hing both directions
ooooh - gotcha! I did think about this install actually. I think it should work ... but i was afraid that all the weight and all the stress will fall on the two bolts and on the versa track. I was afraid it won't last that way, but it probably will. The way i did it all the weight actually falls on the coaster, and the stress on the bolts and on the versa track is actually very minimal. Thats why after 4 years I see no damage on the bolts or on the versa track system. But your way is even easier and will i think it would actually be strong enough...
Super helpful. I have really been enjoying your channel, as well. You are a funny guy. I also pulled the trigger on the 2019 Tracker Pro guide V16 WT. Your 3 year ownership video helped me make my final decision. I haven't taken it out yet! It's killing me that its just sitting in my driveway!
2 years after making that review, i think i was spot on. A lot of cheap touches, cheap feel in the boat, but all of the important stuff is still solid. I banged it a lot in our shallow river and the hull can take a scrape. No regrets.
@@ifishcatfish Great to hear :) I have been watching a lot of your videos and I like the care you take wit the floor mats and having a bus pan for the fish. I am going to steal a lot of the ideas to get as much longevity out of this boat as I can.
Brilliant idea! I have a Ranger deep V aluminum boat with similar tracks on the gunnels, but the tracks are at a 45° angle. The hinges solve that problem. Thanks!
yup, 45 degr would be no prob. And what people underestimate is the ability to use it a few times and see where exactly you want it, and move it a little until you find perfect location. Which I did. I don't move it any more, but i did move it a few inches up and down until i get it where i like it. And still have no holes anywhere
I like your idea, but I would suggest using T'Bolts instead, they are made for the versa track and they're shorter, so no chance of hitting or catching a shin on them. Once I get my Tracker Pro Team 190tx, I plan on designing and 3D printing mounting brackets that will do a similar thing like this.
You don't need versa track bolts... the bolts i use come in all kinds of lengths and are stronger than the T bolts that and sometimes spin. If that happens on the highway, bad things can happen.
I remember the day we were both at Lasalle Lake and I saw you haulin butt with the bimini up. It held up just fine. Weird that the hinges are rusting. Based on where the rust is maybe the hinge pin isn't as rust proof as the rest of it
I’m considering putting one on my boat. Being that my boat is somewhat customized, I will need to make sure it is compatible with my rear compartments. 👍🏼
Define “serious”, lol. At the rate I’m going to catch up to you in rigs. I’ve broke 3 rods this year and had to buy two rigs aside from the dream rig you recommended. 🤪👍🏼
i have a 60 HP that goes 30mph... there is definitely drag, but i get the same speed with it or without. It might make more drag on the highway, driving with it. even if its in the bag. But i have been watching my mileage and the mileage doesn't seem to change wither, so i think its negligible
@@ifishcatfishThank you. I think I figured it out - it seems to be that you actually have the 6ft long version since it has 3 bows. The 8ft versions have 4 bows since they are longer. I'm thinking of getting a 6ft version also. Do you happen to have a picture of your boat from the side with the bimini top open? Thanks again!!!
@@deemer877 you might be right... this video is many years ago.. This thumbnail is probably as good of an image u will find. I do have some catfishing videos where u can see my boat with bimini top but i can't go through 50 videos to see which one has it. U can open my catfish playlist and give it a shot..
WOW, No snow? now that's a lake boat to us down yonder, (and in NZ 😏😏).....every boat? we weld 'em to the hull in my world. Good idear utilizing that lake boat feature. 😜, can't catfish without feeling ''cozy", huh. Its a ''carriage bolt'' Stainless doesn't mean no rust. I'M OUT....., got knives, BIG KNIVES to sharpen.
Ha! Simple! I will try that! Lets see if it will be stable... Not sure the screws will hold in the wood after a few hundred miles on the road.... it is just 2 small screws in wood holding the whole thing... might lose it somewhere : )
look at the bolts I used for the hinge. Just one of them goes on the back of the boat and one of them goes on the front. Same bolts. And you use them for anchors.
ok got it... I have several of those... not sure how to fix them... not sure i can keep new ones from coming.. we don't have nice ramps here in IL.. always banging into somthing... Thats the advantage of having a cheap tracker... - don't get heart attack from scratches..
@@ifishcatfish I was on Lake Geneva in Wisconsin and I was waiting to take my boat out. All the while pleasure boaters were making tons of wakes and waves. My boat was getting beat to shit on the dock. I couldn't do anything about it because I was alone. I got it home and saw something on the deck of the boat. I picked it up and it was the head of a bolt from the peer. My boat was rocking so hard it ripped the head of a bolt out of the peer.
Awesome video. I almost bought a $140 bimini bracket set for my Lund Sport Track system. Thanks to you, I don't need to do that. I am going to use your technique to install my bimini top.
Instead of a hinge....I'm using angle aluminum. Probably 2" x 2" and about 1/4" thickness. Top holes threaded. Side hole use a t-bolt ( used on kayaks tracks to mount accessories) then a threaded nob instead of wing nut. Note...that when using a hinge there could be some bounce.
Great video! Thanks for this. What are the dimensions on the Bimini you used? I have the same boat and I want to make sure I get the height and width right from the start. Tracker Pro Guide V-16 and I am 5'10". I was looking at the 36" height models.
sorry buddy, i really dont remember and im not gona go measure with ruler now... The think to be careful with is how high is from the floor to your hinge...
you know, I really regret that omission. I realized it the next day. I have a bolt that goes inside the same rail. On the outside I have 2 nuts. One nut just holds the bolt tight. The second nut is spaced 1 quarter inch from the first nut. Then I get the clip on the straps on just clip it onto the bolt, between the two nuts, and the nuts hold it from coming out. NO DRILLING. If you email me at ifishcatfish@gmail.com i can send you an image.
i_fish I knew it was just a mere oversight you are still a genius I will email you. Want to know more about that idea of a hinge that doesn’t go but so far like 90 degrees. I also heard that with Tracker boats drilling into your boat can void your warranty.
The hinge itself can lift up, but that would require twisting of the bimini too, so in practice it cant. But if u disconnect the bimini top, then yes, you can fold the hinge
