• Welcome to the Checkmate Community Forums forums.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions, articles and access to our other FREE features.
    By joining our free community you will be able to:

    » Interact with over 10,000 Checkmate Fanatics from around the world!
    » Post topics and messages
    » Post and view photos
    » Communicate privately with other members
    » Access our extensive gallery of old Checkmate brochures located in our Media Gallery
    » Browse the various pictures in our Checkmate photo gallery

    Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact support by clicking here or by using the"contact us" link at the bottom of the page.

Bimini top mod for Pulse 170 thread

And I've got the word out to a few people I'm looking for a bone stock 2.5 150-200 20" motor too.............:sssh:
 
Got the Bimini from Overtons this past week. It was 'made' by Westland. Big 'Made in China' tags inside the box. :pissed:

So for $296 delivered I got a Made in China bimini top. Good quality Sunbrella material, but does it really have to be made in China? I almost sent it back. Wife said 'just keep it, we're not spending $600+ on a better bimini for an older boat'.


I assembled it in the living room Saturday. Glad I had a bimini before this one. The directions were crap, and the kit was missing 4 small 'hammer rivets'. Good thing I'm mechanically inclined.

So the bimini is all together, and I put it in storage. Had to do a few other 'house-work' things I've been let sit too long. Next warm weekend, if I have the time, I'll uncover the boat and start the install.
 
Got the Bimini from Overtons this past week. It was 'made' by Westland. Big 'Made in China' tags inside the box. :pissed:

So for $296 delivered I got a Made in China bimini top. Good quality Sunbrella material, but does it really have to be made in China? I almost sent it back. Wife said 'just keep it, we're not spending $600+ on a better bimini for an older boat'.


I assembled it in the living room Saturday. Glad I had a bimini before this one. The directions were crap, and the kit was missing 4 small 'hammer rivets'. Good thing I'm mechanically inclined.

So the bimini is all together, and I put it in storage. Had to do a few other 'house-work' things I've been let sit too long. Next warm weekend, if I have the time, I'll uncover the boat and start the install.

Very Nice. I hope you've got pictures. I hear you on the made in china thing, sad to say but just about everything is made overseas now.:(
 
No pix of the assembly, it was taking much too long making the bimini 'right' to stop and take pix. If anyone orders this same bimini from Overtons, I can help with some pointers.
 
So for $296 delivered I got a Made in China bimini top. Good quality Sunbrella material, but does it really have to be made in China? I almost sent it back. Wife said 'just keep it, we're not spending $600+ on a better bimini for an older boat'.

Man, wives are good about that stuff, stricly business. Thats why they can survive in Wal-mart.LOL If it wasn't for my wife I'd be poor as a church mouse. She Keeps me grounded as far as money is concerned, and for that matter just about everything else:thumb:
 
JW have you got the bimini installed on the Pulse yet? I'm going to order the same one in a couple of weeks. I'm thinking of mounting mine to the handrails to keep from drills holes, plus it would be easier to take off.
 
28 degrees and sunny today, 39 degrees and 100% chance of rain tomorrow. I might mess around with the boat this weekend. Hook up the battery, check the depth sounder to see it work, install the bimini, we'll see! Wife works all weekend, so the odds are better I'll actually get out into the garage and mess around this weekend ;)
 
UGH I just looked at the thermometer and it's 12 degrees out still.......:brickwall:
 
28 degrees and sunny today, 39 degrees and 100% chance of rain tomorrow. I might mess around with the boat this weekend. Hook up the battery, check the depth sounder to see it work, install the bimini, we'll see! Wife works all weekend, so the odds are better I'll actually get out into the garage and mess around this weekend ;)

Man that's cold. Well at least your wife is working this weekend. I've got the pleasure of putting a Jungle Gym together for my soon to be 4 yr old son. Oh it's 68* today and 70* tomorrow.:D
 
We hit 45' yesterday, I was in a T-Shirt at work.

I figure if I "act spring" and "think spring" soon it will be spring.

My boat just got out of the molds too, so that makes things feel warmer already! LOL.

Good luck with the top JW. Nice boat!

Post some pics when you finish, I want too do something similar.

I don't have any grabrails though...and I really don't want to drill into my new boat. What do you think? Can I just use the winshield and maybe the cleets/ski tow bar?
 
Drilled a dozen holes in the Checkmate today! :bigthumb:

Pulled my depth sounder system before lunch for cmpulse170. Started my bimini top mod after lunch. When I went to fit the top, I found my 8' 4" garage ceiling too low :o
First I tried lowering tongue jack, not enough. So I jacked the trailer and pulled the wheels :cheers

Got the main mounts figured out. After I got those temp installed, I did the front strap mounts and then the rear strap mounts.
It's all temp installed, I'll pull all the mounts and run the screws back into the new holes with some 3M 5200 on the threads. I like to do that to seal the screw holes and act as a thread lock.
 
Camera took crappy shots in the garage, sorry :o


img0340go4.jpg
 
This brand bimini allows you to cut several inches off the bottom/main pole to lower the unit in case the main supports are too long. I'm leaving it full size for now, as this gives me the 6' 2" head room I need so I dont have to stoop down much when I walk around :thumb:
 
Last edited:
No offense but thoes checkered decals make it look kinda cheezy. Ide remove them, but ive got real picky taste. The top doesnt look too bad for what it is. The tall windshield and top kinda balance things out a bit:cheers
CAnt wait to see some pics of it in the water
 
The only bad thing about leaving the bimini 'tall' is when stored, it has to extend into the motor well too far for my liking. So I'm going to order the Rear Strut Brace.

img0343ch4.jpg
 
Last edited:
Found the best price for the rear supports at Boatersworld.com. $24.99 compared to Overton's at $39.99 for the same brand strut.
Westland H70A.
 
Back
Top