shade for dam and estuary tinny

[artesian]

G'day

looking for shade in an allycraft bass explorer from the early nineties. Tiller steer pointy punt 1.58m wide.

Current strategy is to get off the water before it gets too hot or too sunny, but now that we have a toddler it gets too hot or too sunny pretty early :-)

Do a bit of trolling and a bit of casting, truth be told, the casting seems not to be a goer with toddler aboard if we want shade?

Was thinking about a vertical post in each corner with a tarp spread over the top, something like a short rod holder with a longer drop in post with cross post, but the local ally welder was not keen - too likely to crack according to him

Still remember the Butterfly Barbs from years ago, but they were outside my budget

[plaztix]

Why dont you just buy a bimini??

Simplest things ever to fit and if you get the right size they offer heaps of shade.

Can be a pain if your targetting big fish that drag you all around the boat but for estuary fishing their fine.

[bushbeachboy]

A bimini is a real problem if you have any sort of fight with a fish. I'm a bit biased, I hate the damn things because there are too many things in the way of my fishing. Is it possible to get a bimini style canopy that folds front and rear and leaves the sides of the boat free? That way you could get the full shade for your toddler, but still be able to cast a bit etc?

[finga]

How would a bimini go just on the front half??
'Junior' originally had a bimini that covered the front 1/2 and had a windscreen and sides on it. Old matey's (the guy I got it off) wife didn't like getting burnt or wet so he had it made for the tinny
Or a mates mate has one of these and he reckon's it's pretty good but exe though
http://www.undercovercanvas.com.au/kingfishernew.asp

[NAGG]

G'day

looking for shade in an allycraft bass explorer from the early nineties. Tiller steer pointy punt 1.58m wide.

Current strategy is to get off the water before it gets too hot or too sunny, but now that we have a toddler it gets too hot or too sunny pretty early :-)

Do a bit of trolling and a bit of casting, truth be told, the casting seems not to be a goer with toddler aboard if we want shade?

Was thinking about a vertical post in each corner with a tarp spread over the top, something like a short rod holder with a longer drop in post with cross post, but the local ally welder was not keen - too likely to crack according to him

Still remember the Butterfly Barbs from years ago, but they were outside my budget

Mate ... I'm no fan of a bimini as you loose too much of your fishing space ( the tie downs dont allow you to chase a fish around a boat..... specially when you buy a barra style punt for the fish-ability:( . ...... So back to your question ... I've just set up my 480 Hornet to take a beach umbrella ( dont laugh) .... While not the be all .... specially when underway .... You can use it while trolling or in under 10 knot winds due to the open weave of the material. My set up is very basic (someone with good engineering skills could set something up much better) .... I set this up for when we are having a break up some of those NQ creeks with little or no wind ... so we dont fry........ However we can still move around the boat with no dramas
Anyhow I've included a couple of pics to give you some ideas. The pics are staged (height lower than normal to allow me to photo it while in the garage)
13596
This is the post ( Its kept about 12" longer than I would suggest ..... because I can put a mini video camera mount in there & pan around the boat) .... 13607The whole thing takes about 30 sec to set up & take down8-) . When not in use .... The umbrella lives up the side of the console ( under the gunnel) ...... Maybe with a little more thought ... this might be a good way of keeping your little one from getting burnt:thumbsup:
.... Cheers .. Nagg

[plaztix]

I fish estuaries (and the bay for that matter) with my bimini and dont have any problems. Sure its not ultimate when you hook something larger than expected and have to fight it all around the boat, but 9 times out of ten when i'm fishing you can work the fish to the end of the boat that you are fishing from. One person fishes from the front and the person at the back fishes from that end.

If i am targetting bigger fish (mackeral, snapper etc.) that can put up a good fight i will usually just don the sunscreen and hat and suffer. But i doubt you'd be targetting big fighters with the toddler aboard??

I guess it depends greatly on what you want to spend and how much shade you are looking for at the cost of convenience.


Thats a very nice rig you got there Nagg.

I hope one day my Sea jay SP will grow up to be like yours........

[NAGG]

Thats a very nice rig you got there Nagg.

I hope one day my Sea jay SP will grow up to be like yours........

Thanks Plaztix ..... Its coming along nicely (still a work in progress though) .. Keeping it uncluttered but functional is the challenge ..... but getting there! .... Cheers .. Nagg

[plaztix]

Keeping it uncluttered but functional is the challenge ..... but getting there! .... Cheers .. Nagg

A mate had the same issues with his Centre Console. Found that by the time you got the esky, 2 tackle boxes, the bag with food/dry clothes etc. all in, he had next to nil room to move around.::)

Looks like you've got some good storage areas sussed.;)

[NAGG]

A mate had the same issues with his Centre Console. Found that by the time you got the esky, 2 tackle boxes, the bag with food/dry clothes etc. all in, he had next to nil room to move around.::)

Looks like you've got some good storage areas sussed.;)

Been there / done that .. with a CC :( Actually I'm going to prepare a new Topic today ... which might give some ideas that members might find useful (including some pics) ... some are simple (but they work for me) ... Cheers .. Nagg

[landyman]

what about a Targa Top.. http://www.biminitops.com.au/index.html
a little $$ at $1200 but look the goods.. or copy it and make something similar

[ozbee]

welcome to long world of boat changes in the future,you can do one of two things try keep mrs and family away from boats to keep the stasis quo which is a big mistake or embrace and be prepared fo boat changes like half cabs etc best advice i can give you is children grow incredible fast so enjoy every moment and its not long before they want a small cab with at least a porta potty also sure is great to sit rain shower out in.

[artesian]

Thanks for these inspiring suggestions. I did think of the brolly option -thought I might need two, then again, just one up the front seat.

In this instance the Treasurer is likely to approve of the $$, but $1200 may be a bit of a stretch. Fascinating that both it and the Kingfisher are tested to 60kp. My boat does about half that according to the GPS.

I can see a little bimini working just up the front too, including the shelter type you mention Finga- there's a pic of something similar in the targa link.

Oz-bee, oh so true.

Thanks again

[budgebass]

Hi Artesian

We had a 3,85m Quintrex Explorer, and did not want to go any near Biminis. What I did was utilise Golf Umbrellas and 1 metre lengths of 40mm PVC.

So I had short length of PVC that I used as rod holders upright in the boat against the seats. And 2 saddle clamps to hold them onto the side of the seats.

And I had 3 of them in each corner of the boat.

What I then did was use 1 metre sections of PVC in these rod holders. In the end of the PVC about 10 cm from the handle I put bolts in that went from 1 side to the other. The Golf Umbrellas would then go in the end of the PVC, I had another bolt on the end of the PVC to stop the Umbrellas coming out.

Some days I would use 2 golf umbrellas somedays 3, on somedays just 1. But we used to move the umbrellas around the boat to suit or where we were fishing.

You had to collapse them down to move along but it was great having movable shade. It certainly allowed our youngsters to have a sleep or two in the shade,

Cheers
Budgebass

[artesian]

Thanks Budgebass, I can see that working in my boat too, and probably fairly cheaply if I hunt up PVC at the right price.

[shano]

if you need ally work done pm me located at redbank!

[artesian]

I just love the kingfisher(although I'd order a wider one), and some of those biminis that almost make a cabin up the front would be good for loverly wife and child.

Weighing up budget, frequency of use etc, one of the umbrella options is looking a goer at this stage - will do a prowl of brolly shops tomorrow- what a pity some of them sell fishing gear:-)

I still like a removable vertical post in each corner and a tarp type canopy, so Shano, may yet be in touch!

[artesian]

Thanks for all your tips, finally budget won out over other urges, bought a couple of beach brollies and some emro plastic screw on rod holders.

Kicking myself a bit, because I bought woven brollies thinking they would be cooler, but didn't think about rain. Oh well.

I reckon they'll be fine for trolling, and will have to be taken down for any travel at speed. The only advantage of them over the bimini is that it only cost $80 for the two, and there is nothing around the edge of the boat.

If I can't live with it, will go to an upgrade -Kingfisher probably, and use the brollys at the beach :-)

Thanks again for all the info and help

[Jru29]

If you're after protection from the sun, not rain then those cafe style umbrellas are good. We use one in our tub, supported with a homemade saddle from ali strap ('cause its wider) and occy straps, and for the base I made up a flat bit of board with a hole so the leg slots into it and locks in place. It works a treat. It looks a little out of place but who cares, shade makes boating so much more comfortable in the NW.

The thing about the cafe style umbrella's is they have good sunblock material and a broad reach, you can even get them in a rectangular shape. And they are reasonably priced from Kmart :) ... $60 ish.

We can trawl with it but generally only put it up when we get to our spots. It only takes 30 seconds to put it up/take it down.

Have fun

Jru

ps we've only been asked for a Latte` once!

[artesian]

Beach brolly idea as suggested by Nagg was a goer, much cooler on the troll and coped with speeds up to planing speeds.

42lb transom mount electric struggled with two brollies up in a medium breeze

[Whitto]

You might as well put a beach umbrella up to give some shade, most of the damage done is from the glare off the water, Slip Slop Slap and a good hat and shirt, Cheers Whitto

[artesian]

G'day Whitto, agree with the glare off the water - too many years ago I got a bit fried under my chin from just that.

I have dressed for the sun for a while now, but need to cater more for wife and toddler now as well, who also wear sunscreen and cover up.

What surprised me was how much cooler we felt under the brollies. I thought that being close overhead, they would be hotter than they were

[STUIE63]

There was a bloke up this way that made seat brackets with a mounting pole on the back of the seat to take a beach umbrella it seemed like a good idea as the brolly was always behind you and overhead
Stuie