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As most of you know, I have a 16'6" WAHOO! (Whaler type) I have been considering putting a Tee Top on this boat. Now that i'm in Florida, the weather is just too hot to enjoy without shade and I hate Bimini Tops! I haven't seen too many boats that are this small with a top?
Why would you want to waste all you fishing room putting a t top on a boat less than 23 ft? I see 17 ft boats with t tops and I think it is the stupidest looking thing I have ever seen.
Why would you want to waste all you fishing room putting a t top on a boat less than 23 ft? I see 17 ft boats with t tops and I think it is the stupidest looking thing I have ever seen.
Because he likes his boat but not the sun. Next question?
T-tops come in different sizes for different sizes of boats.
"Man, that boat looks really nice!" BT says. As he gets closer he realizes it is a 22 1/2 with a t-top. "Wow, that looks stupid" says BT. Then he realizes he is actual looking into his rearview mirror.
The bimnitee will work fine. Be sure to use the drill and tap on all connections along with lock-tite. The set screws will not hold up. DO NOT DRILL AND TAP BEFORE YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH THE FIT!
80#'s of scrap anodized aluminum tubing, 5 rod holders, 2 spreader lights, t top VHF whip, t top outriggers and radar unit for sale. It was previously a $2500 custom t top made for my Wellcraft 2100 CCF. Never installed. When I realized my boat was 21' 9" and a t top would stupid on it, I cut it up into small pieces. Morally it was the right thing to do as I could not sleep at night knowing that it may have ended up on a boat less than 23' if I sold it whole.
To the guy I sold my 17' Sea Hunt to:
If you by chance see this, please contact me for a complete refund. I did not realize the boat looked stupid when you bought it. It you want to keep the boat I will refund the cost of the bimni tee. If you keep it please remember to keep sunscreen on your little girls and not go out on really sunny days.
I had a 17 Seaswirl with a 6' long ttop that gave me plenty of room to cast from the back and from the forward casting platform. This boat also trolled for marlin and i assume that it probably matched or exceeded what you caught in your area. I also assume you also have resolved this problem on a small hull and speak from experience.
But even with the top, I too would have prefered more shade like the poster as I also live in an area where there is a lot of sun. But a bimini takes up rail space, especially if you troll or fight large fish.
So the ttop is the natural answer, but a large top cuts performance on smaller engines. Therefore people add trombones, portable shades to ttop holders, or small bimini folders on their legs to provide more shade when they slow down to fish.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ Understood?
Your telling the guy that anything under a 23' is inadequete is just plain stupid. So please try to see beyond your nose and provide helpful solutions or STFU.
I have a scaled down t-top on my 17.5 cc and it changed the whole boat. I now have storage and easy acess to 7 more rods, I had two holders angled to serve as outriggers, I have stand offs welded near the bottom to hold a net and a gaff, I have a great place to hold onto in rough seas or when a passing boat wakes me, I have better VHF and GPS reception and a place for lights (no more running light pole in the transom) that is out of the way. I can use a bag to mount life preservers and freed up a ton of space. This is the best money I spent on this boat other then the motor. I have plenty of room to cast fore and aft Oh yeah and I have shade, guess I'm just stupid. Do it and do it NOW!
I have a scaled down t-top on my 17.5 cc and it changed the whole boat. I now have storage and easy acess to 7 more rods, I had two holders angled to serve as outriggers, I have stand offs welded near the bottom to hold a net and a gaff, I have a great place to hold onto in rough seas or when a passing boat wakes me, I have better VHF and GPS reception and a place for lights (no more running light pole in the transom) that is out of the way. I can use a bag to mount life preservers and freed up a ton of space. This is the best money I spent on this boat other then the motor. I have plenty of room to cast fore and aft Oh yeah and I have shade, guess I'm just stupid. Do it and do it NOW!
Best answer so far, with lots of additional ideas and info for Smitty.
I bought my 23 boat with a large t-top. Man if I new t-tops were stupid on small boats I would have bought a smaller boat just to piss some people off.
bigtuna , you suck dick , maybe the old guy in the little boat can't over hand cast , maybe he doesn't even fish , maybe he has already had skin cancer , maybe his wife wants the shade .
See there is just to much YOU DON'T KNOW , so either give the guy a good answer or STFU.
T-TOP owner and proud of it.
__________________ F350 4x4/ Dodge 2500HD 5.9L Cummins
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UH? Bigtuna has a budget? Bigtuna can't afford a boat newer than an '03? 100 miles off shore in a 3 year old CC........now that really looks stupid to me.
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bigtuna
Posted 10/4/2006 2:05 PM (#1208664 - in reply to #1208396)
Subject: Re: 34 fountain vs 31 contender Quote Reply Alert
Offline
Captain's Club Member
Posts: 318
Member Since:
9/22/2005
Drifter,
I did not throw in the 32 fountain nor the 33 contender because they are both new models and neither are old enough to be in my price range. All the used ones are 05s and 06s and they cost a fortune. I was looking to possibly get an 03 with a few hours on her.
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And another great story from Eddy! My opinion....and many others...is that it takes up way to much fishing room. Also, I think it looks terrible. Last, I personally think it is somebody trying to make their 17 ft bay boat look like an offshore boat which it is not. Afry, you can't tell me you have just as much casting room with a t top on a boat like that. You could maybe fish two off of the front...all the while dodging that t top. All this to get out of the sun? Man, some of you guys kinda sound like girly men! Put on some sun screen and fish. Smitty, YOU WILL LOSE A LOT OF FISHING ROOM IF YOU PUT A T TOP ON A BOAT THAT SMALL...PERIOD. Thats all I am trying to say.
2005 31 contender with 275 verados. Picking it up on monday buddy. Nice try though
At what point did I say anything about budget or money? He asked if he should put a t top on a boat that small I said no and gave a reason. Slow down a little bit.
Welder,
How original. That statement really ups your credibility What is not good about the answer I gave? It is a very valid point...if he is a fisherman which he may or may not be. Lets not start talking about cancer and all this stuff man. Jeez
How small is too small for a Tee Top? 
