Simple solution to add umbrella's to my pier.

[EddieWalker]

For awhile now, Steph has been asking me to mount an umbrella to the pier so she could fish with some shade over her head. I've been saying that I will, but kind of kept putting it off. This weekend, I decided to buy an umbrella so she could fish with her dad on Fathers Day and be comfortable.

When I found out that they only cost $30 each, I bought three of them. If one is good, then two would be better and three would be outstanding!!!

This morning I still didn't have a good plan on how to mount them. My brother said to drill holes in the deck and use blocks of wood to hold the poles in place. I didn't like that idea. I wanted to build some brackets from steel pipe and angle iron, then bolt them onto the top of the deck, and into the 2x6 underneith. Neither of us liked each others plan. He went through my collection of pipe and came back with a length of 1 1/2 inch PVC that was a perfect fit for the pole of the umbrella.

We took that to the dock and sort of brainstormed. In the end, we came up with a very simple plan that was fast and easy to do.

I cut the PVC to 12 inches and drilled two holes into the end at 1 1 /2 inches and 4 1/2 inches from the bottom. Then we used some lag bolts that I have in a coffee can and a washer. I drilled the hole though the decking of the pier and he held the PVC in place while I screwed the lag bolts into the side of the 2x6. I put in 7 of these to allow me to move the umbrealla's to the best location as the angle of the sunlight changed.

What is really cool is how comfortable it is under the umbrella's.

Eddie

 

[jinman]

Nice job Eddie! With extra holders, you could use them as rod holders. That would free up both hands so you can have a cold beer in one and vienna sausage in the other.

 

[GaryM]

Just don't trip over the holders that don't have umbrellas in them, or you might be swimming!

 

[LMTC]

Eddie, having seen such mounts elsewhere I would suggest you consider a means to keep the umbrellas from going airborne in a gust of wind. Perhaps another hole through the PVC 4-6" from the top, and a comparable hole in each umbrella pole, and then just a small bolt stuck through the hole. If you can get a bolt as big as 3/8" through this hole you can drill the end of it for an "R" pin to keep the bolt from accidentally being pushed out.

 

[RavensRoost]

Eddie, I bet you will end up modifying your design so the PVC holders are flush with the deck so no one trips when no umbrella is installed.

RavensRoost

 

[tommu56]

Eddie, I bet you will end up modifying your design so the PVC holders are flush with the deck so no one trips when no umbrella is installed.

RavensRoost

na I think they would be good moring points for the row boat.


tom

 

[bearcat73]

Love it!! I will have to remember that after we get our pond and dock built. BTW, you sound like my husband...he puts my fabulous ideas on hold and when he finally gets around to them he likes the result and wishes he'd have done it sooner. lol

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks everyone. I feed the catfish from the end of the pier every morning, and so far, they are not in the way. I guess that the fist time that I trip over one, or go swimming, I'll take them out. For now, they will wait until the 4th when we have our next party.

Eddie

 

[Tig]

Good job Eddie. How about adding beverage holders to the umbrella stems.

 

[wedge40]

Did you put anything inside the PVC where the bolts go through. I would have cut some 2by or 4by to fit snugly inside and the bolt through that. I many not make an anchor point for the umbrella, but I'd tie it to the dock, so they wont blow away. I bet you could make a table with a leg that would sit inside those the PVC so you dont have to hold that adult beverage or bend down to pick it up. Just a thought.

When is that fish fry again?

Wedge