Pontoon boats are great for their versatility, as they allow boaters to travel pretty much anywhere, but no matter your location, you can’t very well stay in the shade if you’re on the open water. If you’re out on the pontoon boat, if you haven’t got an important accessory, you’re essentially completely open to the sun, rain, and even spray from other boats. This make it tough to get the most enjoyment out of your experience, whether you’re going fishing, sightseeing, or having a good time with family. Therefore, most pontoon boat pilots call the bimini top a key addition. Bimini tops are named after the Bimini area of the Bahamas, where boaters first used this type of extended canopy on their boats in order to provide protection from the sun’s rays.

Now, bimini tops for pontoons can be found in many different types to meet the pontoon boat owner’s needs. The top itself can be made of a number of different materials. There are polyester bimini tops, polyester-cotton tops, vinyl tops, and quite a few patented materials. With each option there’s a variance in terms of endurance, abrasion avoidance, and price. Bimini tops may also have mildew and UV-resistant capabilities. Tubing for bimini tops, which connects the top to the boat, is also available in a number of varieties, which include aluminum and stainless steel.

Pontoon bimini tops generally range in size from eight feet by eight feet to eight feet by ten feet, with a clearance of about 46 inches to 60 inches. Of course, looks are important as well; pontoon bimini tops come in a number of colours, so you can get one to suit the detailing on your pontoon. There are a few basic configurations out there: traditional, meaning a ordinary square or rectangular shape; buggy-style, which has additional flaps extending downward to attach to the surrounding railing; and extra-long, which goes past the cabin, providing extra sun protection.

In addition to the bimini top itself, you might want to consider looking at a storage boot, which will allow you to easily store the bimini top while the pontoon boat is docked, or even things such as privacy partitions, or towel clips, so that you can hang towels from the bimini top. Some dealers sell the various components (fabric and tubing) separately, so you can even have the option of creating your own custom bimini top. There are enough options out there that every pontoon boat owner is sure to find a bimini top that meets their tastes.