Monday February 27th, I again got a late start (old men shouldn’t eat and then sit still very long) . So after I woke from my after lunch nap and set into getting the rails lined up after inserting the middle support struts like the video showed. I think the biggest hassle I had was putting on the zippered canvas top but that was fun too. Initially I ignored the wiring diagram for the remote because I thought it looked odd with only the one ground wire to the toggle switch. I had jumpered power from the remote box to the toggle switch but today Tuesday the 28th, found out the diagram provided was indeed correct. I posted my notes on PontoonBoatForum and another member posted pictures with the color code wiring scheme. See more about my installation http://www.pontoonboatforum.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7101&title=power-bimini-installation-tips-tricks and http://www.pontoonboatforum.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7098&title=pwrarm-ii-wiring-diagram-for-remote. Mike Howard with PWR-ARM/Schwintek has been extremely helpful and I thank him along with PontoonStuff staff.

PWR-ARM at PontoonStuff

I learned about this new Power Bimini Top about a year or so ago and started doing some interent searches for it. A company called Schwintek, that produces a power bimini under the name of PWR-ARM, has been in business for over 6 years and was supplying their new power tops to a few pontoon boat manufacturers. I don’t know when the first one was installed and PWR-ARM was only selling to manufacturers and not 3rd party. Recently that has changed to where NOW the average pontoon boat owner can buy one and install it themselves on their pontoon boat which is great news if you’ve hated having to wrestle a top manually. PWR-ARM’s website is http://www.pwr-arm.com/pwrarmtop.html but you’ll find the information there quite dated (not updated since 2007).

They are still showing the original PWR-ARM model which was hydralic. Since then they have been developing the electric model and have now perfected that for the retail market as well as the pontoon manufacturers. Its my understanding that some manufacturers had balked at installing the hydralic models because of methods of installing hydralic lines, etc made it harder for them during their production phase. I first contacted PWR-ARM over a year ago but never heard anything back from them and I contacted PontoonStuff to see if they could become a dealer for that product. At last it has finally come full circle and now PontoonStuff has the power bimini top on their website for sale. Here are some of the video’s of the features, benefits, installation procedures and how it works versus a maual bimini top.

Tuesday February 28th 2012 addon: See the post I made about installing this PWR-ARM II by Schwintek – it was FUN

The first pontoon boats, built in the early 1950′s did not have any type of top or canopy on them to shade the boaters who used them. These early pontoon barges were simply wooden decks affixed to steel tubes with wooden railing surrounding the platform.  As pontoon boats became more popular tops began to be installed and used on pontoon boats to shade the driver and people seated in the rear of the pontoon.  These early pontoon boat tops were built from metal, an aluminum or steel frame with sheet metal on top shaded the deck of the pontoon.  As more and more people began buying and using pontoon boats, the retractable canopy top become popular.  Older used pontoon boats used fixed frame hard tops that could not be lowered, the boaters in the rear of the pontoon did not get any direct sun.  When pontoon boats started to become common, boaters wanted the ability to get sun and pontoon bimini tops were installed so the boaters could raise and lower the pontoon tops at their convienence.  

 Types Of Pontoon Boat Bimini Tops

Tops used on pontoon boats today are commonly referred to as canopy tops or bimini tops.  These tops are retractable and can be lowered and raised by the pontoon boat owner.  Aluminum hardtops were once very common on pontoon boats but are not frequently used on pontoon boats today unless they are part of a walk on hard top that allows you to use the top deck as a sun platform.  Some new boat manufacturers are even building seating areas on the top decks of these aluminum hard tops with some manufacturers installing slides for entertainment.

 Buggy Style Pontoon Boat Tops

 Bimini & Canopy Pontoon Boat Tops

 Aluminum Hard Tops

Here’s an album showing you the colors available in the Sunbrella line:

Then we have the Polyester Bimini’s which is a cheaper bimini top fabric, again slideshows will be arranged like above, with one added exception is that there will be a small collection of photo’s for polyester fabric only.

Colors available in Polyester

Colors available in Fabric only in Polyster (replacement fabric)

Why is it I can’t find a Buggy Style Pontoon Top with a length of 10’?  I can get Bimini Styles at 10’, but all buggy Styles I’ve seen are all only  8’.  Am I missing something?  Thanks 

Sinerely Charlie Williams

Hi Mr. Williams

That’s a good question.  Buggy style tops were very popular before pontoon manufacturers started using aluminum struts in the rear to hold the tops upright.  The flaps on the back of the buggy pontoon tops served the purpose of supporting the top when upright.  Then boat builders started using aluminum struts as the boats got faster and removed the fabric… once that happened the buggy style tops were not used on new boats anymore and they only were available in the aftermarket. 

I guess the reason they don’t offer them in the 10′ models because they have the struts in the back, we make them in the 8′ because many older pontoon boats had buggy style tops that were 8′ long so we offer it as a replacement for what was on the boat originally.  No one has ever made a 10′ because the 10′ tops on new boats don’t have a buggy style… at least I dont’ know of any boats with a 10′ buggy.

Boat manufacturers thought that the flaps obstructed the view when on the boat and since the struts took the place of the fabric for support no one has ever made a 10′ with flaps in the back.

That’s some history for you… sorry about the length LOL

I will see if we can create a 10′ buggy style top for you.  If you don’t mind waiting we may be able to make it a normal offering, probably take 3 weeks to get one made if we can get them from our manufacturer.  I’ll check and get back with you.

Thank you for the opportunity

Jim Myers
President
PontoonStuff, Inc
www.PontoonStuff.com