Bimini Tops & Canopies For Pontoon Boats - History Of Pontoon Boat Tops 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
|