Powered Bimini Top

[franklyfrank]

Our 2021 RX came with the powered Biminitop without an instruction manual. The dealer hasn't been much help either claiming they are rather new for them as well.
I have a number of questions and cant find anything helpfull from Bennington.

 

[SLXGUY]

I have the same issue. This was very helpful:

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Basically, always run the top up or down until the actuator stops.

 

[Vikingstaff]

The Bennington design is slightly different than the Barletta above, but not by much. Useage is pretty similar. The circuit breaker on the Bennington electric bimini tends to trip very easily. When it does, you need to wait about 3-5 seconds, push the reset button, and then you can continue. To avoid that, I find you have to go part way...pause....push the button to go further...pause...continue and finish.

Anyway, we are going on our 5th summer on the water with our Bennington and it has tthe electric bimini. Feel free to ask any questions that you have. We love the feature, and wouldn’t get a pontoon without it.

 

[franklyfrank]

Thank you very much.
A big help.
We love the top as well and my concerns were how far to run it up.
The other question I have is what position to keep it when you fold it up .
Laying it down all the way on the short posts is to low. I have to get on my knees to crawl under. When extended rain is forcasted I cover the boat and like to fold the top.

 

[franklyfrank]

I wrote my response b4 watching the video.
Thank yo that answered all my questions.
I like the front stabilizer struts better on the Barletta than the cable one on the Bennington.

 

[Vikingstaff]

Thank you very much.
A big help.
We love the top as well and my concerns were how far to run it up.
The other question I have is what position to keep it when you fold it up .
Laying it down all the way on the short posts is to low. I have to get on my knees to crawl under. When extended rain is forcasted I cover the boat and like to fold the top.

We extend it similarly to in the video. So that it is snug, all the way forward, and completely taught (there is a sound it makes that I shut off at).

When storing the boat for an extended time with the mooring cover on it, or when larger storms and bad weather are coming through, then I put it down on the short arm posts as you mentioned. That way it is all snug, and secured.

If just sitting dockside, but otherwise being used off and on, I keep the bimini cover on it, but just leave it in the ”radar” position (about a 45 degree angle). Gives full access and room to walk under it and what not. I will then just leave it this way much of the time when we are at the cottage.

Radar position with electric bimini:


Down for longer term storage on its short arms with mooring cover on it:

 

[Bill N]

If you find that the circuit breaker trips too easily, this is by design to minimize the chance of pinching injuries.

 

[Vikingstaff]

If you find that the circuit breaker trips too easily, this is by design to minimize the chance of pinching injuries.

Never heard this before. Interesting in a few ways: (1) I think it’s nice to be extra safe. If I were nitpicking it, I would much rather just push and hold the switch to raise or lower completely without having to start and stop a couple times. (2) It seems like it works hard to lift the weight of it all so I just assumed it was tripping it due to power pull and strain. If it is cutting off due to safety vs. being overworked, that gives me confidence it will last longer. Either way, love this feature a lot. Thanks for this tidbit of information.

 

[FeelingMinnesota]

Question: Do you think that changing the location of my switch for the power bimini top would somehow jeopardize any potential warranty claims in the future if needed?

 

[Vikingstaff]

Question: Do you think that changing the location of my switch for the power bimini top would somehow jeopardize any potential warranty claims in the future if needed?

That‘s a very good question! Just in case, I would honestly double check with Bennington through a dealership before doing it. My guess is if a certified Bennington dealership did the change up, you’d be fine. If you do it yourself, I could see it becoming a reason to void the warranty on that element, or potentially the entire electric bimini.

 

[Skipping Scallop]

Our 2021 RX came with the powered Biminitop without an instruction manual. The dealer hasn't been much help either claiming they are rather new for them as well.
I have a number of questions and cant find anything helpfull from Bennington.

Hi Frank. My boat starts production in two weeks. I currently have the electric top on the order but never saw one work in person. I am also having a front bimini. What is your opinion of it? Stay with manual or go electric? Thank you.

 

[Bill N]

My opinion is just that, but to me it's a must have. Even if you don't appreciate the convenience yourself, not having it could make your pontoon harder to sell down the road.

A bit of advice to all with power bimini is to keep a 5/32 allen wrench on the pontoon. If top would happen to fail in an undesired position, 8 button head screws can be removed with 5/32 hex wrench, unplug anchor lamp and bimini frame comes right off. EZ PZ!

 

[mattpoinsett]

I have the power Bimini on my 2022 LXSB. Can you raise to the Radar position with the Bimini mooring cover over the Bimini top? I have alway been taking the cover off and then the top starts to unfold. Not sure if leaving the cover on would be too hard on the lifting mechanism and if supporting it partially up would also be hard on the mechanism.
Dealer was not much help as well as most they have out are manual lift.

 

[Vikingstaff]

I have the power Bimini on my 2022 LXSB. Can you raise to the Radar position with the Bimini mooring cover over the Bimini top? I have alway been taking the cover off and then the top starts to unfold. Not sure if leaving the cover on would be too hard on the lifting mechanism and if supporting it partially up would also be hard on the mechanism.
Dealer was not much help as well as most they have out are manual lift.

We’ve always raised it into the radar position with the bimini cover on it (2017). That is how our dealership instructed us to raise it to radar position if we were NOT going to otherwise put out the full bimini for shade.

It does put more pressure on the system when raising it up into the radar position that way, so that can more easily trigger the circuit breaker. Sometimes we have a second person provide assistance to it, but most of the time its just me at the helm pushing the switch to raise it up.

Ours is almost always kept in the radar position in season, bimini cover on. I only cover it dockside with the full bimini down when we are going to be away from our cottage for a week or more which is rare since we largely live at our cottage throughout the summer.

 

[mattpoinsett]

We’ve always raised it into the radar position with the bimini cover on it (2017). That is how our dealership instructed us to raise it to radar position if we were NOT going to otherwise put out the full bimini for shade.

It does put more pressure on the system when raising it up into the radar position that way, so that can more easily trigger the circuit breaker. Sometimes we have a second person provide assistance to it, but most of the time its just me at the helm pushing the switch to raise it up.

Ours is almost always kept in the radar position in season, bimini cover on. I only cover it dockside with the full bimini down when we are going to be away from our cottage for a week or more which is rare since we largely live at our cottage throughout the summer.

View attachment 33037 View attachment 33038

Thanks for the reply. It just seemed like it was putting all of the weight stress on the inner lift mechanism if it is not supported by the struts. I like doing it your way and will try that this weekend.

 

[Vikingstaff]

Thanks for the reply. It just seemed like it was putting all of the weight stress on the inner lift mechanism if it is not supported by the struts. I like doing it your way and will try that this weekend.

It certainly “looks” to put a lot of pressure on it. My understanding though is that it’s made for it. So far, 6 years in, everything is holding up great in that regard.

 

[mattpoinsett]

It certainly “looks” to put a lot of pressure on it. My understanding though is that it’s made for it. So far, 6 years in, everything is holding up great in that regard.

That's going to be great for us. I am new to pontoon coming from wake surf boat and making sure I have motor trimmed up in shallow prairie lake waters we boat in is tougher with the top fully down blocking the view and the people using the swingback seat will not have to duck down to get under it if I can leave it in more of an upright position.
Thanks again for your reply. Wish it was Friday so I could try it out!

 

[CLDave]

Just clarifying - if you're strapping the mooring cover to the Bimini, or keeping the Bimini down at all, it should rest on its short legs. Way too much stress on the plastic gears when it's down without the legs. We have a covered lift and I just flop the little legs down and let it sit on them when I pull onto the lift.

I'd actually love to add longer legs to the bimini to support the electric top while underway. If anyone finds a good source (non-dealer) for the blackout extruded aluminum tubing let me know!

The electric top has been trouble-free for us in the 2 1/2 years we've had the boat, and learning to listen for strain (and pausing on raise for a moment) is easy. I'd guess I need to pause on raise about 20 percent of the time, and the overload fuse has only needed a reset once since purchased.

 

[Vikingstaff]

I never got my mooring cover bimini strap for looping over the Bimini above the Swingback with my boat originally, so I have never used it with my mooring cover (if this is what your talking about Dave).

However, when I have the bimini all the way down, we absolutely use the short aluminum legs for support. That’s too much weight otherwise in that position.

But again, I typically just leave it in the radar position dockside and when underway. When in radar dockside, I tie the mooring cover around the front supports like normal, but just don’t have anything “rear side” to tie off to since it’s in radar position. I just Velcro that area and tie it off tight, clipping to rail with mooring cover connections to keep the mooring cover secured in that area.

 

[mattpoinsett]

I will look at mine when I put up this weekend. My plan was to leave Bimini mooring cover on when up which it will have to be to keep it from opening, but not sure what you are talking about with the Velcro, is this something you are doing on your own and not part of the Bennington system? Picture?
Again thanks, these forums are great for sharing info.
Hopefully I will gain some knowledge and can contribute something useful for others in the future.