Pontoon Roofs

[Poor Father]

What do I need to fix my aluminum roof on my pontoon boat so that I don't have to unbolt it and rachet strap it down to go to and from the lake?

[brumbyvet]

Take the aluminum top off and buy you a bimini top. Post your aluminum top on craigslist or other classified ad and sell it. Thats what I'd do.....

[Poor Father]

But it keeps the boat SOOO cool

[bruuuuce]

The cloth bimini top will be the best, it will provide shade like the current top but at a fraction of the weight and hassle that alumn top is.

[lakerunner]

Get some 1/4" coated cable and some turn buckles, crisscross the front or back to keep it from swaying and use rope to keep the top from moving back or forward. If you drive slow this will do it however at highway speeds you risk ripping the top off.

[mike]

I agree, the cloth Bimini top works great for cool shade and folds up easy...

[FloterBoter]

What do I need to fix my aluminum roof on my pontoon boat so that I don't have to unbolt it and rachet strap it down to go to and from the lake?

most tops pivot in brackets on top of the rails. the rails are not sturdy enough to weld the top supports to them and then head down the highway at speed. like lr said, you'll rip the top off. if you look at some designs with permanently "up" tops (like double deckers), they have much heavier posts extending down to the side of the deck and mounted into a beefed up section.

you shouldn't have to unbolt anything. usually each support has one bolt and then something like a bail pin through the other hole. some can be pinned in the down position, but some strapping or heavy bungees is a good idea.