Pontoon boat top
A pontoon boat top has a support structure with a shell attached thereto. The shell may comprise a plurality of panels. The support structure may include a plurality of support members. The pontoon boat cover is attachable to a pontoon boat and may be mounted to the pontoon boat and towed behind a vehicle with the pontoon boat at highway towing speeds.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/784,421 filed Mar. 21, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONPontoon boats are popular water recreational boats that typically include a large, flat deck or floor surface. Tops associated with pontoon boats are generally canopy tops that comprise a flat fabric canopy that covers a portion of the deck. Other types of pontoon boat tops include foldable, removable canvas tops that can be placed over a structure that is mounted to the pontoon boat. While canvas tops and canopies provide some cover, they do not provide a full enclosure, and must be removed to make the pontoon boat towable.
SUMMARYA pontoon boat top comprises a rigid, preferably lightweight support structure affixed to a pontoon boat. An outer shell, which may comprise panels attached to the support structure defines the enclosure. The boat top is sufficiently rigid to be attached to the boat, and to be towable with the boat behind a vehicle at highway towing speeds. The boat top may be removably connected to the pontoon boat, for example, to the rail system of the pontoon boat. The pontoon boat top defines an enclosure for boat passengers, and may have windows and/or doors movable between open and closed positions.
Any number of the panels attached to the support structure may be full or partial windows movable between open and closed positions, and one or more doors may be included. Mechanical and/or hydraulic devices may be used to assist in opening and closing windows and doors. The boat may be insulated to reduce the effects of the weather and to provide additional structural stability to the enclosure.
The boat top is able to withstand wind and weather while affixed to the pontoon boat. The boat top can be removably attached at an installation site and towed at normal, legal highway speeds to another location, for example, the body of water on which the boat is to be used, and will withstand wind and weather during towing and during use.
The joints of the support structure may be welded or attached with a combination of brackets, screws, bolts and nuts as well as any other connective devices known to those skilled in the art. The boat top may be constructed from a kit, and customized to fit different sizes and types of pontoon boats. The kits include, for example, structural members to erect the support structure, and panels to be affixed thereto to form the outer shell.
Structural support 38 is comprised of a plurality of structural members 42 which are shown as lines in the line drawings in
Referring again to
A hinge support 70 extends between forward longitudinal supports 66a and 66b. Forward transverse ribs 71a and 71b extend between and are connected to forward ribs 56a and 56b and forward supports 66a and 66b. Hinge support 70 may be utilized to attach a hinge thereto so that an openable and closable door or window may be attached thereto to cover the opening between forward door supports 66a and 66b. An openable door 72 is shown in
Referring again to
A rear view of the straight top embodiment of the pontoon boat top 20 is shown in
Side rear panels 108 and top rear panel 110 are attached at the rear 34 of pontoon boat top 20, which leaves a space for one or more doors. Beam 104 in
The plurality of panels 40 which comprise outer shell 36 may be of shapes and sizes as desired and may be of aluminum and/or see-through polycarbonate or other similar materials to create the desired outer shell. As shown in
Referring back to
Pontoon boat top 20 when removably attached will form an enclosure to protect its passengers. When pontoon boat top 20 is manufactured as a kit or when it is prepared and stored separately from pontoon boat 10, attachment is simple and efficient. Pontoon boat top 20 may simply be picked up and placed upon the pontoon boat rail system with a weather strip therebetween. Brackets and/or straps which span from the rail system 22 to the bottom stringers 48 may be connected to the rail system and to the bottom stringer with brackets 121 and screws or other fasteners (
The forward end of hatch back configurations, like those shown in
Structural support 120 is identical to structural support 38 from forward rib 56 forward and so the same designations are utilized. Structural support 120 comprises a bottom stringer 126 extending from the forward rib 56 to a rear rib 129. Structural support 120 has side stringers 128 which comprise sections 130, 132, 134 and 136. A pair of intermediate stringers 138 include sections 140, 142, 144 and 146. Structural support 120 has forward intermediate ribs 148, center ribs 150 and rear intermediate ribs 152. A top stringer 154 extends from forward rib 56 to center ribs 150. Rib 152 is shorter than ribs 150, 148 and 56 and as shown in
Diagonal supports 156 extend from a bottom longitudinal support 158 upwardly to attach at an upper end to ribs 129. A pair of vertical supports 160 extend from bottom longitudinal support 158 to ribs 129. A horizontal support 161 extends between vertical supports 160 to define a sill 162. An openable hatch 166 may be hingedly attached at or near ribs 150. To do so, the hinge may be either attached to ribs 150 or a horizontal support may be connected between stringers 138a and 138b to provide a hinge mount for the openable hatch which has mechanical assisting devices 168, such as gas props 168. A rear window 170 may be hingedly attached to rear end 172 of hatch 166 and may rotate under hatch 166 when the hatch is in the open position shown in
If desired, removable windows may also be utilized at the sides of the pontoon boat top.
Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned as well as those inherent therein. While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated for the purpose of the present disclosure, changes in the arrangement and construction of parts and the performance of steps can be made by those skilled in the art, which changes are encompassed within the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A pontoon boat top comprising:
- a rigid support structure removably connectable to a pontoon boat; and
- a plurality of panels affixed to said support structure to define a completely enclosed space wherein the pontoon boat top may be connected to a pontoon boat and towed by a vehicle at highway towing speeds.
2. The boat top of claim 1, wherein said boat top comprises a door movable between open and closed positions to allow ingress and egress from the completely enclosed space.
3. The boat top of claim 1, wherein at least one panel comprises a window movable between open and closed positions.
4. The boat top of claim 3, wherein a plurality of the panels comprise windows movable between open and closed positions.
5. The boat top of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the panels are see-through panels.
6. The boat top of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the panels is aluminum.
7. The boat top of claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of frame members connected to one another.
8. The boat top of claim 1, wherein the support structure is attachable to a rail system of the pontoon boat.
9. A kit for assembling a pontoon boat top removably attached to a pontoon boat comprising:
- a plurality of rigid frame members connectable to one another to form a support structure;
- a plurality of panels connectable to the rigid frame members; and
- connectors for removably connecting the support structure to the pontoon boat, wherein the assembled kit defines a complete enclosure when attached to the pontoon boat.
10. The kit of claim 9 wherein the assembled kit is towable with the pontoon boat at highway towing speeds.
11. The kit of claim 9, wherein each of the frame members has identifying indicia thereon.
12. The kit of claim 1 1, wherein each panel has identification indicia thereon.
13. The kit of claim 12 further comprising an instruction manual providing step-by-step instructions for assembling the kit.
14. The kit of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the panels is aluminum.
15. The kit of claim 9, wherein a portion of the panels is pivotally connected to the frame members, the pivotally connected panels being movable between open and closed positions.
16. The kit of claim 9, wherein the assembled kit includes a door movable between open and closed positions to allow entry and exit from the completely enclosed space.
17. A pontoon boat comprising:
- a pait of pontoons;
- a deck mounted to the pontoons;
- a railing extending upwardly from the deck; and
- a rigid top removably attached to the railing system and towable with the pontoon boat.
18. The pontoon boat of claim 17 wherein the top defines a completely enclosed space for boat passengers.
19. The pontoon boat of claim 17 wherein the top has a door movable between open and closed positions for allowing entry and exit from the completely enclosed space.
20. The pontoon boat of claim 17, wherein the boat top has at least one window movable between open and closed positions.
21. The pontoon boat of claim 17 wherein the rigid top comprises a support structure mounted to the rail system, and a plurality of panels attached to the support structure.
22. The pontoon boat of claim 21, wherein at least a portion of the panels is see-through.
23. The boat of claim 21, wherein a portion of the panels is aluminum.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 16, 2007
Publication Date: Sep 27, 2007
Inventor: Roger D. Schaaf (Hollister, MO)
Application Number: 11/724,869
International Classification: B63B 17/02 (20060101);