If you are looking for a grill bracket for pontoon boat, then look no further than the Arnall’s one. It’s really very good and is compatible with most of the flat-bottomed pontoon grills.
For the latest prices and also to read other reviews from pontoon owners, click here to see the bracket on Amazon. It’s truly an exceptional product.
However, there is a lot of confusion over this product including what it will grills it will work with, if you need to drill, what else you might need to buy, will it damage your pontoon rails, and much more.
In this quick review, I will give an overview of the product, and then further down the page you can see some commonly asked questions that boat owners ask about it, with my responses.
Why Choose this Grill Bracket for a Pontoon Boat?
There aren’t too many options for bracket sets available online, but of the ones that there are available to buy, this is certainly the best based on my own personal experience.
I currently have one set-up on my Bennington pontoon to secure my modified Cuisinart grill in place over the railings.
It’s made from strong zinc electro-plated steel and works best on 1.25-inch square railings, so most pontoons. If you have round rails, it’s not going to be for you and you will need to buy something else.
Mine has never rusted, never corroded, and never slipped on the railing and I’ve been using mine for around 2 years (as at June 2018).
It’s designed to work with most flat-bottomed grills and is quick to attach and re-attach, so you only ever need it set-up when you’re actually cooking.
Mine has never scratched my railings, and never let me down which is why I am so happy to recommend it in this review to readers of Pontoonopedia.
What’s Included with the Arnall’s Set?
Should you decide to buy after reading my review, here’s what you get with what I believe to be the best pontoon grill bracket set that money can buy:
- Price: View current prices (links to the exact version you will need)
- Weight: 4 pounds
- Dimensions: 12 x 11 x 3 inches
- Construction: Zinc plated stainless steel
- Compatibility: Most flat bottom grills
- Mounts: Onto 1.25 square inch rails
- Brackets: Included and 1/4 inch carriage bolts
- Grill: Not included, you need to buy separately (see recommendations)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here’s a list of the questions people will typically ask before buying this grill bracket set as it can be quite confusing to decide whether it’s right for you or not.
You can also find more questions and answers on the Amazon website which get updated each week, so could answer specifics on your own grill’s compatibility.
Does the Arnall’s Bracket Set Come with a Grill?
No, and I can understand why some people might think that given that the product photography features a photo of a grill on rail mount and bracket. It’s a little bit misleading honestly.
You will need to buy a grill separately, and I would recommend a flat bottom model as you will find it easier to mount onto the Arnall’s grill bracket set. Here are some recommendations on the best grills currently available to buy.
Will I Need to Drill into Anything?
It depends.
If the mount doesn’t align with the manufacturer’s leg holes underneath your existing grill, then you will need to drill your own holes through the grill bottom plate to get the mount attached properly.
Further down this page you can see which grills it’s compatible with, where no drilling will be required if you want to check for your own model.
There are also some people who have had to grill into their rails.
This won’t happen for most people, as the mounts will secure onto 1.25-inch square railings with no problems in most cases.
What Grills Will It Work With?
Will this pontoon grill bracket set work with your pontoon grill?
That very much depends on the type of grill that you have, but it should present no issues with the majority of flat bottom models to get everything mounted properly.
It comes with the fittings and fixtures that you need to get it mounted properly, with brackets that have openings at 8 and 9 inches to fit the feet with most flat bottom pontoon grills.
In the worst-case scenario, you might have to drill holes into the bottom of yours if it doesn’t line up properly. That’s quite rare though, but just be prepared as you might need to do this.
Whilst I can’t pretend to have seen every single configuration whilst out on the water, I have seen this pontoon grill bracket being used on about 5 different types over the last 2 years.
Here’s a list of the grills I have seen the Arnall’s pontoon grill bracket set being used with, plus other models I have read on forums that other boat owners are using it with.
- Coleman flat bottoms grills
- Smoke Hollow 205
- Char Broil 190 Deluxe
- Coleman PerfectFlow Insta Start Propane Grill
- Coleman Perfect Flow Propane Camp Grill
- Weber Q Portable Grill
Before you buy, please do your own research into compatibility, as you might still need to make some drilling or modifications depending on your type.
Does it Work with Cuisinart Grills?
This is where a lot of confusion comes about.
If you have the standard Cuisinart pontoon grill, then you will need to modify it in order to use the Arnall’s pontoon grill bracket set, and in truth that is a massive pain in the backside.
The reason the confusion occurs is because a company called Extreme Marine sell a pre-modified version of the Cuisinart packed up with this grill bracket set.
That’s why I always recommend that pontooners who don’t yet have a grill, purchase the modified package. You can read my full review of this, and further information about the set-up elsewhere on Pontoonopedia.
What Type of Railing Will it Work On?
It is designed to fit onto a standard square pontoon boat rail, ideally a 1.25-inch square railing. If you have skinnier square rails, then you will need to purchase aluminum spacers from your local hardware store to stop the grill from moving around. You can see an example below where a grill was mounted on the rear of a pontoon.
Image credit unknown, found via Pinterest.
If you have a round rail on your boat, then you might not get the results you want. That’s because it can slip around and rotate downwards, which with a hot grill is very impractical not to mention dangerous.
Will it Scratch My Pontoon Railings?
This is an interesting question, and I can only really speak from my own personal experience from using this on my Bennington – it’s never scratched my rails, and the manufacturer also states that it shouldn’t leave marks.
However, there have been some online reviews left on Amazon where some buyers have reported that the Arnall’s pontoon grill bracket set does leave scratches.
Once you have mounted it, if you think it might leave scratches my advice would be to cut some small rubber or fabric spacers and place them between the rails and mount.
How Easy is it to Set-Up?
I won’t lie, as it can be quite cumbersome to first use and to get used to, and the first time I set mine up I had my brother give me a hand and hold some parts in place whilst I tightened things up.
The first time I fitted mine on, I ended up dropping the nuts and bolts into the lake, so had to head off to the local hardware store to buy some replacements.
I ended up buying wing nuts instead of the traditional nuts that come with it. I find that using wing nuts makes it way easier and quicker to take on and off the rails.
Once you have done this a couple of times though, you should be able to attach and re-attach it in just a few minutes once you have the knack.
Are There Alternative Grill Bracket Sets?
I won’t lie, this is definitely my preferred kit as you can see from the review and notes. However, it might not work for everyone, and might now work with your existing grill.
An alternative bracket set worth checking out is the Magma on Amazon. You can either drill it into your rails, or clamp it on with the gear that it comes with.
In terms of reviews, it’s only got a few at the moment on Amazon due to being a relatively new product to market, some of which mention that it didn’t come with the bolts so you will need to buy those separately.
Conclusion
Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to grill up BBQ on the side of their pontoon boat, and that’s exactly what you get to do with the Arnall’s pontoon grill bracket set.
Men love to grill (at least the men I know do) but can you imagine cooking up steak whilst you survey all around you on the water from the deck of your pontoon?
Or perhaps you and some buddies have spent the day fishing, caught some fish and crab, and now want to crack open a beer and have a taste of your catch.
It’s all possible here.
The possibilities for what you cook are virtually endless, depending on how large a grill surface area you have, but if you are stuck for ideas, check out these meat recipes.
Click the image above to see some great recipes for boat grilling.
Whilst a pontoon grill bracket is definitely one of the most essential accessories you could wish to have on your own boat, there are some other items which are also very specific towards BBQ.
I promise that the next time you pull up into your local marina or dock and the other pontooners see this bracket set in action, it’s going to provide for a great conversation piece.
It sure beats struggling with a portable grill set down on the deck floor or a table, and unlike portable set-ups, won’t slide around or be dangerous if a wave or wake hits the side of your boat.
