Rail and panel system for a pontoon boat

Abstract

The invention relates to boundaries used on a watercraft. Specially, the invention relates to boundaries used on pontoon boats. The boundaries generally include a rail and panel system positioned around an outer periphery of the pontoon boat. The invention also relates to a method of forming and installing the boundaries on a watercraft.

1 . A watercraft including: 
 a frame;    a rail supported by the frame; and    a non-metallic panel supported by the rail.    
   
   
       2 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic panel is constructed of a polymer based material.  
   
   
       3 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic panel is constructed of polycarbonate.  
   
   
       4 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the watercraft is a pontoon boat.  
   
   
       5 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the rail and the non-metallic panel cooperate to define a boundary of the watercraft.  
   
   
       6 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the rail is formed from a substantially square shaped tube.  
   
   
       7 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic panel has interlocking portions adjacent to a top and bottom edge, that are profiled to interlock with the rail.  
   
   
       8 . The watercraft of  claim 7 , wherein the tube includes four sides and an extension coupled to one of the sides.  
   
   
       9 . The watercraft of  claim 8 , wherein the tube includes a recess adjacent to the extension.  
   
   
       10 . The watercraft of  claim 9 , wherein the extension includes a first tab co-operable with said interlocking portions.  
   
   
       11 . The watercraft of  claim 10 , wherein the non-metallic panel includes a second tab configured to cooperate with the recess and the first tab to couple the panel to the tube.  
   
   
       12 . The watercraft of  claim 9 , wherein the recess is defined as a notch and the non-metallic panel includes a second tab configured to be positioned in the notch.  
   
   
       13 . The watercraft of  claim 7 , wherein the non-metallic panel is configured to directly contact both the extension and the one of the tube including the extension.  
   
   
       14 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic panel includes a panel member that defines a first plane and a tab extending from the panel member substantially perpendicularly relative to the first plane.  
   
   
       15 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic panel is configured to couple directly to the rail.  
   
   
       16 . A watercraft including: 
 a frame;    a rail member supported by the frame;    a panel member coupled to the rail; and    means for coupling the panel member to the rail member.    
   
   
       17 . The watercraft of  claim 16 , wherein the panel member is constructed of a polymer based material.  
   
   
       18 . The watercraft of  claim 16 , wherein the means for coupling the panel member to the rail member includes a tab positioned on the panel member.  
   
   
       19 . The watercraft of  claim 16 , wherein the means for coupling the panel member to the rail member includes a recessed portion in the rail member.  
   
   
       20 . The watercraft of  claim 16 , wherein the means for coupling the panel member to the rail member includes an extension coupled to the rail member.  
   
   
       21 . A boundary for a watercraft, the boundary comprising: 
 a rail including a recessed portion and an extension; and    a panel including first and second ends, the first end including an interlocking portion.    
   
   
       22 . The boundary of  claim 21 , wherein the interlocking portion of the panel is configured to be positioned in the recessed portion of the rail to couple the panel to the rail.  
   
   
       23 . The boundary of  claim 22 , wherein the extension is configured to bend to contact the interlocking portion of the panel to couple the panel to the rail.  
   
   
       24 . The boundary of  claim 21 , wherein the extension includes a tab configured to correspond to the engaging portion of the panel to couple the panel to the rail.  
   
   
       25 . The boundary of  claim 21 , wherein the panel is constructed of a polycarbonate material.  
   
   
       26 . The boundary of  claim 21 , wherein the rail includes four sides and one of the sides includes both the recessed portion and the extension.  
   
   
       27 . The boundary of  claim 21 , wherein the first and second ends of the panel define a first plane and the interlocking portion is substantially perpendicular to the first plane.  
   
   
       28 . A method of manufacturing a watercraft, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a flotation platform;    extruding a plurality of rails;    defining a rail structure by attaching the plurality of rails to the flotation platform;    providing a polymer based panel; and    interlocking the polymer based panel to the rails to define a boundary wall.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the flotation platform is defined as a pontoon boat platform.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the flotation platform defines a periphery and the rail structure is supported by the flotation platform around the periphery.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the rails are extruded to define a generally Q-shape.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the Q-shaped rails are extruded to define a generally square cross section with an extending portion.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the polymer based panel and the rails are interlocked to each other by providing an interlocking tab on the panel adjacent to an edge of the polymer based panel  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the polymer based panel is positioned in a receiving area between the square cross section and the extending portion, and the extending portion is crimped to form the interlocking engagement.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein two Q-shaped rails are provided in parallel with the receiving areas positioned in a facing relationship, and the polymer based panel is positioned between the parallel rails in the receiving areas.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the extending portion of the Q-shaped rails has a complementary overlapping tab and the overlapping tabs on the panel and the Q-shaped rails interlock the panel and rails together.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the Q-shaped rails are extruded to define a notch in the square portion and opposed to the extending portion, whereby the interlocking tab of the polymer based panel is received in the notch, and the extending portion is subsequently crimped to entrap the panel.  
   
   
       38 . A boundary for a watercraft, the boundary comprising: 
 a rail including a recessed portion and an extension;    a panel configured to be attached to the rail; and    cooperative interlocking members associated with the panel and the rail, the members configured to attach the panel to the rail.    
   
   
       39 . The boundary of  claim 38 , wherein the cooperative interlocking members include a first tab positioned on the extension and a second corresponding tab positioned on the panel.  
   
   
       40 . The boundary of  claim 38 , wherein the first tab is configured to interlock with the second tab to couple the panel to the rail.  
   
   
       41 . The boundary of  claim 38 , wherein the panel is constructed of a polycarbonate material.  
   
   
       42 . A method of making a rail for a watercraft, and for use with a panel having tabs along an edge thereof, the method including the steps of: 
 providing a metallic material; and    extruding the metallic material to produce a tube having a substantially square cross section including an extension and a recess, the recess adjacent to the extension.    
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the extension is provided with a tab for interlocking with the panel tab.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the recess is provided as a notch for receiving the panel tab.  
   
   
       45 . A pontoon boat including: 
 a flotation platform defining a perimeter;    a motor supported by the flotation platform;    a plurality of rails supported by the flotation platform, the rails positioned around the perimeter, the rails including a substantially square tube having a recess and an extension positioned adjacent the recess, the extension including a first tab; and    a plurality of polymer based panels having first and second ends and sides extending therebetween, each of the panels including a second tab on each side, the second tab configured to interlock with the first tab of the extension to secure the panels to the rail.    
   
   
       46 . A method of manufacturing a watercraft, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a flotation platform;    extruding a plurality of rails;    defining a rail structure by attaching the plurality of rails to the flotation platform;    providing a non-metallic panel; and    coupling the non-metallic based panel directly to the rails to define a boundary wall.    
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the rails are extruded to define a generally Q-shape.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the Q-shaped rails are extruded to define a generally square cross section with an extending portion.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the non-metallic panel is positioned in a receiving area between the square cross section and the extending portion, and the extending portion is crimped to contact the non-metallic panel.