Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

I really want to fish from my sweetwater and I have to anchor to do that but my boat has
No cleats on it. When I dock I use a line that attached to an eye lot on one of the pontoons.
My question is .. is it to to tie the anchor to the railing at the bow of the boat

I wouldn't... Buy some cleats and install them on all 4 corners with backing plates....

Yea maybe not a good idea for the long haul. You can get them in "plastic", Chrome, or SS. Easy to do if your boat is not completely skinned underneath.

Just tie it to the lifting eye on the end of the pontoon or install some cleats. The rails are junk and with the amount of leverage of tieing to the top of one, it will bend as soon as the anchor gets a bite.

1 - Install cleats

2 - If 1 is not an option, I would hook to the eye where the winch cable connects to your boat. I am sure the engineers will provide a legitimate argument on being able to hook to your pontoon lifting eyes without consequence but for me, I would not tie off or hook anything to the pontoons.

ya....not a good idea and not a good habit to get into. I'm CONSTANTLY trying to get my kids and my wife to learn certain lessons about boating and water. Yet, after 20 years they aren't learning much.

On a perfectly calm day, it's certainly not the end of the world but if you were to do that but over time it's gonna beat your boat up. I could pull my hair out the amount of times my kids tie up boats or toys to the pier and an hour later they're getting beat to hell because the waves picked up.

It's the same with tying the anchor to the rail. Not a good habit.

No way... I'm not sure where or how you use your boat but if your in an area where waters can get rough from weather or passing wakes it's just a matter of time before you bend your railing.
I added cleats to the back of mine some years ago. It's not hard at all to do it yourself and shouldn't cost too much if you pay to have it done.
also makes tying up a breeze..

I just added a 6" SS cleat on the rear of my pontoon near the ladder. Cleat cost $9.99, no tax, free shipping from Overton's. Four 1/4"x20 oval-head 4" long SS phillips head machine screws cost me $.61 total at Fastenal. Already had 1/4" SS lock-nuts and SS flat washers that I bought at Lowes. Drilled 4 1/4" holes, added bolts and tightend the nuts. Since bolts were a little too long, I trimmed the length with a Dremel tool Easy Peasy!

My fence is on the very edge of the deck in the port rear with no room to add a cleat. The manufacturer apparently installed SS eye-bolts thru the railing support and the cross member below. Not the best tie off, but it works. I keep a line in it all the time. You could do the same for an anchor rope, though it might not be as convenient as a cleat.

If you aren't drilling thru a cross member, add fender washers or a backing plate on the underside.

I keep an anchor right by the captains chair tied off to the railing for that "just in case," engine failure and blowing into another boat or close to a dam etc. I haven't used my anchor yet and if i do and time allows I will use the cleat.

I have a cleat about a ft off center on front deck. we run anchor line through bow eye then to the cleat.

We installed this tie-off system on the bow, next to the trolling motor. Run the line thru this jam cleat, done. Idiot proof for all the not-nautical people on your toon. Think it came from Overton's.

great idea!

landlockedsailor wrote:We installed this tie-off system on the bow, next to the trolling motor. Run the line thru this jam cleat, done. Idiot proof for all the not-nautical people on your toon. Think it came from Overton's.

Even though I read your post I was looking at your picture thinking what the hell is that next to the cleat it looks like a dam scud missle.....