Nothing beats spending the day on the water onboard the perfect pontoon boat. After a long day of leisure, fishing, watersports, or party, having the perfect pontoon boat grill will put the cherry on top. There are excellent grills on the market that are specifically constructed for pontoon boats with square rail mounts. The best pontoon boat grills, stay lit even when the boat is mobile, quickly and easily attach to the square railing, and stay strong and rust free for many years.
When purchasing a pontoon boat grill, one must first decide whether to use gas, charcoal or electric (it’s said that charcoal gives the food better flavor while gas is more convenient).
Gas Grills
Gas grills come in two shapes: rectangular and circular. A rectangular grill has more space for food, thus, making it perfect for large gatherings. Circular grills are another great choice that be double stacked like an oven or stove.
Compared to charcoal grills, which can be challenging to ignite and take 15 – 20 minutes to heat up, gas grills start up easily and heat up quickly. Additionally, propane grills present no dangers from burning embers, and they don’t produce messy ash making them much easier to clean.
Charcoal Grills
Unlike electric and gas grills, a charcoal grill adds a special mild smoky flavor to meats. It’s advised to buy a charcoal grill that mounts to the boat’s handrail or rod holder and positions the grill over the water. That way any hot ashes or embers fall overboard instead of landing on the boat deck resulting in damage and unwanted maintenance.
Electric Grills
Just like propane grills, electric grills start heating instantly, and they don’t produce embers nor ashes. Another advantage of electric grills is that they cook without flames, which gives them the upper hand when it comes to safety. Therefore, electric grills are a perfect fit in marinas that prohibit the use of open flames. One big disadvantage of electric grills is that they require a source of A/C power. Unless you have a generator onboard, which is rare, you’re limited to cooking where shore power is available.
Grilling Safety
Please follow these few precautions to ensure safe operation of a grill on your pontoon boat.
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- Position or mount the charcoal grill along the side so that no hot ashes or embers fall onto the pontoon boat.
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- Only use charcoal lighter fluid as an accelerant. Only apply lighter fluid before lighting the coals. Never use gasoline and never apply lighter fluid after the fire is lit.
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- Do not dump ashes or coals overboard when you’re done cooking. The grill cover is designed to suppress the fire and contain the ashes until you return to shore. Once on shore, you can properly dispose of the cool ashes.