Cover frame support clamp for pontoon boat rails

An open-sided frame support clamp device for a rectangular rail that can be mounted from the outside of the rail which adjusts vertically to rails of various sizes, the device comprising:

• a channel bracket formed of weather proof metal in a square C shape having a top horizontal arm, a bottom horizontal arm and a vertical connecting side therebetween rigidly connecting the two arms, the channel bracket comprising a soft padding material attached to an inside surface of the bottom arm and an inside surface of the vertical connecting side, the top arm having a large center opening therethrough and a small threaded opening therethrough spaced apart from the center opening on each of two sides of the center opening, and two threaded fasteners to thread into the threaded openings;
• a clamp plate comprising a rigid horizontal plate and a rigid vertical frame support post rigidly attached to a top center of the clamp plate and extending upwardly therefrom, the frame support post sized to fit within the center opening of the top arm with a sliding friction fit, the clamp plate normally positioned within the channel bracket with the frame support post inserted up through the center opening, and a soft padding material attached to a bottom surface of the clamp plate to form an open-sided frame support clamp so that the open-sided frame support clamp is mountable on a rectangular rail from a side of the rectangular rail with the padded bottom of the clamp plate contacting a top of the rectangular rail and a padded top of the bottom arm of the channel bracket contacting a bottom of the rectangular rail with the two threaded fasteners screwed through the top arm down onto the clamp plate to draw the clamp plate and bottom arm together with the rectangular rail sandwiched therebetween so that the clamp plate is adjustable in vertical position to fit a variety of sizes of rectangular rails, thereby removably securing the open-sided frame support clamp to the rectangular rail with the frame support post extending vertically upward from the rectangular rail to receive a coupling from a bottom of a vertical frame member of a cover frame connected to the frame support post.