[PaulE]

If you don't have those velcro straps as shown in picture 1 of Mike Focke's article, it is possible that a previous owner just removed them and threw them away when they became detached from the top. My car is a 2003, I'm the original owner, and several years ago they came unsewn from the convertible top, so I re-sewed them back on. I can easily see someone saying "What are these? They're not doing anything, so I might as well get rid of them."

I happened to see this Youtube video posted in a Boxster Facebook group the other day. It is for a 987 but the guy says the 986 is similar. If you haven't seen it yet, maybe it will help. Only other thought I have is do you have the issue on both sides of the top? If not, maybe you can compare the working side to the problem side.