Rod holders for small boat

[hermit]

Hi guys, hope to get a few ideas of what to do. I have a small boat and need better rod holders. Been using clamp on Downeast holders, which hold okay, but are cracking the top of the rail, not sure if you can tell in the pic or not but it's starting. I've been using a piece of wood under it recently but it didn't help, the cracks started after that. Also used the blue rope tied to my rods just in case one of them lets go. Obviously need a better system!

What would be a good way to mount holders that go out horizontally? Bolt something to the bench? Actually that would be hard as it's full of foam. The PVC one works fine but is vertical.

Cheap/homemade would be good, my budget right now is very limited.

[ray koziatek]

suppose ifin it wer me id scerw a 2x4 to the inside and put my holder to that then you can distribute the pressure over a larger area..i did that with my canoe rail.. or mount a 2x6 across the boat then ya got a 6in deck to mount fishfinder and rod holders.

[SHADE OF GRAY]

I have a small 14 foot fishing boat. I mounted rod holders to the seat but i made sure i could tilt them to the side. I used big beefy screws when i mounted them i put five rod holders on thise way and one downrigger that had a vise like system to hold it on the side. So far it worked great. I thought about a board across it but i do alot of perch fishing as well so i thought it would be in the way for that this system has worked good so far.

[ Post made via Android ]

[LongLine]

For years this is what I used on my board. Very easy & cheap to make.

You could also bend it a little differently & mount it to the bulkhead, however I’d think the seat the better option.

I would not use wood as a backer but rather get a piece of aluminum. Cuts & drills very easily

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[Blue Heron]

I am with Ray on this - I have taken pieces of 2x4 and worked them to match the curvature of the boat side - I then drilled the boat side and screwed thru into the 2x4 with fender washers under the screw heads - you can then clamp holders on to this ( use existing down east holders) or you can screw other holders to the 2x4 - it has worked well on my 14' boat.

[ddubs3]

Is that a track for carriage bolts running around the top?. If so i use 2x4 with holes drilled through for carriage bolts plus wing nut and clamp to that.

[ Post made via Android ]

[zackblain]

I have some of the cannons side mounted on my 16' aluminum boat. Just use some good bolts and they'll work

[hermit]

Okay thanks everyone for the ideas. ddubs3 I think the top is decorative (and hides the edge of the side panel.) It's not very sturdy and is curved on the bottom so attaching anything there would be hard. Might go with Ray's idea but use aluminum like Longline said. I do want the holders to be removable. I would rather alter the bench like some of you were suggesting than the side of the boat though.

I'll post a pic when I get it figured out. Hmm if I used a 2x4 I could use a spade bit and drill a small depression for the clamp so if it slipped it still couldn't go anywhere.

Alec

[craveman85]

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/p ... 006&r=view

i use these on my boats. theyre normally 25 bucks but they often go on sale for 15. theyre good sturdy mounts that can be mounted in many angles. not trying to get anybody to shop at gander mountain but if you find something similar theyre great. i even use one with a broken heavy trolling rod as a downrigger with a 12lb weight so you know they will hold up.

[ray koziatek]

Me Caveman Me drag Big rock with string attached to broken pole....