Unless you purchased a boat specifically geared toward fishing, chances are there will be some
little odds and ends you'll want to add on to make your boat, shall we say, piscatorially pleasing.
One small change that can help to make a big difference in angling capabilities is the installation
of rod holders.
Installing rod holders requires a minimum of tools and a minimum of effort. If you haven't already, add a rotary saw to your tool collection. Virtually every manufacturer of power tools - Makita, DeWalt, Craftsman, etc. - makes a rotary saw. The rotary cutter is going to be far superior to either the jigsaw or drill for angled rod holder installations; cutting guides are available, and even freehand would be easier than working with the jigsaw or drill.
If you use a hole bit/drill, you'll have to make a guide by precutting some wood on the proper
angle (and to get it exact still requires some skill). The other option is a drill guide, which can
be extraordinarily expensive. If you opt for the drill and hole bit, pre-drill a pilot hole on the
proper angle, then follow it with the drill part of the hole bit and hold on when the hole bit
starts to bite.If you only plan on installing vertical rod holders in the gunwales, then the
drill/hole bit or the saw setups will work just fine.
Other tools you'll need include cutting bits for the rotary saw, a grinding bit, a countersink bit for your drill, a tape measure, a screwdriver, bedding compounding/sealant, an adjustable or box wrench (only for rail-mount models), and a marking pen (fine tip, felt) or pencil.
Look around at some local
fishing boats to get ideas about good locations; ask what position might be preferred or most used.
Other than that, there are three cardinal rules to follow: 1) Measure twice before cutting; 2) Cut
slowly and deliberately; and 3) Most importantly, know what's behind whatever surface you're
cutting.
LOCATION
Thanks to the plethora of types of rod holders, there's essentially nowhere that your rod
holders can't be located. Forward or aft, on railings, in and on the gunwales, on cabin or center
console sides, superstructure, etc. You're pretty much limited solely by imagination and utility,
the latter being the most important.
How many of you have a set of rocket launchers attached to the aft edge of your T-top? Now, how many of you are like me: too short to use them for anything unless you stand on a milk crate - which, by the way, is not a brilliant idea while you're underway. The utility factor for those rod holders for the height-challenged is about nil; they're fine for 6-footers and look cool, but about all they're good for is holding rods when you're not fishing, and there are more accessible places to do that.
Another factor to consider is that rod holders collect water. Depending on location, this means
they may allow water access into your boat's interior. All rod holders have drains in their bases,
and several make holders with a base cap that has a nipple in it that can be hooked directly to a
thin hose, which is a great idea if you want to put your rod holder over somewhere that's supposed
to stay dry. Attach the hose to the nipple and run it to the bilge. You can also purchase holders
with rubber caps that keep water out.
Regardless, as the famous sign notes, "Thimk Frist" before you install.
TYPES OF ROD
HOLDERS
There are ABS and various other plastic, aluminum, chrome or stainless-steel rod holders.
Common sizes are 1-5/8 and 1-7/8-inch inside diameters (ID); outside diameters (OD) are usually 2
or 2-1/4 inches. Metal holders nearly always have a liner to protect your rods and a gasket where
the holder face meets the deck.
Your boat may have a couple of rod holders already, and unless you wish to replace all of them,
it's probably a good idea to stay with the type you have. That said, there are straight flush-mount
rod holders that mount in gunwales, and there are 15-, 30- and 45-degree flush mounts. The vertical
holders keep your rods vertical, while the 45-degree angled ones produce a rakish look.
If you want to get an idea of what the angles actually look like, get a scrap piece of plywood
or cardboard about 18 by 18 inches, take a protractor, mark off the angles and then draw lines out
to the ends of the cardboard or ply. Stand it on end and have a look. (And you thought you'd never
use a protractor after high school.)
There are a variety of rod holders that follow the degree range mentioned above but clamp onto
railings or things like T-top sides, etc. Some are heavy-duty and are designed to avoid cutting
wiring that may be running through the structure tubes.
Lastly, if fishing is a
casual and occasional thing, there are removable rod holders. These require you to screw in a
mounting plate on a flat vertical surface; the rod holder slips into the slot in a sort of "place
tab A into slot B" scenario. These are for light- to medium-duty rods, and although they look beefy
enough, going this route is only recommended if your boat gets used more for skiing and touring
than for fishing.
There are a variety of holders made of plastic that will suffice for most freshwater duty and
follow the same pattern as the heavier saltwater versions. That is to say, they clamp on or bolt to
a variety of surfaces, and tubing both square and round. A Canadian company, Scotty, makes some
interesting - and novel - versions that are bolt- or clamp-on, and worth a look.
Like almost everything having to do with boats, there are accessories that can make your rod
holders more useful than their name implies. There are bait/filet tables, cup holders, flag/burgee
poles and barbecue mounts that can slide into the rod holders, thus giving you more incentive to go
out and play on your boat.
INSTALLATION
Clamp-on rod holders are no-brainers to install. Measure the tubing you want to clamp the rod
holder to and buy the holder with the appropriate diameter fitting. Most have a range of tubing
diameter the clamp will fit.
Flat-mount holders - those that mount on flat surfaces - are also easy to install: Drill a pilot hole about half the width of the required screw, countersink the hole (make the top of the hole wider; this prevents gelcoat cracking) and put sealant in the holes and fasten them down. If you go with bolts, use a backing plate. It doesn't have to be massive, but you want something to protect the cabin or console structure when you inevitably overtighten the nut/bolt. In the latter mounting scheme, the hole you drill has to fit the through-bolt - and don't forget to use sealant. One factor to pay attention to with flat-mount holders is location. You won't want them protruding in the normal walking areas unless you're into lacerations and bruises.
The in-transom rod holders are the most useful type. You really want to know what's underneath
the fiberglass before you start cutting (if you're not sure, call the manufacturer). Pumped-in
flotation isn't a problem, but gas filler lines and wiring are major concerns.
To start the installation, trace the outside diameter of the down tube and start from the
center, cutting out to the circle. Cut so that the pencil line disappears. While the rotary saw
will give you a fairly smooth cut regardless of angle, you can touch it up with a drum-style
grinding bit when you're done. Slide the down tube in, mark the mounting holes, remove the rod
holder and drill the pilot holes (usually three), and countersink drill the holes.
Place the holder back in, ensure everything is where it's supposed to be, remove it, put bedding/sealant about 1/4-inch away from the lip of the hole you cut as well as in the pilot holes, make sure the gasket (if present) is on the holder, insert, push flat, screw the holder down, and you're done.Content goes here.
Quick Tips
MANUFACTURERS
There are many manufacturers of rod holders, and all have their own signature features, but
essentially the job is to hold your rod and keep it in your boat. Here are a few of the major
players:
Lee 305/599-9324;
www.leeoutriggers.com
Perko 305/621-7525;
www.perko.com
Rupp 772/286-5300;
www.ruppmarine.com
Scotty 800/214-0141;
www.scotty.com
Taco 800/653-8568;
www.tacomarine.com
Tigress 954/467-0917;
www.tigressoutriggers.com
West Marine 800/262-8464;
www.westmarine.com