[618208]

I've got a Grady 24' center console I'm thinking about adding rod holders near the bow casting platform. This boat has a T-top and low profile bow rail. I usually fish with several rods rigged with different lures and this boat has plenty of rod storage space around the ****pit, but nothing up front. Unlike some other CC's, the Grady doesn't have rod holders on the console with holes in the T-top canvas. I'd prefer NOT to cut holes in the canvas which means I can't put them on the console, so I'm thinking about attaching rod holders to the gunwale or maybe hang them from the rail.

Does anybody have experience or ideas about this?

Fuzzy2u

 

[Hunt n' Fish]

There is a company that makes clamp-on rod holders that can be attached to a rail at almost any angle. My father has them on his boat, and we even use them for trolling rods to outside of the boat (our best version of an outrigger). They are good and solid. I beleive West Marine sells them, or any of the other marine catalogs might have them.

 

[613458]

I had the same situation on my boat. Because to the limited walk-around space around the front of the console, the access to storage lockers forward, and the curve in the bow, it was almost impossible to have rods held in a horizontal positions. I opted to mount rod holders verically on the console and had "plugs" put in the canvas on the t-top. The plugs (I can't for the life of me remember the tradename of these devices. I'll have to check the boat and report later) are essentially plastic rings that are installed over holes placed in the canvas. The have removal caps that you can remove so the rod tips can extend through the t-top. I worried about the canvas fraying and ripping, but the ring reinforces the hole without compromising the integrity of the canvas.

 

[Hunt n' Fish]

I just checked the Offshore Angler catalog. They have three company's clamp on style rod holders for sale. My father bought the chrome plated brass ones for about $75 each. They also make polished stainless for about $30 each.

My father also added a pair of flush mount/removable rodholders to install in the motor well. They can be mounted on a verticle surface or flush on the deck. I don't see these in the catalog but I know West has them. These are nice because you can mount the bracket and then remove the rod holder when you don't need it. These are bad because they have no strength (They can easily be bent where they slide into the bracket). We had a friend weld a piece of stainless rod from the tube to the plate that slides into the bracket. Now it is strong enough to troll with also.

There are a lot of options out there. Just look through a few of the catalogs.

Chris

 

[618208]

Mahi Mahi,

That's an interesting idea, sounds like a kind of plastic grommet. Maybe I'll call my local canvas shop and ask about it.

Fuzzy2u

 

[BoatGuy]

Check out this and see if you may want to consider this as an alternative:
http://www.thehulltruth.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/002366.html