happyjack92

some good ideas there schmidty

well...this thread has kind of taken a little bit of a different direction than i originally intended...and i think it's for the better!

i'm all for getting some better ideas on how to rig my spread. as i posted earlier, this will be my first spring running this boat during trophy season (just bought it last summer), and i was planning on messing around with the set-up until i found something that works.

as it stands now, i don't really have any place to put a bolt-on rod holder. the danged radar arch is about the most over-built piece of equipment i have ever seen on any boat. the pipe is about 3" in diameter...can't come close to wrapping my hand around it, so i doubt i can find anything that will clamp on it...i think the biggest clamp-ons i found were about 1.5"?

i think the folding pipe that serves as the frame for the bimini top is plenty sturdy enough to support a rod...especially a wwb with no weight on it.


here's a pic of my cockpit, so you can see the layout a little better:


i have lots of ideas for improvements:
-- on the cheap - i could have a canvas guy cut a few notches in the bimini (and finish them off with some nice edging) around that folding support pipe and then put some bolt-on rod holders right in those notches.
-- not quite so cheap - get a couple more rod holders welded on the sides of the arch to compliment the existing ones
-- more expensive - have a rocket launcher fabricated and welded to the arch so that it matches the angle and existing line of the folding pipe on the bimini.
-- really expensive - ditch the bimini all together and have a hardtop with rocket launchers built and replacing the folding pipe with a fixed pipe to support the hardtop

i could probably do option 1 this spring and see how things stand later on for option 2 or 3?

anyway, i'm open to any suggestions for getting 9-10 lines out there ASAP.

__________________
'00 marlago FS35 T-250 merc EFI
'75 montauk '05 yam F60

Schmidty72

That is a tough one. My opinion - take the bimini off rather than altering it this year for the spring rock, if you can find bolt on holders (maybe check out the Essex fishing flea market 2 weekends from now). I wouldn't spend the money on anything until you try different stuff out. Also, it may be difficult to get a rod out of the holder when it's over the console like that. Maybe just put the wwb in the seat and the board roads on the arch? Also, my worry about putting the rods in the seat (now that I see the layout) is that movement between the back and front of the boat may be difficult and lines may get in the way. The best way is to get out in pre-season and try it all out. That is how I've learned what little I know.