need advice on mounting rod holders

[basstracker175]

i want to mount some drift master rod holders on the sides of aluminum gunwales on a basstracker 175.the gunwales are unacessable from the back,so i cant use a nut and bolt.iam not sure if just a sheet metal screw will secure it enough.does anyone know the best way to mount these holders.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: need advice on mounting rod holders

If you can't get to the back side, you can use Gripserts. They are a lot like blind rivets. You drill the primary hole and then insert the splined receiving nut with a tool that looks like a rivet gun. It leave a threaded insert into the hole.

The down side is that you have to buy or borrow the kit to do the job, not just hardware. They word great in metal, but I've never used them in fiberglass.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: need advice on mounting rod holders

How big of fish are you going to be catching, are you going to use them for trolling or just still fishing? I wouldn't use self tapping screws as I bet the aluminum gunwales are not too thick. On my Crestliner I made 10" long backing plates out of 1/8 or 3/16 aluminum and then through bolted them down. Eh, I guess you could use the self tapping screws, and if they loosen or pull you could figure out something different, thru-bolting or the gripserts F431 mentioned. After mounting the rod holders, put your heaviest rod in the rod holder, pull on the fishing line (until the drag slips) from in back of the boat, or straight down and see if the gunwales are deforming, IE: aluminum bending. The whole gunwale moving isn't a biggie, but if it's denting the aluminum that would be bad.

FWIW, I had the bases screwed down on my old fiberglass boat with #14 screws and they were secure,,, but the glass was about 1/4" thick.

 

[JimS123]

Re: need advice on mounting rod holders

Simple job....just use a molly toggle. Go to a real fastener store and get SS ones. DON'T use a screw...it'll come out. If you don't bolt it you will be sorry.