Adding Rodholders to your Boat: What NOT to Do

A while back in the post Rodholders: What Not to Get we talked about the plusses and minuses of certain types of add-on rodholders, and what to look out for when choosing them. What we didn’t talk about, however, was what to look out for when you mount them. Let’s take a look at this picture:

Note how the rocket launchers, to left, are placed. Oh yeah – and don’t forget to check out that monster red!

I have two reasons for showing this to you: first off, it shows the proper way to place rocket launchers. Secondly, it gives me the chance to show off this HONKIN’ BIG REDFISH I caught. So, what should you not do when mounting rodholders?

1. Never stack rocket launchers to close to one another. Notice in the picture that the rods can sit in these holders without the reels hanging down and hitting each other. If they had less distance between them, the reels would be smacking and banging into the rods below them.

2. Never mount a rail-mount rodholder on the outside of a rail, always keep in inboard. Otherwise, if you come too close to the dock or a piling it can hit the rodholder before the boat’s rubrail makes contact. The results are not good.

3. Never mount rodracks so low that the butts of the rods hit the deck. Rather, they should rest on the reel seat or on a gimbal. Otherwise, the rod butts will mark up the fiberglass below.

4. Never mount rodracks on a center console with a T-top, without first confirming that there’s enough room for the rods to sit in the holder without the tip hitting the top. Fail to do so, and you’ll find the racks completely useless – and after you remove them you’ll have a new set of holes in the side of the console, to remind you of the mistake.

5. Never mount flush-mount rodholders over anything that shouldn’t get wet, like batteries or wiring. Rain and spray will drain right down that holder, and onto whatever is beneath it.