Rod Holder Setup on 1750 Fishhawk

I’m looking at putting some rod holders on my 1750 Fishhawk. Right now I am leaning towards the Cabela’s quick draw or 360HT models.

Wondering what the general preference is for mounting base types. The flush mount brackets might look nicer but wanted to get some feedback from some guys that have used them on a Crestliner gunwale. Looks like I would need to drill a 1 3/8″ hole in the gunwale to mount.

Thanks

I put the Scotty rod holders in mine. I’ll try to remember to take some pics tonight a post for you.

There are a lot of RAM fans here, so you will here a lot about them.

Rod holders for trolling

Pete,
I used flush mount Scotty’s on my 1850 Fish Hawk. Two are mounted about 1 1/2 ft in front of the consoles. I also mounted two in the back about even with rear seat pedastals. It’s a little scary drilling the large holes. Just take your time and measure twice before drilling.

Sandbar

Pete, an option you may want to consider is to install rails and use rail mount holders. Instead of drilling 1 3/8 holes, you are drilling 4 small screw holes. This also allows you the option of re-positioning the holders on the rail. There are various sizes of rails to choose from. Cabela’s and some Fleet Farm’s carry some reasonably priced rails.
Right now Randy Tyler is running a year end special on Ram- Mounts, you can check them out at http://www.walleyesinc.com

The rail mounts Don suggested have some major advantages over a fixed mount. Particularly if you get one of the longer rails.

What ever mount you choose to use, I would advise you plate them from the back side with a strip of treated plywood OR, better yet, use bolts with lock nuts and over sized washers on the underside. Going with just the screws down into the gunnel will work for a time but when you take a look at the thickness of the metal you’ll notice that there’s only a thread or two per screw actually doing the holding.

The rails I have mounted aft are low profile and measure 2 ft. in length. In the background of the photo are Ram-mounts attached to rails.

James, I’m certain that I’m just revealing my ignorance here, but how to you get at the underside of the gunnel to mount the plywood that you will screw into? I assume what you’re taling about is something like the crude sketch in the attachment????

I picked up a six pak of these and have been very happy/impressed with them.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=384&item=7125275556&rd=1

In some boats this can be very difficult. Others, like say Don’s 182 for instance, are very easy as the panels can be removed by taking out 4 screws.

Some of the boats of late like the fishhawks have gone to a solid gunnel and in those instances things can be a bit tougher. Obviously you can’t “back it” with plywood. Longer bolts that go completely through the gunnel can be lock nutted from below. Each boat varies. But the effort to secure them correctly is unlikely to be wasted.

Do you have the solid gunnels?

I think so. My rig is a ’04 Fishhawk 1750. It’s under a tarp right now, but I don’t recall seeing any screws that would allow me to remove an interior panel and get access to the underside of the gunnel.

Pete-

I use the Ram Tube Rod holders on my 1850 Fishhawk and love em, heavy duty, strong, easy to access, and not in the way. I should say, however, that most of my trolling is done with bigger rods and lures for muskies. I have some photos that show them mounted on my boat, it you would like, I can dig them out and post them or send them to you.

I’m pretty sure that on the port side gunnel in the back of the boat behind the carpeted panel the gunnel is open. That is where I ran my transducer cable through for my Lowrance. I think that you could get something beneath it for rod mounts. Not sure if the gunnel is open on the starboard side but I do know that most of the factory wiring is routed through this side.

Other than those two places, and underneath the front cleats, the gunnel is solid.

Wadsworth,

If it’s not too much trouble, I would like to see those photos. I’m also planning on trolling some musky baits and would like to get a look at a similar set-up.

Thanks

I used gorrilla glue and screws to mount mine,there on there forever!

How do the lift extensions hold up to snags, stumps, musky strikes, etc on the Ram 2000 rod holders? Thinking pretty strongly about going that way.

Pete, over the years I have never had any problems with RAM-holders. They are solid and will hold up to any fish or snag.