Rod Holder Opinion

[jet]

ive been using these rocket launchers i made: http://www.snaggedline.com/showthrea...Launcher-Build

i was thinking of installing round scotty flush mounts and scotty tubes behind the seat. see the pics below. anybody see any advantages, dissadvantages, or problems with using the scotty? the awkward shape of the rocket launchers make it a PITA to store in the car with my other stuff when car topping. no tso much when in the back of my truck bed. one thing i like about the rocket launchers is that it keeps from my seat sliding back. not really sure why i'm considering this route instead so looking for your thoughts.

IMG_20140531_210729_442.jpg IMG_20140531_211118_955.jpgIMG_20140531_211133_017.jpg

[mweber02]

Thats a nice looking DIY set up you made. I can see it being a challenge with a car though. Can you transport the yak on the car with the DIY mount in place?

If not, I see no reason why the flush mount rocket launchers would be a problem.

[jet]

i could transport it on the yak if i used craddles on the car to keep it upright, but i like car topping with the yak upside down.

[Cowpokey]

I wouldn't mount them close to the back of your seat, if there's ANY chance they would contact your body/back.

[Shady]

Why not mount them on the rails, would that be sticking out too far?

Sent from the water.

[Mark]

Wouldn't it be easier in the long run to purchase two Hobie rocket launchers for the flush mounts already present in the Revo? I know the flush mount base for the Scotty launcher is too small for the Revo mounts. (I have Scotties for my Coosa because the base diameter of the Hobie launchers is too large for the Coosa flush mounts.) Standardization between the manufacturers would have been nice!

[mytmouse]

I can't comment on the Scotty tubes because I've never used them. BUT you could drill holes in that connecting T piece of PVC and use Cotterless Hitch Pins for easy break down/storage. Or maybe even one on each of the sides so it'll break down to 3 pieces.

[coop1486]

I use the scotty rocket launcher wish are mount just ahead of the hobie builted in rod holders.The only thing I had to do was add a pcs of 1 1/4 pvc pipe inside of the tube and cut slot so the rods wouldn't turn on me.The pvc pipe also brought my rod closer to me so I wouldn't have to turn around to pull the rod out the holder.To break them down and storage for me just like putting the fish finder off and on.You will want to add the slip disc.

[JohnE]

I have the scotty flush mounts with reinforcement backing plates and the rocket launcher tubes installed behind the seat on my ride pretty much where you are wanting to put those. I love mine. Super easy to remove if you need to.

I'm actually thinking about adding another behind my seat somewhere on a small track with a gearhead mount to hold my light pole since my diy light pole pretty much always goes in one of my rocket launchers. They sell scotty tracks now pretty cheap, but they are plastic. I'm not sure I trust the gearhead mount on a non-recessed plastic track for holding any rods (my tracks in front are recessed and I made mounting plates out of cutting board, but I do have one gearhead mount and it is a little wobbly).

[J.A. Veil]

I am not a fan of flush mount rod holders in general because they limit you to a single angle. I do like Scotty gear because the parts are modular and interchangeable, plus they can be adjusted to multiple positions in both horizontal and vertical dimensions. I have multiple rod holders on all three of my kayaks are well as two on my center console.

I use two types of bases. On two of my kayaks, I bolted on two standard Scotty rod holder base mounts (#241) behind my seat. I want the rod holders to be easily reachable from the seat so I can pivot them from inline to a 45-deg angle outward for trolling. I also need to have them in a position so I can easily reach around to remove the rod from the holder when I have a fish on. A second criterion is that they must be far enough away from the seat back so that the rod butt of my longest rod does not bump into the seat back as I pivot the rod outward. I spent at least 15 minutes trying different positions for the base unit with a rod in the rod holder until I found a position that optimized functionality. Then I bolted them in place using stainless steel bolts, washers, and nuts.

The second type of base works well for gear tracks. It is Scotty #438 gear track head base units. I use the same style of rodholder (#279) on all of my Scotty bases -- you can buy them separate or together with the base. I also use Scotty slip discs (#415) on all of my rodholders. They allow you to put the rod holders in a nearly infinite variety of angles.

[dhawk]

I prefer the ram mounts over scotty only because the ram ball allows more adjustments but either way it should work out

[JohnE]

When I said I had flush mounts behind the seat, I meant I have the scotty 244 flush deck mount with the rocket launchers. Even though I rarely adjust their position, I like how rocket launchers can be adjusted to many positions. Make sure you use a backing plate with the 244 mount if you go that route.

I was not referring to the flush mount with a tube that sticks down inside the kayak--I do not like those either.

I guess you might also try using tracks with backing plate and a gear head mount for the rocket launchers, which would also be easily removable for car topping. But like I said earlier, I find the gear head mounts to be a little wobbly. I really prefer the scotty 241 deck mount attached to a mounting plate to install stuff on the rails (I made my own mounting plate from cutting board and tapped threads into cut pieces of aluminum flat bar).

I have seen the ram stuff and like it, but I have not used any myself yet.

[dsiekman]

What about running a piece of gear track from side to side? Then you could mount whatever you liked and have as few or as many rod holders as needed? It would also make for a much cleaner install for car topping. You could add a camera mount pretty easy that way, too.

Whoops, guess you beat me to it. Great minds think alike.

[dsiekman]

I prefer the ram mounts over scotty only because the ram ball allows more adjustments but either way it should work out

I used mine for the first time yesterday. I was not overly impressed. They kept wanting to sag no matter how tight I made them.

[Pinch]

Ram Ball mount tubes are the worst for large fish, you need to find a way to brace them.