Raising Rod Holder

[copie]

Hi all what I am trying to do is lift up the fishing reel so it does not rub or bump on the painted gunnels. I have been looking for a length of PVC or similar that will slide into a regular plastic type rod holder so it protrudes about 75mm out the top. Then I will cut a slot in the PVC for the reel arm as some rod holders have. I have been to bunnings ,electrical and plumbing supplies but what is available either fits inside the rod holder but is to small on the inside dia for the rod or is just about 1mm to big to slide into the rod holder.
Has anyone done this or what other options are there. I take care of my gear and boat and don't want to knock either around.

Mark

[ScottB]

Can you put a new gimbal pin in that is higher up so that the rods can't go so far down?

[FishHunter]

Take a size thats just too big and put it in a lathe and turn it down so it fits in snugly

[PixieAU]

Can you put a new gimbal pin in that is higher up so that the rods can't go so far down?

gawd that's a good idea. love the lateral thinking.

[Greg P]

Try something like these but I wouldn't trust plastic rod holders if you plan to troll. Ok for floatlining etc

http://www.reelax.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=252&products_id=840

[timddo]

Just get those dog bone grip stickers. Stick one under the rod holder

[wayno60]

gawd that's a good idea. love the lateral thinking.

yer that is a good idea, im off to the shed...

[Gon Fishun]

If your butt ( of the fishing rod) is short, would there not be a likely hood of it accidentally coming out of the rod holder easier? :furious2:

[deckie]

Yeah have done exactly what u want by the sounds...did the hunt and found what i wanted eventually.
Have a look for acrylic tubing at a plastics manufacturer/retailer...one of the few that come in the right size to fit as a sleeve inside most standard rod holders. Double check your rods widest point and make (often the buttcap) and make sure its less than 38mm.
If so you can get 44mmOD with a 38mmID that sleeves nicely into a standard s/s or ally flushmount holder. Easy to make little slots for the reel stems too. Being acrylic its pretty much UV tolerant and plenty strong for most threadline gear. Make each tube with a slot to fit into existing gimbal so it doesnt move and long enough to protude out the top lifting the reel away from gunwhale....all holders vary in length but fairly standard inside diams...worth checking yours tho before buying any tubing. Tube is usually clear but might be able to get white.
Sleeved some of my flush holders at the back and especially good for the vertical racks so there's minimal slack to allow movement of whippy light rods rigged up ready to tangle with its next door neighbour when on the move...that used to shit me to tears. You can buy proper vinyl sleeves for many good holders but that 44/38mm acrylic tube is handy for extensions 9as well as sleeeves) and not much else fits snug enough.

Hope thats what u had roughly in mind or helps. If it is i can give you thename of a place in Sydney or see if the same crowd is interstate too.
Steve.

edit...just remembering doing the job and thought i might prefer 45/39mm tube whilst fitting them out. If u can try getting a small sample of 45/39mm tube...but may need to belt it in which may not suit as a more permanent solution i dont know. The plastics shops tho will tend to have one or the other...the 45/39 OR the 44/38. If they're quality s/s brand name flushmount s/s types try a small piece of the 45/39mm first to see how it fits.

[wayno60]

If your any good with a wood lathe you could make up spacer to fit into your butt.........(of the fishing rod)

Or if you haven't already got one, go to bunnings and get some of that camping foam floor tiles and cut them into disks, glue 3 or 4 or 5, (depending on the height needed), together and push down into the holder.

[copie]

Yeah have done exactly what u want by the sounds...did the hunt and found what i wanted eventually.
Have a look for acrylic tubing at a plastics manufacturer/retailer...one of the few that come in the right size to fit as a sleeve inside most standard rod holders. Double check your rods widest point and make (often the buttcap) and make sure its less than 38mm.
If so you can get 44mmOD with a 38mmID that sleeves nicely into a standard s/s or ally flushmount holder. Easy to make little slots for the reel stems too. Being acrylic its pretty much UV tolerant and plenty strong for most threadline gear. Make each tube with a slot to fit into existing gimbal so it doesnt move and long enough to protude out the top lifting the reel away from gunwhale....all holders vary in length but fairly standard inside diams...worth checking yours tho before buying any tubing. Tube is usually clear but might be able to get white.
Sleeved some of my flush holders at the back and especially good for the vertical racks so there's minimal slack to allow movement of whippy light rods rigged up ready to tangle with its next door neighbour when on the move...that used to shit me to tears. You can buy proper vinyl sleeves for many good holders but that 44/38mm acrylic tube is handy for extensions 9as well as sleeeves) and not much else fits snug enough.

Hope thats what u had roughly in mind or helps. If it is i can give you thename of a place in Sydney or see if the same crowd is interstate too.
Steve.

edit...just remembering doing the job and thought i might prefer 45/39mm tube whilst fitting them out. If u can try getting a small sample of 45/39mm tube...but may need to belt it in which may not suit as a more permanent solution i dont know. The plastics shops tho will tend to have one or the other...the 45/39 OR the 44/38. If they're quality s/s brand name flushmount s/s types try a small piece of the 45/39mm first to see how it fits.
deckie do you know the plastics company name maybe they are up here in Brisbane as well.
Mark

[deckie]

If that sounds like a solution u want see if you can buy a small bit first, test the fit then go back for the rest...helps to be as snug as possible and if they're all the same holders it shouldnt be hard. Check rod butt cap diams first as well.
The one i used is a place called Plastix not far from here in Brookvale Syd, which from memory was the 44/38 tube but MIGHT have been the 45/39mm i just cant be sure now from memory..either way its dead easy stuff to work with with normal tools in the garage.
Check out their website and others in the area coz they often put up detailed listings of their stuff including measurements...look up other plastics manufacturers/fabricators on the net in your area using google. Should be no shortage of them all round brissy. If u find the 45/39 might be a better fit than 44/38 assume u'll need to try a different shop..doesnt sound like much but it does make a difference having it a snug fit sleeve when using them..
The search only happened coz i couldnt get any pvc type home hardware stock tubing or anything else near a close enough fit that was also strong enough plus UV tolerant enough...ended up using it to sleeve other rod racks onboard and helps with the smaller rod butts.
Steve

[lbger]

Can you put a new gimbal pin in that is higher up so that the rods can't go so far down?

best idea i think.. if your worried about the rods coming out (like i am) i have a short length of cord attached to a quick release clip and clip it to the reel lugs..

[marto78]

If you want your rods to sit higher in the holders I can bring my 3 year old around for half an hr. I guarantee you it will only take him about 5 minutes to fill all your rod holders up with sinkers, scew drivers (the nut off the back of the fuel gauge).
You won't have any more problems with your rods hitting the gunwale actually you probaby won't even be able to fit your rods in them.

[copie]

Thanks for the reply's so far. Raising the gimbal pin I don't want to do it then restricts that rod holder to that particular rod. I tried putting in two squash balls one was not enough and two raises it too much. I will have to keep looking for what I need as I do want to cut a position for the reel stem as that makes it a lot more secure.

Mark

[spelchek]

I tried putting in two squash balls one was not enough and two raises it too muchPing pong balls cut in half then stacked on top of each other? Actually - same thing with the squash balls might be better in the long run. Should be easier to get the length you want that way rather than whole balls.

LOL- we're starting to sound like the fishing equivalent to that 'bush mechanics' series ABC did a few years back where they were stuffing spinifex into flat tyres etc.

[Gon Fishun]

Shove a piece of plumbing pipe down the rod holder, leaving it 50mm above the top. Next shove a piece 150mm long with a bigger diameter over the top. Glue the 2 pipes, not the rod holder, cut a slot into the bigger piece for your reel and Bob's your uncle.

[copie]

Here is what I have ben trying to achieve just with a little less effort.
Mark

[deckie]

Nice work mark, looks perfect. Pretty common issue lots of guys want to fix with flushmounts and their threadline reels...light threadline gear the rod butts seem to be getting shorter and shorter over the yrs with thinner butts, and the flushmount holders become near useless.
So for the benefit of everyone else what diam was the tube u used ? is it removeable ? do u remember what it is, pvc ?? Did you end up cutting a slot to fit into the gimbal bar at bottom of holder or maybe glue them in ?
I originally went to plumbers supplies/hardwares/elect wholesalers etc and couldnt find anything around that 45mmOD to fit snug in a std flushmount. This is how the 3mm wall acrylic sleeving described above looked when measuring up before cutting and banging in...plus another pic of a holder sleeved with same stuff. Certainly makes the avge rod sit so much better and stable...especially the ones without gimbals. Same deal cutting slots for the reel stems at top.

[netmaker]

I wouldn't trust plastic rod holders if you plan to troll. Ok for floatlining etc

X 2. i have had those plastic holders shatter when hit by big critters (probably sharks) on the anchor and have a mate who has had the same thing happen - go metal.

[marto78]

How about making your own rod holders from scratch?

It wouldn't take too much to do, a length of alloy pipe you could cut to the right length and a bit of plate to mount it on. Once you have them all marked out then just run it down to your local welder and get them to stick the bits together.

Cost wise I don't think it would be much more then buying stainless rod holders and then buying the right size pvc pipe for them. You could paint them whatever colour you like and at least you wont have to worry about them getting broken.

[copie]

Nice work mark, looks perfect. Pretty common issue lots of guys want to fix with flushmounts and their threadline reels...light threadline gear the rod butts seem to be getting shorter and shorter over the yrs with thinner butts, and the flushmount holders become near useless.
So for the benefit of everyone else what diam was the tube u used ? is it removeable ? do u remember what it is, pvc ?? Did you end up cutting a slot to fit into the gimbal bar at bottom of holder or maybe glue them in ?
I originally went to plumbers supplies/hardwares/elect wholesalers etc and couldnt find anything around that 45mmOD to fit snug in a std flushmount. This is how the 3mm wall acrylic sleeving described above looked when measuring up before cutting and banging in...plus another pic of a holder sleeved with same stuff. Certainly makes the avge rod sit so much better and stable...especially the ones without gimbals. Same deal cutting slots for the reel stems at top.
OK initially my post explained that I was unable to fined any tube to fit snuggly but slide in and out of my rod holders in already installed in my boat. So what I purchased was PVC 40mm which is about 43mm outside diameter just starts in the top of the rod holder but wont go in. I persisted by sanding down the outside until it fitted well almost. What I have found with all plastic style rod holders is they have a bump about half way down either by poorly aligned injection mould die's or they are in fact slightly smaller diameter in the lower half. Back to my PVC it easily fits in to a depth of about half way into the rod holder, very secure when fitted but quit easy to put in or pull out as required. Because I fish with different rods and reels from trip to trip if I want the riser I can just grab it from the side pocket and slip it in or leave it out as needed. I cut and sanded the slots to suit the average spin reel foot and the rod and reel combo sits well in it. As for the strength or weakness if I have a rod in a holder I always have the drag backed off. I cant see an issue moving around from spot to spot with the rod in the riser as it is now more secure than before and the reel base is not bumping around on my gunnel damaging the reel or the paint work. I guess these could be made from alloy tube and would be very strong if were, but this does the job for me at the moment.

Mark