Cutting a glass kayak

[Peter]

Has anyone installed a rocket launcher type rod holder in a fiberglass yak. Any advice as to feasibility, reinforcing, etc????? I want to install one just behind me for trolling and/or rod storage.


thanks!

[Ray]

Peter,

I'll give you my mechanical engineers opinion.

Lets say you were installing a gauge in the instrument cluster of a glass center console.

You would take a sharp holesaw of the required size, drill the hole, clean up the edges, and install said device.

No difference if the structure is a kayak. The trick is to not apply too much pressure for 2 reasons. 1) Let the saw to the cutting, too much pressure will burn the resin and weaken the area around the hole. 2) When finishing the hole, let the drill completely cut the glass, don't force it through, therefore tearing the last few fibers.

The structure of a kayak is pretty damn rigid due to the lack of sharp edges. So a few more holes here and there aren't going to do much.

Just make sure you seal the interface between the hole and rod holder well.

Ray

[ruge13]

Ray, the guage in a CC would be stationary and have no other forces acting on it once it is installed, it is also rlatively light compared to a rod holder with a rod in it. Would the pressure from the rod and additional pressuer of trolling with the rod in that style of holder cause some problems like cracking around the seal? I am picturing puting something like a dril through a CD or somthing of similar rigidity. The drill goes through just fine with no problems, but move the drill around and the CD cracks and falls apart. Similar to the rod holder, goes in fine, but then hook a fish, or the bottom while trolling and see ya... But then again, what the heck do I know....

[Peter]

Ruge - that was my concern, putting the rod holder in should be relatively easy but forces to the side such as a fish on would worry me. I could add a second layer of glass to the underside of the kayak deck which should provide reinforcing. The other thing I think would be good is to somehow fix the bottom of the rod holder so it could not move. Could I attach it somehow to the bulkhead???? maybe with a fiberglassed strut of some kind??? Or maybe extend the rod holder so it can be fixed to the inside of the hull? If I did that would a be creating a "hard" spot in the hull where it ought to flex???? Thanks for any ideas.

[joev]

Why not use a ram holder ?I think they are better for trolling any way.Then you have only four holes with big washers behind them.

JoeV

[Ray]

Peter

How is the rod holder fastened to the deck?

Ray

[Wes]

I think a couple extra layers of glass on the underside of the deck to back the area would be plenty as long as you get a good epoxy bond. Sand it and clean it well. If the bulkhead is rigid you could fool with the bottom of the tube but doubt it's necessary. Hole saw used slowly will work and I have used a jig saw with a fine tooth blade. Cover the whole area with masking tape before you start. Sandpaper will fine tune the hole to the tube. I would also seal the cut edges with epoxy and silicon between the flange and deck. Wear a dust mask when you cut glass. I would not extend tube to the hull bottom.

RAM or Titelok holders with surface mounted bases work fine, though, and are easier and less to patch if you sell it. I use one rod holder aft of the cockpit on the SIK leaving me only one side to self rescue. A Ram could be quickly loosened and pushed pretty flat to the deck, still carrying the rod I think.

[Peter]

Ray - I was thinking I would attach the rod holder flange direct to the fiberglass deck with stainless bolts/big washers - might consider shaping a piece of teak to the deck contour if it seems the flange would flatten a curved area of the deck.

Would it be better to make a small hole and then use a router to expand hole to the size I need rather than do the hole in one pass with the hole saw? Jeez I may have to make up some fiberglass and experiment.

I might consider the ram or other holders but I thought the rocket launcher would make a cleaner appearance. Also one less thing sticking up to catch things on. And wouldn't rocket launcher type make it easier to turn and lift rod out when a fish is on? If done right would just leave it in if I was to sell so no patching required.

I would use that holder for spinning gear so if I rolled and lost a spinning rod only minor heartbreak. I saw a flyrod holder that attaches to a velcro-like disc you can glue to the hull. It is not real velcro but uses the same principle and made a very strong bond. I had to really pull to separate the disc from the holder. Anyone tried one of those? I was thinking would work great for securing flyrod to the foredeck.