06-21-2003, 08:15 PM
[cool]LOOKIN GOOD. That's the first well-thought-out system I have seen especially designed for a pontoon. It looks both solid and serviceable. We will be interested in your evaluation after a couple of sessions on the water...if you haven't already put them to the test.
The metal frame and greater surface area of a pontoon provide a wider range of opportunities for attaching sonar and other accessories. However, since there aren't many commercially made systems available, we still need to put on our thinking caps and spend some time at the tool bench. It looks like you planned it well and have some basic skills. Look out Tim Allen.
I have posted a couple of things on the wood and PVC rod holders I have been making for a few years. I recently bought a couple of inexpensive three-tube rod holders from BassPro, for some trips to the salt when I will not be taking sonar for the clear shallow water. Here's a pic of the $9.99 unit.
![[Image: 546-338.jpg]](http://image.basspro-shops.com/images/images2/500-000/546-338.jpg)
In trying various rod/reel combos, I find that whoever designed these did not actually try them before final mold making. The slots are too narrow for all but the smallest spinning reels, and the tubes are larger than I would prefer. However, I could not make them for less, so I am going to "modify" them to suit my gear. I will be taking spinning, baitcasting and a flyrod, and will custom cut them to fit. I will likely break out the duct tape to wrap around the tubes...closer to the top...to reduce the length of the gap for the reel seat to fit into. I think I will also cut a notch in the other side to help accomodate the trigger handles on my baitcasters.
I have just ordered a more expensive ($29) model for 4 rods, from Cabelas, to try also. These things are much lighter than the wood and PVC homemade models I am now using. My plan is to get them set up with cord and clips, mount them on my Fat Cat and shoot some pics. I will also do an on-the-water field test for actual function and design. Of course my review will appear when I have enough info to report.
Just a thought. You might want to start with something like this, and see if it works okay...or if you need to custom design something that works better for you. If you go to the website for baytubers.com, you will find some pontoon rod rack setups that run across behind the seat. There are also some similar pics on the club site for BassNTubes.
Let us know of your progress.
TubeDude
[signature]
The metal frame and greater surface area of a pontoon provide a wider range of opportunities for attaching sonar and other accessories. However, since there aren't many commercially made systems available, we still need to put on our thinking caps and spend some time at the tool bench. It looks like you planned it well and have some basic skills. Look out Tim Allen.
I have posted a couple of things on the wood and PVC rod holders I have been making for a few years. I recently bought a couple of inexpensive three-tube rod holders from BassPro, for some trips to the salt when I will not be taking sonar for the clear shallow water. Here's a pic of the $9.99 unit.
In trying various rod/reel combos, I find that whoever designed these did not actually try them before final mold making. The slots are too narrow for all but the smallest spinning reels, and the tubes are larger than I would prefer. However, I could not make them for less, so I am going to "modify" them to suit my gear. I will be taking spinning, baitcasting and a flyrod, and will custom cut them to fit. I will likely break out the duct tape to wrap around the tubes...closer to the top...to reduce the length of the gap for the reel seat to fit into. I think I will also cut a notch in the other side to help accomodate the trigger handles on my baitcasters.
I have just ordered a more expensive ($29) model for 4 rods, from Cabelas, to try also. These things are much lighter than the wood and PVC homemade models I am now using. My plan is to get them set up with cord and clips, mount them on my Fat Cat and shoot some pics. I will also do an on-the-water field test for actual function and design. Of course my review will appear when I have enough info to report.
Just a thought. You might want to start with something like this, and see if it works okay...or if you need to custom design something that works better for you. If you go to the website for baytubers.com, you will find some pontoon rod rack setups that run across behind the seat. There are also some similar pics on the club site for BassNTubes.
Let us know of your progress.
TubeDude
[signature]