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I installed front rod holders on all three of my kayaks using the built-in gear tracks. I chose Scotty #438 gear track head adapters as base units.
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For trolling from my Slayer Propel 10 and 13, I need to move the rod holders laterally, so I added an extender between the base and the rod holder.
005.jpg
For the past few years, I have used the same setup on both sides. The #438 base installs by twisting until the unit snugs up against the foot that sits in the track. I troll with the rods angled out at a 45 degree angle toward the front. If a fish hits the right rod, it tends to pull back on the rod, which rotates the rod holder clockwise and tightens the base. If I get a fish on the left side, however, the rods rotates in a counter-clockwise direction and loosens the base. The rod holder can swing around rapidly, potentially allowing the rod to come loose and fall in the water (yes -- it has happened to me before).
I looked around for an alternate way to hold the left side rod holder. I found some plastic slugs with built in nuts to fit into the gear track.
008.jpg
I was able to bolt a standard Scotty base unit #241 into two of the slugs. The bolts that came with the slugs were only 3/4" long -- these were not long enough to reach through the Scotty base and into the nuts on the slugs. I went to my local West Marine store and spent 15 mins looking at their stainless steel hardware. It turns out that the nut required closely spaced metric threads -- that store did not carry those bolts. I visited a second and larger West Marine store and was able to find the correct bolts in either 1" or 1.5" length. I used the 1.5" length to attach the Scotty base firmly to the gear track. This morning I trolled for rockfish and caught quite a few on the rod in the new rod holder. I am pleased with the performance so far.
006.jpg 007.jpg
004.jpg
For trolling from my Slayer Propel 10 and 13, I need to move the rod holders laterally, so I added an extender between the base and the rod holder.
005.jpg
For the past few years, I have used the same setup on both sides. The #438 base installs by twisting until the unit snugs up against the foot that sits in the track. I troll with the rods angled out at a 45 degree angle toward the front. If a fish hits the right rod, it tends to pull back on the rod, which rotates the rod holder clockwise and tightens the base. If I get a fish on the left side, however, the rods rotates in a counter-clockwise direction and loosens the base. The rod holder can swing around rapidly, potentially allowing the rod to come loose and fall in the water (yes -- it has happened to me before).
I looked around for an alternate way to hold the left side rod holder. I found some plastic slugs with built in nuts to fit into the gear track.
008.jpg
I was able to bolt a standard Scotty base unit #241 into two of the slugs. The bolts that came with the slugs were only 3/4" long -- these were not long enough to reach through the Scotty base and into the nuts on the slugs. I went to my local West Marine store and spent 15 mins looking at their stainless steel hardware. It turns out that the nut required closely spaced metric threads -- that store did not carry those bolts. I visited a second and larger West Marine store and was able to find the correct bolts in either 1" or 1.5" length. I used the 1.5" length to attach the Scotty base firmly to the gear track. This morning I trolled for rockfish and caught quite a few on the rod in the new rod holder. I am pleased with the performance so far.
006.jpg 007.jpg
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