Stealth rods fit or not?

Test on a trash piece of metal or thick plastic... to set ur depth. For the rivet head or screw you’re trying to get flush... 🙂

Yeah buddy, measure 8 times, test drill 5 times then take it to the gel coat!  I can do it...stay tuned...

What would be the purpose of counter sinking? Seems to me that counter sinking is just weakening your attachment point on a hull that is intentionally as thin as possible. That sounds like a really bad idea to me.

I'm scuuurrred 

I'm with Rubin.  What is the purpose of cs on the fiberglass that is already thin.  Use a button head or socket head cap screw, use a sealing washer on the top side and back it appropriately with a flange nut.  Put some masking tape on the area where you plan to drill the hole to prevent splintering.

What would be the purpose of counter sinking? Seems to me that counter sinking is just weakening your attachment point on a hull that is intentionally as thin as possible. That sounds like a really bad idea to me.

I'm scuuurrred 

Apparently a straight bit can cause cracks in the gel coat that eventually extend? Maybe I’ll try one with a small pilot, slow bit style then go up to needed size.  Some boat guys gently put in reverse to remove gel coat. The actual meat of the screw bite is the fiberglass. I certainly could be wrong yet drilling fiberglass is my latest obsession. Don’t be scuuuuured, I’m scuuuured nuf as it is...hope I don’t have to study gel coat repair too quickly and oh, is there any touch up paint or should I hit the nail polish section?

As I ponder sage advice, thank you for protecting me from myself...

oh, is there any touch up paint or should I hit the nail polish section?
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Sorry, no touch up materials available. It's all hand mixed at the factory and once it's mixed there's no shelf life. Apparently even the components only last a few weeks under refrigeration. Must be some good chit.

Apologies for the thread-jack, 3mo

What would be the purpose of counter sinking? Seems to me that counter sinking is just weakening your attachment point on a hull that is intentionally as thin as possible. That sounds like a really bad idea to me.

I'm scuuurrred 

Apparently a straight bit can cause cracks in the gel coat that eventually extend? Maybe I’ll try one with a small pilot, slow bit style then go up to needed size.  Some boat guys gently put in reverse to remove gel coat. The actual meat of the screw bite is the fiberglass. I certainly could be wrong yet drilling fiberglass is my latest obsession. Don’t be scuuuuured, I’m scuuuured nuf as it is...hope I don’t have to study gel coat repair too quickly and oh, is there any touch up paint or should I hit the nail polish section?

If the glass is thin, it’s likely the gel coat is a thin coat as well. Just use an awl or punch to pit the surface and run it in reverse to remove the gel, then drill.  Try to not put too much pressure on the drill when pushing through, otherwise you’ll get more splintering on the opposite side. 

I’ve found that thicker gel coat finish is more susceptible to spider cracking.  Would not be worth the time effort and materials to try to repair them.  You’d have to sand out the area around the spider-cracked hole, color match and mix gel coat, then spray/brush on, coat with pva so it cures, block sand it it couple times and then buff it out.  That’s a rabbit hole you don’t wanna go down lol.

Yay!  I’ll get my 42 bucks back and take my sweet drillin’ time...

Yay!  I’ll get my 42 bucks back and take my sweet drillin’ time...

My bad!  I wasn't aware of the thickness of the Stealths... glad Ruben and friends chimed in.  My info was from big boats. 

Yay!  I’ll get my 42 bucks back and take my sweet drillin’ time...

My bad!  I wasn't aware of the thickness of the Stealths... glad Ruben and friends chimed in.  My info was from big boats.

I’m learning so I gotta go through the motions...

I mounted my sounder and added a bungee button onto the hatch yesterday.  Not into the hull because it wasn’t necessary but I would be comfortable drilling the deck or hull with the same method.  No issues with /splintering.  Masking tape on both sides.  Pilot hole with a 3/32” bit, opened to 3/16”.  5 holes total.  Backed the Sounders fasteners with stainless sealing washers and a serrated flange nut to keep water out.  I located the button on the provided rubber pad, so figured that would do fine as a barrier for water entry and left it as such.  Glued the xducer into the main hull so that it was as close to level as possible.  Not a whole lot of room in the hull outside of the fish hatch.

Haven't had a bunch of time to test rod fitment in the kayak yet.  I did try and put my 80# set up since its on a claimed 7'8" rod, it didn't fit in the hatch but I have a hunch that its an inch or 2 longer than it is spec'd at.  I am going to try and see which rods will fit and which don't over the weekend and report back.

Well, I decided that I wanted to get weird with my rod. My grips were old and worn out amd I never really liked how long the handle was. I chopped 4 inches off the rear of the rod, am peeling off all the cork tape, will move the reel seat up 4 inches then re epoxy the reel seat and re wrap the grips.

Well, I decided that I wanted to get weird with my rod. My grips were old and worn out amd I never really liked how long the handle was. I chopped 4 inches off the rear of the rod, am peeling off all the cork tape, will move the reel seat up 4 inches then re epoxy the reel seat and re wrap the grips.

It must fit now?

Paracord grips?