How to go about Scotty rod holder

Hello folks, it's me again. I just bought a couple of Scotty rod holder and
I am ready to make my first hole on the kayak. The problem I am having
is that, the holes on the base of the rod holder are huge. I don't want
to put big holes on the yak to compensate for those fat holes on the base of the rod holder. I was wondering how the other good folks here
went about how they  mounted their rod holders like the Scotty's. I have
the Hobie Outback if it helps any. I know that the kayak has the four
molded rod holder already but, the fishing poles is too upright and after
a while looking up for 2-3 hrs, the neck starts to hurt.

I appreciate the help in advance,
Jedmo

You'll need to be more specific about which scotty mount you have.  They're all different.

If it's the round flush mount, or the round threaded type, then yes, you 'll need to drill holes.  Just remember the old addage... measure twice, cut once.

If you have flush mounts with a gimbal slot in the bottom of them, you can use the Scotty gimbal adapter to create a scotty mount to attach a normal scotty rod holder to.  But I'm guessing with Hobie you have the molded in flush mounts that probably don't have a gimbal slot.

To me... there's nothing like getting a brand new kayak and immediately drilling holes in it to mount stuff.

I wouldn't worry about making holes that match the Scotty screw holes. They are that big for a reason. If you try to downsize and use smaller screws you are simply concentrating stress over a smaller area and increasing the odds of having the screws pull out, or worse, cracking your hull when a big fish hits and starts torquing your rod in the holder.

I used screws that match the Scotty screw hole size and then used fender washers on the inside of the hull to spread the load. For my flush mounts I couldn't access the inside of the hull in that area, so I drilled tiny holes and then used self-tapping screws that were appropriate to the screw hole size in the flush mount. Even with these self tapping screws I've never had a problem, even on the Islander trip when a rather large bonito hit a jig that was being dead sticked below me while landing another fish. The bonito was pulling so hard that it almost flipped me, but the rod holder and hull held up without any problems at all.

But I'm guessing with Hobie you have the molded in flush mounts that probably don't have a gimbal slot.

EK beat me to the punch and stole my thunder.  I'm not sure that the molded in rod holders have gimbal slots, but it is something to check into because it would be the perfect answer if they did.

Michael

If you decide to go the drill/hardware route, I think that 1/4" x 20 stainless screws with locking nuts are a good fit.  As mentioned above, reinforcing the inside of the yak with fender washers or plastic board will help with stress issues.

its seems scary, but goop the edges of the hole and you have a water tight seal.  I wouldnt recommend any large holes below the water line, but rod holder spaces should be fine.

I may have bought the wrong type of rod holder. I was in my garage looking at my
options of how to go about mounting the rod holder. The problem I saw was that
where I had originally planned on making the holes, the butt end of the fishing pole
would interfere with the mirage drive. What a bummer. I guess I am back
to square one again. Any advice?

Thanks a bunch
Jedmo

I guess I am back to square one again. Any advice?

Yep, get an extender.  Works like a charm!

You might get more clearance by setting the holder in the mount at 45 degrees off the bow instead of the 90 you have pictured.  You can also play around with the height angle in the new position to work around any obstructions.  I usually troll at a 45, it gives you a smaller profile and is easier to keep an eye on.

By the way Jedmo, what year is your Outback?  Scratch that, I see it is an '08.

Also, did you try the gimbal mount in the front molded rod holder?  I'm very curious as to whether there are slots.  I'm looking at getting an Outback after the new year and am hoping to use a gimbal for a downrigger.

Michael

Thanks dilbeck for showing me your set up. I think I'll go ahead and mount the rod
holder as shown in my picture. I still want to do it this way so when I transport
the yak, the base will not stick out as much. By the way, I just shone a flashlight
in the built in molded rod holder in all four and all of them didn't have the slot that
you have mentioned. Have you replaced your turbo fins yet? Just to let you know,
I love mine. It really makes a difference in speed. XSquid, thank you for noticing
the angle on the rod holder. I will double check it again tomorrow before drilling to
really make sure I get the right angle otherwise, go with plan B. Buy an extender.

Jed

I finally finished my first project on the kayak. Here are some pictures I took step
by step. Hopefully I did it right and that I could help the next guy after me.

Jed

More pictures

Sorry, I couldn't put it all together.

Last one I promise.