Custom rocket launchers for the hardtop?

[luckydude]

Luckydude......I have used GW Performance Welding.....they were pros all the way. I would go back to them in a NY minute.

I'll hit them up, this is exactly what I was looking for, someone else said these guys as well. It's great to get info from you guys, that way I'm not figuring out by chance who is good. Thanks!

 

[luckydude]

That seemed like a lot to me until I butted into LuckyDude's thread here.. Now, if an avid angler buys my Marlin, he doesn't get my cell phone number as part of the deal.....

Says the man who says he is my internet friend.... Butt in any time you want, you have been both nice and helpful.

And you'll be happy to know that I've added trim tabs to my mix, coming home in chop that is light but heavy enough to bounce you around, I add some tabs. I get what you were saying who knows how long ago, you don't want the engine all the forward and tabs in a situation where you might stuff it. But if stuffing is not a concern, some tabs help. You were right.

 

[glacierbaze]

magicalbill, I think that if you look a little higher up under the gunnels, you will find another rod holder per side, 3 not 2.

 

[magicalbill]

Luck:

As mentioned before, I am proud to be your Internet friend. It has been a real source of joy to me to accompany you, (virtually, anyway) on your forward journey with your Grady. Keep this in mind: the fact that you've cut your teeth on the open ocean and learned stuff under fire a lot of the time, gives you a big leg up. If you ever trailer your Seafarer to an inland lake sometime, it'll be a Walk In The Park.

Good news on the tabs! You'll only figure out more and more nuances and soon, if not already, you'll be intuitively correcting and adjusting hull attitude, ride quality, etc. without thinking.

Now, back to your Regularly Scheduled Program; (Rod Holders.)

Magic signing off....

Glacierbaze:

I'll be on the boat in 2 weeks to put her away for the season. You have me curious now, so I'll look up under there to see if there are any more holders.

 

[Crazyfish1]

You don’t do winter fishing ???

 

[magicalbill]

Crazyfish:

I don't fish at all. I just chimed in because I got curious about why everyone has all these rods aboard.

Besides, once it turns into September on the Great Lakes, I'm done. I hate the cold.

 

[luckydude]

Luck:

As mentioned before, I am proud to be your Internet friend. It has been a real source of joy to me to accompany you, (virtually, anyway) on your forward journey with your Grady. Keep this in mind: the fact that you've cut your teeth on the open ocean and learned stuff under fire a lot of the time, gives you a big leg up. If you ever trailer your Seafarer to an inland lake sometime, it'll be a Walk In The Park.

Good news on the tabs! You'll only figure out more and more nuances and soon, if not already, you'll be intuitively correcting and adjusting hull attitude, ride quality, etc. without thinking.

Magic, right back at you. When you first said you were my internet friend I told my wife and kids about it. I have a ton of people that I know from the internet, you are the first to say I'm your friend. I treasure that.

My journey of learning continues, these days it is more about fishing. I'm no expert but when I dock, I angle in, last second before it hits, swing the engine towards the dock and reverse, pulls the boat into a kiss to the dock.

If you ever have a hankering to see California, I've got lodging and boating all lined up for you. It's been so cool to have you watch over me as I learn.

 

[MLangley]

Just delivered yesterday and sending so you can see the product. Very pleased with GW Performance Welding.

 

[luckydude]

Looks fantastic. How much was that?

 

[Ky Grady]

After seeing MLangley's rocket launcher from GW Performance Welding, got me thinking. Have them make me one with 6 holders with the 2 outside angled at a 45° and get rid of the clamp on one's on the hardtop legs?

 

[MLangley]

Looks fantastic. How much was that?

Thanks, but I found the design on here from a post in 2019. $680 including shipping.

 

[glacierbaze]

KY, I think you could go more than 4 + 2, if you wanted. The angled ones can be very close to the outside verticals, b/c the reels never get close to each other. In my pic in post #5, I have 5 vertical, with the two clamp ons, and the factory spacing could have easily been closer. I did the same as you for the angled clamp on, except I attached it to the inner brace, to get the rod holder out of the head space in the walk around.
I would go lower than 45* an the angles, like 15-20. If you are trolling from there, it is hard to get the rod out with a keeper on.
On the bigger boats, do any of the rocket launchers get supported by the top frame? Mine is just bolted through the fiberglass behind the cross member tube, and it has more flex than I like to see, in that 8" or so, of overhang.

 

[Ky Grady]

Glacier,,, are your outside ones on a 45??

 

[Ky Grady]

MLangley,,,, are those the stainless or the anodized aluminum ones?

 

[glacierbaze]

KY, the original ones up top are probably a little more vertical than 45°. They are useless for anything other than rod storage. The clamp on’s are probably 15 to 20°. I troll from them, with a rod holder bungee. They look low, but you pretty much have to be seated to be underneath them, and the rod clears the edge of the hardtop by about 2 inches.
The spreader lights are no longer there, I have some low profile LEDs to replace them with if I ever get around to it, but if I get caught out after dark, I hope I’m not looking backwards. My depth perception is terrible on the water after dark.

 

[MLangley]

MLangley,,,, are those the stainless or the anodized aluminum ones?

KY, these are anodized aluminum.

 

[Uncle Joe]

MLangley.....just fyi....my Offshore is a 1982....I didn't fully trust the hardtop to support the rocket launchers with my larger rods in them while underway so I backed up the mounting brackets with marine plywood on the underside of the hardtop and through bolted them. Solid as a rock

 

[Ky Grady]

KY, the original ones up top are probably a little more vertical than 45°. They are useless for anything other than rod storage. The clamp on’s are probably 15 to 20°. I troll from them, with a rod holder bungee. They look low, but you pretty much have to be seated to be underneath them, and the rod clears the edge of the hardtop by about 2 inches.
The spreader lights are no longer there, I have some low profile LEDs to replace them with if I ever get around to it, but if I get caught out after dark, I hope I’m not looking backwards. My depth perception is terrible on the water after dark.

The different angle does show them better. I checked my bolt on one's last night and they are at 35°, which work well. Might reach out to GW welding and discuss a new launcher.

 

[MLangley]

Uncle Joe... Thanks for the great tip. I will look into that.

MLangley.....just fyi....my Offshore is a 1982....I didn't fully trust the hardtop to support the rocket launchers with my larger rods in them while underway so I backed up the mounting brackets with marine plywood on the underside of the hardtop and through bolted them. Solid as a rock.

 

[OMER]

GW performance welding, accept Tiagra 50 side by side, fits perfectly the hard top.