Drilling rod holder holes in the 228 transom cap

[Greysailor]

I'm thinking about adding two straight rod holders in the transom cap on my 99 Seafarer 228, for a total of six holders.
They are pretty short, so I can remove the bottom rivet to allow the rod handle to sit lower.
Any concerns about the location, loss of strength or stiffness across the transom, etc. ??

Thanks

 

[Mustang65fbk]

What year is your 228? It looks like a 1998 and newer? I don't think you'd have a problem as long as you didn't hit anything involving the freshwater wash down next to where you want to drill for the rod holder? Someone else I'm sure will chime in here shortly and give you a definitive answer one way or the other. I've got a 2004 GW 228 Seafarer, took out the stock GW gunwale rod holders and added Burnewiin downrigger mounts in place of them. I'd have to imagine that if the gunwale can support the weight and drag of a downrigger/downrigger ball then the stern would be just fine for a couple of rod holders. Is the purpose of the rod holders literally just for that and storing them or will you be using them for fishing as well? If it's only for storage or cruising from one fishing spot to the next, I'd be using the rod holders attached to the hardtop on your boat, if you have one, as opposed to drilling more holes in the boat. Idk, I'm one that gets a little nervous about drilling more holes into my boat, especially ones in my opinion are rather unneeded and very much visible as opposed to outside of the boat or under the water line. If you are potentially going to be using them for fishing, I'd maybe consider the 30 degree angle rod holders instead of the ones that go straight up and down. Here are a couple of pictures of the Burnewiin mounts that I bought and installed on my boat for the downriggers.

 

[glacierbaze]

I put two on each side, on my 22 foot Tournament, and my current 2000 Seafarer 228. Same hull, basically the same transom set up. I don’t understand why you would use short rod holders, you have plenty of room to use full size, as long as you stay off of the top of the live well, and that is just wasted space behind the seats anyway. You could see them sticking down a couple inches, if you were down eye level with the seat. You can put short ones on top of the live well transom. Not much room inside the transom, definitely not enough for 30°, or even 15° Rod holders. You can add an angled rod holder on the corners, behind the cleat.
I installed them because I have to go under a bridge before I can put my rods up top. I don’t fish from them, but I do put a bait table there as soon as the rods are up top.
I put Lee’s on my tournament, but replaced them with Amarine before selling it. Put the Lee’s on my Seafarer.

 

[wrxhoon]

You can fit 15 degree full size but not 30 degree.

 

[glacierbaze]

I could not hold a 15° up inside the transom, with the top flush to the bottom of the cap, and keep it anywhere near centered, if at all. Make sure it will fit on your boat, before you drill a slanted hole, instead of a straight one.

 

[Fishtales]

No problem. Just ensure you seal them up with 5200 (including the edges of the wood core).

 

[Mustang65fbk]

I'm still wondering if the OP needs only 2 rod holders then why bother drilling more holes into the boat? Especially if he's only going to use them for storage and not actually fishing, as well as if the boat came with a hardtop? If the boat has a hardtop then there should be at least 4 rod holders on it, as well as the 2 rod holders on underneath each gunwale. The ones on the gunwales aren't too terribly great for longer, two piece rods that are say oh maybe 9'6" or above like you'd use trolling for salmon, but they work great for my one piece 7' halibut rod.

 

[Ryhlick]

No problem, I have installed 2 burnewiin mounts along the stern I have caught many albacore trolling without any issues. I have brought up several halibut with electric reels, without any issue. Just be aware of the shower sprayer. Good luck and enjoy your 228.

 

[SkunkBoat]

...so I can remove the bottom rivet to allow the rod handle to sit lower.
Any concerns about the location, loss of strength or stiffness across the transom, etc. ??

If you remove rivets the rod butts will sit on fiberglass and also spin...not a good idea at all.

Assuming there is a plywood core, there is no problem with strength or stiffness. You have to take the thickness into account when positioning the hole. Your available width has to be measured from below not on top.

You might get 15degree in there if you use Gemlux with screwless flange. They mount using a big nut from below. The flange on top is narrower because it has no screwholes. You will be able to offset it closer to the stern to fit the 15 degree.

Don't fear making holes. Its your boat. Its not a 65 Mustang. You don't need to keep it "original". There can never be too many rod holders.

 

[DennisG01]

Nope, no issues.

Seal the core and screw holes with epoxy or poly resin (those would be "best" practice) or a very good adhesive caulk like Life Caulk or 5200 ("fine" practice). Seal the rod holder with something less adhesive like LifeSeal or even silicone.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Don't fear making holes. Its your boat. Its not a 65 Mustang. You don't need to keep it "original". There can never be too many rod holders.

I guess the fishing is just so different around here that it doesn't make any sense for me in my particular application to do something like this. Fishing in the Puget Sound regulates you to using one rod per person, so if you're fishing by yourself then you can only fish one rod, and if you've got 5-6 people total then you can only use 5-6 rods total. Of which for me, I've got the hardtop with 4 rod holders, the 4 plastic rod holders as the OP showed in his picture and then two on each side underneath the gunwales. So in my particular circumstance or application, I can't for the life of me ever see where I'd need storage for more than 12 fishing rods. And I think there's even a couple on each side of the boat inside of the cabin area as well. Of course that's just where I happen to live and am sure that elsewhere you can use 2-3+ rods per person or even more, depending on the location, time of season and what you're fishing for. I just don't see the need to spend money and drill holes into a boat where they aren't really needed, if it's just for fishing rod storage and not actually being used to fish, especially if there are other rod holders that aren't being used. If the OP were using the rod holders he's considering installing for actual fishing as opposed to just storing rods there, then I'd say by all means go for it. But again as mentioned above, I'd maybe look for a rod holder with as much of an angle as will fit, that's what she said, as opposed to what he showed in the pictures.

 

[Fishtales]

All depends how you fish (ground fishing and trolling can easily handle more than one rod) and what you are fishing for. Not uncommon to have more lines than hands up here. Just got to get a person on the rod with the bite and everyone work on getting the others in to mitigate tangles.

 

[Greysailor]

I guess the fishing is just so different around here that it doesn't make any sense for me in my particular application to do something like this. Fishing in the Puget Sound regulates you to using one rod per person, so if you're fishing by yourself then you can only fish one rod, and if you've got 5-6 people total then you can only use 5-6 rods total. Of which for me, I've got the hardtop with 4 rod holders, the 4 plastic rod holders as the OP showed in his picture and then two on each side underneath the gunwales.....

The boat is a 99. I recently got my first GW last February, so spent the summer figuring it all out, replacing hoses, rewiring and cruising Catalina and the harbors.
Now I'm doing somemore tinkering with it during the offseason..
My original intention for the holders would be for trolling, along with the existing 4 gunnel holders and the Scotty downriggers. I was thinking it would provide a good spread of jigs to troll, with the two additions in the center.
You have a good point regarding the regulations, on the limit of rods per person and in the water...Same regulation here in So Cal......

I have the hardtop with the 4 holders across the top, with 4 recent SS clamp-on holders, 4 holders around the bait tank, and the existing gunnel holders, that is 16......should be plenty....

Placing some holders in the transom would provide moving the cleaning table (and BBQ) with a level-lock rod holder mounts, to the back of the boat. It currently uses the gunnel holder.
I might reconsider the 15 degree holders. This would be helpful is using as a flag pole or something....
Whether I want to build a table such as what Wxrhoon shows, well that is another topic....

I did get some confidence that the transom cap is plenty strong, with the plywood core, to put something through it...Properly sealed of course...

Thanks

 

[Seafarer_Bob]

I'm thinking about adding two straight rod holders in the transom cap on my 99 Seafarer 228, for a total of six holders.
They are pretty short, so I can remove the bottom rivet to allow the rod handle to sit lower.
Any concerns about the location, loss of strength or stiffness across the transom, etc. ??

Thanks

That's where I installed mine. The ones you show in the photo look really short and I absolutely would not remove the pins. I installed the longer 90 degree Lee HD holder and the my only regret is they slightly interfere with the seat cushions but I can still squeeze the cushions in place.
I didn't remove my bait well when i installed them but I would if I did it again, it's really difficult to tighten those inner bolts otherwise (don't just use screws)

 

[Ryhlick]

Greysailor,
Give Burnewiin a look for rod holders and mounts. I also have a 1999 228 and installing burnewiin mounts and getting rid of the stock rod holders has been one of the best things I have done to my grady. It was not dirt cheap, but for downrigger mounts and and rod holders, they are the best I have found. Enjoy your 228, one of best little big boats out there. Cheers, Brad

 

[SkunkBoat]

Oh hey forgot to mention Look into cup holder/rod holder...a couple of them come in handy