Dual Rod Holder From Scraps

Do you have a fishing rod aboard? Then you probably have a rod holder too, else you have to hold the rod and tend the tiller and sails at the same time. Over at Sail Delmarva, Drew shows us how he made a dual rod holder from scraps - for a lot less than you paid for yours!

Dual Rod Holder From Scraps

Or rather from a stern rail motor mount that the the PO liked but I had removed. In my mind, either the engine should be able to stay on the dingy or...

• The davits or hoist is weak. Upgrade.
• The engine is too damn big.
• The dingy moves too much, in which case it should be triced-up.
• The dingy is vulnerable in rough weather. Not the case on most catamarans, since the davits are forward of the transoms.

The mount has been resting in a might-need drawer for 6 years but now enjoys new life.

It's primary purpose is to hold my 2 mini-outriggers (2 x 6' outriggers give me an effective beam of  26 feet, easily trailing 3-4 lines without tangles) while not trolling. They can't left in place during docking, and placing them in the outboard rod holds inhibits easy boarding and blocks the holders for other uses. I find rod holders handy for other things as well--boat hooks, walking sticks, gaffs, oars--so i can never have too many.

I dislike commercial holders since they only grip the rail without twisting if tightened so much they scar the rail. This never will, since it uses an up-right for bracing.

Construction was simple enough. I had to slot the back to accommodate a brace. The 2" SCH 40 pipe is attached with counter sunk #10 machine screws. In the background are a pair of kayaks lashed to the top of the davits, the most convenient storage space.

The lures are home-made too.