What is best way to add aluminum tubing to rails?

[SoCalAngler]

Hello--
I would like to add some fishing/convenience accessories (vertical rod holders, pliers, knives, jig holders drinki holders, etc), to my 'toon and it seems that where I want to mount them requires vertical tubing due to mounting holes of accessories.

What is the best way to mount sections of vertical aluminum square tubing? Sections would be from top rail to mid rail or mid rail to bottom rail.

I found a local supplier that carries 1-1/4" X 1-1/4" square tubing (6063 - T52 .125 wall thickness).

Since I don't have a welder, I was thinking of cutting off ends (like an L shape cut) and leaving tabs that would overlap railing and then screw it to the railing. If I have them welded, and later decide to move them, I am stuck. If I move them after screwing, it will leave holes that can be filled with screws.

Thoughts?

Thanks

Thoughts

[old jim]

There is all kinds of accessories that will clamp onto the rails of
your toon. Rod holders, cup holders, ect. No drilling needed.
I coppied a 5 rod holder that one of the membes of this fourm
made using some scrap lumber and pvc pipe that works great.
I am trying to find his post. old jim

[Bryden24shp]

Since I don't have a welder, I was thinking of cutting off ends (like an L shape cut) and leaving tabs that would overlap railing and then screw it to the railing. If I have them welded, and later decide to move them, I am stuck. If I move them after screwing, it will leave holes that can be filled with screws.

Thats exactly how I made the rear bumper compartment on my Manitou. Worked good, Held fine. I cut mine into L's and H's to connect. Used self tapping screws and to make it smooth. filled the seams with a little JB weld.
I'm goine to build the same on the Premier. I have the railings and sheet metal, all the paint to match. Just need the time off work to do it!
Good Luck!
Bryan

[redbeard]

You can use flat stock, bolt your rod and tool holder to it and then mount the whole setup to the rails. been looking for some pic of the one's I have on the boat but no luck. I'm going to try and take pics of the whole boat this weekend so that I have pics to show how I did it when someone is asking how to do things.

[SoCalAngler]

Thanks for the pics offer Redbeard. I thought of flat stock. I was hoping to keep the tubing as close to OEM looking as possible.

My latest idea is making the rod holders out of 1-1/2" PVC. I can add singles anywhere by just drilling two holes in an 18" section of PVC. (one hole for mid rail and one for lower rail) and screw them to rails. The 18" length is to reach the mid and lower rails. Really only need rod holders to be 10"-12", just enough to store rod safely.

I can build three or four rod holders by connecting them together with PVC fittings and then screwing the end ones rod holders to the rails (end ones can be 18" tall and inner ones can be 12" (I don't believe the rod holders need to be longer than 12", as mentioned above)

[Bamby]

You can actually split schedule 40 length ways and notch the ends and use carriage bolts and wing nuts to secure it. There are various creative ways to both have your cake and eat it too. But I'd be careful about any mods that could depreciate the value of you asset. Someday you may realize you need a bigger, faster or whatever boat and you and a perspective buyer will appreciate the fact you've preserved the value of your current boat..

[redbeard]

What kind of fittings? Tee's at the bottom? I had thought of making my own just couldn't find the right fittings to make them.

[Bryden24shp]

Can't really see how I put it together, but this is what I made out of some extra railings I had from Manitou when I was playing with different ideas. This was open wasted space before I added the toybox under the rear sunpad. In 2009 this was incorporated into the new design with a molded plastic liner. Transom and interior changes were all made. New graphics made the 2010 XPlode look KILLER!

[Bamby]

What kind of fittings? Tee's at the bottom? I had thought of making my own just couldn't find the right fittings to make them.

I've seen them made a few times but don't have any photo's I've taken myself. Here's a few photo's stolen from a catfishing forum that should provide a general idea of the principal...

PVC Rod Holder.jpg (37.03 KiB) Viewed 3173 times

PVC Rod Holder1.jpg (29.16 KiB) Viewed 3172 times

PVC Rod Holder2.jpg (18.11 KiB) Viewed 3170 times

Here's the post the photo's came from:

Made some holders for the toon. Not really for holding rods while fishing, but more for keeping the net and rods that are not being used at the time up off the floor and out of the way. I wanted something that would not involve drilling holes in my rails anywhere and heres what I came up with.

Took 2 pieces of 1.5 in pvc about a foot long and drilled the usual holes in em. Then I split one down the middle and held it up to the side rails on my toon to mark the spots to notch it out. The notches in the split half prevent up/down/side movement once the wingnuts get tightened down. The holders clamp onto the side rails with the split half to the outside. All I have to do to move one is losen the wingnuts a bit and slide it to where I want it. I've made three so far and have enough materials for 3 or 4 more if I need em.

I can already visualize some changes.... creativity can sometimes provide better solutions than anything available commercially..

[redbeard]

Thanks for the pic's. I can do that,

[SoCalAngler]

Bamby, thanks for the pics! That is a pretty cool idea.

What modifications/improvements were you thinking of?

[Bamby]

I'm thinking I'd cut the inside pvc tube lengthwise to to bottom to create a slot insert for the fishing pole. Then I'd insert or shove a piece of noodle into the slot with maybe a few dabs of glue to hold or keep it in place. Then I'd also cut a slightly smaller slot into the noodle to their normal hollow middle. This will then allow me to rest the rod butt on the floor of the boat and slide the pole in the insert. I'd then hold the pole into it's holder with a bungee ball or two. I'm thinking the pole will then be held securely in place, they shouldn't rattle around, and the poles finish also would be protected from abrasion.

[SoCalAngler]

I created a sketch of one way the rods can be brought closer to deck (my preference). I'm no artist, but I think you can get the gist of my contraption!

Cake and eat it too!
I get my rods stored vertically, no holes drilled in my railings, and on the cheap to boot!!

[SoCalAngler]

sorry about the size....unable to crop with the crappy software I have