looking for rod holder ideas for a 2016 FM 165

[breakingbass]

Hi all, my wife and I recently purchased a brand new 2016 Lowe FM165 WT with all of the bells and whistles. Here are a few pics:



i am looking to mount some rod holders and wanted to use clamp on mounts so that i wont have to drill holes into the boat, and be able to move the rod holders around depending on whether i am trolling or bait dunking. when i sold my old boat, i kept my set of folbe rod holders with pedestal mounts, and originally wanted to use the scotty clamp on mounts with them, but i measured the gunwales on my boat, and they are 2,5", and the scotty clamp mounts along with a few other clamp mounting rod holders only open to 2".

are there any lowe boat owners that can point me in the direction of clamp mounts that might fit what i am looking to do? i am also open to hearing or seeing pics of anyone else with a similar boat and gunwales and what solutions you have come up with. thanks in advance everyone.

 

[Georgesalmon]

I know you said you didn't want to make any holes but you might want to look at the many track systems out there. They look nice and there are hundreds of options for different rod holders and even down riggers that will mount to them. You can move the holders anywhere you want or take them off if needed. They are anodized aluminum mostly and have nice end caps that will look good on your boat. Several aluminum boat makers even offer them as options. Not cheap but neither was that beautiful boat you just got.

 

[Chad Flaugher]

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/304907837252412630/ :lol: Kidding of course, but a quick google search of "pvc rod holder" might yield some very simple ideas.

 

[ondarvr]

Get over it, start drilling.

 

[breakingbass]

Get over it, start drilling.

even if I wanted to start drilling, the pedestal mounts I own as well as others I have looked into do not sit on the gunwales with enough room for their mounting holes to sit within the 2.5" width. I looked into side mounting options but that wont work either b/c there is a 1" lip at the top of the gunwale which would interfere with the path of the rod holder shaft entering the mounting bracket of a side mount.

Any other ideas beside "getting over it" would be appreciated. I can take pics and post them tomorrow for a better idea of what I am talking about if that helps.

 

[breakingbass]

Thanks for the suggestions George and Chad. I emailed Lowe and asked them for information on getting a track system installed in my boat. I spent good money on this new sled and I am up for getting the best gear and outfitting o can for it.

 

[ondarvr]

even if I wanted to start drilling, the pedestal mounts I own as well as others I have looked into do not sit on the gunwales with enough room for their mounting holes to sit within the 2.5" width. I looked into side mounting options but that wont work either b/c there is a 1" lip at the top of the gunwale which would interfere with the path of the rod holder shaft entering the mounting bracket of a side mount.

Any other ideas beside "getting over it" would be appreciated. I can take pics and post them tomorrow for a better idea of what I am talking about if that helps.

I say it that way because people frequently buy a new boat and don't want to drill holes to mount anything, eletronics, transducers, Bimini tops, rod holders, etc. once they overcome that feeling they can make the needed improvements.

Now if there's no room to mount them, that's different, you didn't give us that bit of info or a pic of the location in the begining. Sometimes you need a spacer on the inside so the riser extension will clear the trim piece. Or a flush mount socket on top.

There are track mounts that work, but some get in the way.

 

[breakingbass]

oh yeah, i wasn't upset about it or anything, i was just saying that i really don't have the option of drilling based on the particular size of the gunwales. i would prefer not to, but i drilled into my old boat no problem. it's more of an issue of thickness.

so i contacted Lowe Boats directly and they told me that while they do not make any type of bracketing or tracks for their boats, cabelas does make rod holders and clamps specific to the particular size and shape of the gunwales on the FM line of boats. here is a link for anyone having the same issue as me. here is a link:

http://www.cabelas.com/product/boat...holders/_/N-1100635/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104538780

i ordered a set and am expecting them within the week. i will report back on how they worked out. i really wanted to stick with my folbe rod holders but these will do until i can find a solution for the folbes. thanks everyone for chiming in.

 

[breakingbass]

So I got the ******* clamp on mounts in the mail and they are just what the doctor ordered. The shape of them makes them a perfect fit for the particular shape and dimensions of the gunwales of my boat. The best part about them is that my folbe rod holders fit the mounts perfectly.

In the QA section on the ******* website, it said that the mounts are only compatable with the their rod holders, but that's incorrect. Folbe rod holders will fit these clamp on mounts just fine.

 

[jbcurt00]

Bass
Please note that Iboats is a retailer. Competition is filtered.

 

[NittanyDoug]

Since the filter was applied I can't see what product was referenced. Tite-Lok manufacuters a clamp that fits over the rail. It does at least on our 2006 FM165.

 

[jbcurt00]

Doug, breakingbass hasnt been on Iboats since his last post here, back in April. Not likely to see your post.

Closed