Introduction: Scotty Fishing Rod Holder Mount - From PVC

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About: I enjoy creating things from odds and ends around the garage. Nothing better than solving a problem with some trash laying around your house.

I have recently gotten interested in fishing and recently purchased a small entry level Lifetime Hydros Angler kayak to take out on the weekends. From inspiration I found on the web I created a simple crate to hold my fishing rods while I am paddling around the lake. Then I decided I might want to take this same crate with me to fish from the shore since all my fishing supplies are in the crate. I then got the idea to create a mount on the crate to be used with the Scotty rod holder that came with the Kayak. I could then simply transition from kayak fishing to shore fishing. My goals were to keep the mount extremely low budget and I also wanted something that I could remove when I wasn't using it. This is my first 'ible so here goes...

Step 1: Materials & Tools

Materials:

  • Scotty Fishing Rod Holder
  • LASCO 1-in Dia 90-Degree PVC Sch 40 Tee (I paid $0.66)
  • LASCO 3/4-in Dia PVC Sch 40 Coupling (I paid $0.77)
  • 1 Small bolt (1/4" Diameter or smaller x 1" in length) This has to fit in groove at bottom of Scotty Rod Holders.
  • 1 larger bolt with nut (Any diameter & about 1 1/2" in length) to secure finished unit to fishing crate
  • Scrap wood for End Caps (2x4) or 1" PVC pipe
  • Masking Tape
  • Zip Ties
  • Scrap wood for table saw jig
  • Super Glue / E6000
  • PVC Glue and Primer

Tools/Supplies:

  • Dremel or file
  • Drill
  • Hole Saw (1 3/4" & 1 1/2")
  • Hack Saw
  • Table Saw
  • Screwdriver or wrench (compatible with bolt mentioned above)

Step 2: Prepare the Coupling

Safety first: Use common sense. Use appropriate safety gear (safety glasses, gloves, etc).

Inspiration for my build comes from zoffinger on YouTube - https://youtu.be/bNG33hSr5o4 (he also has some cool kayak/fishing videos).

The coupling will hold the base of the fishing rod holder and needs a few modifications to function properly. I first took the coupling and removed the groove in the middle that separates the threads. Now the rod holder will fit inside the coupling. However, there is nothing to prevent the rod holder from being pulled out of the coupling. To fix this mark about 1/2" from the bottom of the coupling and drill a hole for a small bolt (make sure bolt location will allow the rod holder base to sit flush with top of coupling once you cut the grooves mentioned below. Choose a bolt that will fit in the groove or notch in the bottom of the Scotty rod holder. Screw the bolt into the hole you drilled and leave just enough room so the notch in the base of the rod holder can slide past the bolt and once the rod holder is turned it will not be able to be pulled out without aligning the notch again. Once the bolt is in the appropriate location cut off the remaining part of the bolt so that it is flush with the outside of the coupling.

Now we will cut the grooves in the top of the coupling to prevent the rod holder from turning freely. I am sure there are better methods but I simply took a piece of tape and marked the location from the base of the rod holder on the tape and then transcribed that to the coupling. I then cut the grooves with a Dremel tool. It didn't turn out very pretty but it works. Test the coupling by inserting the base of the rod holder. Lock it in by rotating it and then seat it into the grooves. It should be a fairly snug fit.

Step 3: Creating Base for Coupling

In this step I glue the coupling into a 1" PVC "T" and then glue some end caps onto the "T' to make it more stable once installed on the crate.

To glue the coupling into the "T" I just used standard PCV glue and primer. After gluing the pieces together I took some scrap wood plugs created from using a hole saw on a 1X2 scrap. They fit perfectly into the 1" "T" and will keep the rod holder upright. The hole saw bit was 1 1/2". As an alternative to wood you can just use some 1" Sch 40 PVC and glue that in and cut it off flush with the end of the "T". This will probably have the same effect of creating a lip so that the "T" won't rock when it is placed on the crate.

Step 4: Cutting the Rod Holder Base

In this step using a table saw I cut a channel into the PVC and the wood to allow it to fit onto a fishing crate. I created a little jig to keep my hand away from the blade on the table saw. It wasn't the most exact cut but it worked. To make the jig I used a 1 3/4" hole saw in a scrap of 1X2 and then I zip tied the rod holder mount into the jig.

As an alternative to cutting the channel you could also just flatten the bottom of the mount by cutting the bottom of the "T" in half and then securing it with screws or bolts to your boat, kayak or deck railing.

Step 5: Securing to the Crate

After cutting the channel into the "T" it is ready to mount on the crate. I drilled a hole through the mount and the crate and then used a bolt to secure the rod holder to the crate. The finished product is ready for some paint and ready to be tested out at the lake.