Gunnels Flexing Fighting out of Swivels - Lack of Support.....Anyone Have This Issue?

John3325 · #1 08-09-2018, 08:54 PM

Couple of weeks ago, we landed a 90" 390 lb tuna in the Seacraft. Awesome day, and I was siked to land a tuna in the Seacraft which has quickly become my favorite boat ever.

With that said, fighting that fish brought many concerns up as I continue to fish for BFT. We started the fight in the bow, out of a 0 degree rod holder that is backed with a 8" X 8" piece of marine grade backing, and the backing plate. The whole 8" X 8" footprint was flexing forward when the fish put on the heat - not good. Mid fight, we got the bent butt into the starboard aft 0 degree swivel on the starboard side. I knew the coring up front was compromised, but the coring in the gunnel aft was solid and dry when I installed the 0 degrees. Still, the gunnel was torquing outward with the fish fighting. We ended the fight quick (luckily), got the fish in the boat, and got it to market with no issues.

So, after talking with a few people and thinking about it, I have come to the realization that this boat wasn't made to fight tuna out of the rod holder. In 1976, what was the biggest reel? A Penn Senator, maybe a 30 or 50 class reel? That gunnel was never designed to have that load on it, so what's the best way to reinforce it?

I am curious as to what others have seen in this regard, and if this issue has happened to anyone else? Where do those with the straight IB usually fight, bow/stern/aft starboard or port?

I took the boat over to Kent Fab in Pembroke, MA (Fantastic guy named Erik Kent does custom fabrication for boats and his work is outstanding) for some other mods I needed done, and we discussed this issue. He had an interesting idea, where we would put plates on top and bottom of the stern gunnel, and brace the 0 degree rod holder against the transom. We could do a similar option in the bow too. Both options, essentially help transfer load from the surface area the rod holder grabs to other stronger parts of the boat (in this case being plates installed and the transom). If I were to do this, I'd recore the bow and/or stern gunnel and then have him do the work.

Any thoughts/comments/insight I appreciate in advance. Thanks all.

caper · #2 08-10-2018, 08:08 AM

Not rod holders but outriggers - I ended up gluing cripple plates fore and aft of my gunwale mounted outriggers - transferring some of the load to the hull and reinforcing the gunwale.

Ed · #3 08-10-2018, 01:00 PM

We had a 22 Sisu in the shop that had the same issue with gunwales flexing while fighting a giant tuna.

To address this, we glassed in two knees that better tie the gunwale to the inside of the hull. In addition, you can also thru bolt the bottom of the rod holder through the side of the hull via a stainless reinforcement plate. Rich Oliver at R&R Fisheries in Ipswich sells these but I don't see them listed on his website. Give him a call..

http://randrfisheries.com/

John3325 · #4 08-10-2018, 03:04 PM

I was thinking of glassing in some braces this offseason, good to know it did the trick for you.

If I thru-bolt through the hull, I think I really only want to do it in one place being the transom but I am open to ideas. I'll give him a shout. Thanks guys! Keep the ideas and input coming.

abl1111 · #5 08-10-2018, 07:01 PM

I've thought of this flexing issue - If you glass in tabs, you'll be glassing into the liner and not the hull. Tabbing to the hull would be a big job...

John3325 · #6 08-10-2018, 09:02 PM

I do agree with that, and if I did it I think I'd be glassing to the floor of the boat rather than just to the "inner liner" as you said.

John3325 · #7 08-22-2018, 09:44 AM

Thank you to those who have replied in the thread and by PM, all of your help is greatly appreciated.

joshmon71 · #8 08-28-2018, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John3325

Thank you to those who have replied in the thread and by PM, all of your help is greatly appreciated.

its the lower flex on a deep swivel more than anything, address the lower part of swivel flexing should be solved. always have some backing underneath swivel could be part of the swivel itself, decent core and washers, etc.

I thru bolted all my swivels. meaning a lower brace on the swivel is bolted thru. have 1 swivel on bow. 4 on stern (2 deep and 2 shallow) was for trolling/planer/kite really only need 2. got silly. 2 midships swivels are bolted thru the inner liner and out hull side. had to make some small angled pieces of starboard to handle the liner angle. bow swivel has a big piece of coosa/penske transom core stuff glassed up underneath, the bolts go thru the inner lip just below where the hand rail sits at your knees. once you get over the fact drilling thru the hull liner and out hull sides it is an easy job. use nylon washers on outside of hull...measure 10X. I am a middling diy home carpenter, but this was relatively easy.

prob easier to take photos. pm me if want and can send over email.

few many? years back couple kids just about ripped the side of their seacraft off fighting a giant off the cape. talked that over with Mike@goose a few years past he had a seacraft (maybe still does).

put the 130 in the swivel, set the drag to 40-45 send your buddy running out in the driveway at a right angle to the midship swivel

after thru bolting...problem solved!

oh, and i have a slew of the varius 4-6" long length 316ss 1/4-20 bolts, cuz have to buy in bulk. gathering dust in my garage. down the cape.

John3325 · #9 08-29-2018, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshmon71

its the lower flex on a deep swivel more than anything, address the lower part of swivel flexing should be solved. always have some backing underneath swivel could be part of the swivel itself, decent core and washers, etc.

I thru bolted all my swivels. meaning a lower brace on the swivel is bolted thru. have 1 swivel on bow. 4 on stern (2 deep and 2 shallow) was for trolling/planer/kite really only need 2. got silly. 2 midships swivels are bolted thru the inner liner and out hull side. had to make some small angled pieces of starboard to handle the liner angle. bow swivel has a big piece of coosa/penske transom core stuff glassed up underneath, the bolts go thru the inner lip just below where the hand rail sits at your knees. once you get over the fact drilling thru the hull liner and out hull sides it is an easy job. use nylon washers on outside of hull...measure 10X. I am a middling diy home carpenter, but this was relatively easy.

prob easier to take photos. pm me if want and can send over email.

few many? years back couple kids just about ripped the side of their seacraft off fighting a giant off the cape. talked that over with Mike@goose a few years past he had a seacraft (maybe still does).

put the 130 in the swivel, set the drag to 40-45 send your buddy running out in the driveway at a right angle to the midship swivel

after thru bolting...problem solved!

oh, and i have a slew of the varius 4-6" long length 316ss 1/4-20 bolts, cuz have to buy in bulk. gathering dust in my garage. down the cape.

PM sent, thank you!