Rod Holders & Backing Plates for Bluefin Tuna

[moguls2go]

For those of you targeting larger fish, what have you done in terms of gunwale modification/reinforcement? I stuck a few bent butt rods into our existing rod holders and am a little freaked out by how much the gunwale is flexing when I push on the rod. The amount of pressure a fish applies is going to be much stronger.

I bought a swivel rod holder with a backing plate that I plan to install in the next day or two; the backing plate is only about the size of the rod holder plate on top thought.

Is additional fiberglass reinforcement something you've done before applying that kind of pressure?

[ktm_2000]

I haven't put them to test but here's what I've got, 30 degree forward angled out, 15 aft, 0 degree swivels on transom all lees HD with the deeper mount
https://photos.app.goo.gl/zrF8U5KwyR2XMzp86

I fitted and epoxy'd in 3/4" Marine ply under the top cap, and will be through bolted - here's a core cut out pic
https://photos.app.goo.gl/BfKpJaUNffGpjMzy8

[moguls2go]

That makes sense. How big is the piece of plywood underneath?

[ktm_2000]

the backing pieces fully fill up under the gunnel, here's a pic of the stern when I was building the motorwell. I don't have pics of the side gunnels but those pieces have a similar setup except that I didn't fill up the raised portion with strips of fiberglass, I just used excess filler.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ttVwWwqFUjg2BFBg8

[Ironworker]

I did something similar except I used 1/2" coosa. I glassed both sides of the coosa then used a layer of glass to laminate it under the gunnel. I'm using stainless backing plates behind all of that.

[Tony Meola]

I believe Capt. Pat had said that when he reinforced the transom gunnel for rod holders he ran the backing plate from corner to corner.