Scotty Gear Head

I just upgraded from a 2011 PA to a 2017 PA. I have been using the Scotty Gear Head with rod holders on the railing. I have had a couple of close calls when fish hit the line with the whole thing slipping and almost losing a rod.. Short of putting super glue on the railing how do you get these things not to slip when I fish hits the line??

I'd recommend tightening up the red knob on the gate latch as much as you can while still being able to get the locking lever closed. Also, make sure that when you clamp the H-rail fitting around the rail, the flats on the rail are matched up with the flats in the H-rail clamp....and leash your rod if you're using this application for trolling


74052001
HOBIE FISH ROD LEASH- WEBBING
US$ 19.39

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Howie Strech
Parts & Accessories Product Manager
Hobie Cat USA

Thanks for the reply

I have done all of that and they are still slipping....
I don't want to have to drill holes in the boat. There has to be something I am missing!

All types of rail mounted rod holders has some limitations... sliping och bending is not uncommon. Even RAM balls are mostly just mounted with a single 1/4" screw in the rail. The can and will brake if you overload the screw.
For heavy trolling just a rail mount sometimes is not enough.
When I troll with the rods in the rails I set my drag a little bit looser not to brake anything and also attach a tension line in the forward direction to take up some of the force.

For the real Heavy fishing I use a deavy duty rod holder that is bolted.....

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Sailing my TI and fishing.... thats bliss!!

Scotty Gearhead bases work fine for mounting items which aren't under any stress, such as a fish finder. But they aren't adequate for mounting gear which is under stress, such as a trolling rod. You can't tighten them enough to keep them from twisting. The problem is bad enough when your trolling rod is pointing to the right, because the tension on the rod is trying to tighten then Gearhead in the track. The problem is worse when your trolling rod is pointing to the left, because then the tension on the rod will loosen the Gearhead.