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Author Topic:   17-footers: Installing Gunwale Boards

Tamarackcove posted 09-15-2014 01:07 PM ET (US)
Gunwales once supported a ship's gun. Gunwales are now used for holding down riggers, outriggers, rod holders, and a host of other fishing gear. Owners of Boston Whaler 17-foot hulls often had to attach a board, going across from one gunwale to the opposite side, to hold the down riggers and rod holders. My 1985 Montauk was rigged with a Mercury outboard that did not have trim, so I needed to be able to have ready access to the rear of the boat, and I came with the solution shown below.
I started with a 39-inch piece of 1-3/4-inch treated wood, ripped to 6-3/4-inch width. This was the correct width for the board to just clear the inside of the rear hand rails and be flush with the outside of the rub rail. I put a radius on the back edge of the board to match the transom curve, and routed a decorative edge on the outside of the board.
Cutouts for the Montauk's rear hand rails have to be made for the board to slide into place.These cutouts are not in the same place on each side, so measure and cut one side at a time. Make these cutout slots just deep enough so the inside edge of the board is flush with the inside of the rail.
I clamped this board to the gunwale and carefully drilled two 5/16-inch holes--upward--aiming for the middle of the clamped board, through the middle of the underside of the Montauk's grooved edge. I then took two 5/16-inch stainless carriage bolts and inserted them through the top of the board, I bent two 5/16-inch washers in a vise to conform to the groove on the bottom side, and covered each with a regular 5/16-inch washers and tightened it up with two locknuts.
I then took a 1-3/4-inch strip of stainless trim and lag bolted it to the edge of the board, covering the rail cutout.
I used a Forstner bit to drill a hole for my Penn pivoting down rigger base and my through-bolted rod holders, making sure that everything cleared the rails. I then stained and oiled the boards, bolted the loaded boards back on the gunwales, and tightened everything up. The boards and mounting system are very strong, as I have hung up the ball weight on the bottom and they sustained no damage.
If I were to do this again, I would use a piece of 6/4-teak, planed smooth on each side. It would match the teak console doors, and the thicker wood would be stronger, although I never had any problem with my set-up.
--Art
jimh posted 09-15-2014 01:33 PM ET (US)
Art--Thanks for the nice article on making gunwale boards for a Boston Whaler 17-footer.
Tamarackcove posted 09-15-2014 01:57 PM ET (US)
Jim--thanks for setting this up for me. ASIDE to mtbadfish: this is your Dad's leaning post!
hullinthewater posted 09-26-2014 01:08 PM ET (US)
Art- looks solid.
Can you tell me how thick the gunwale (deck side) laminate is where you thru drilled?
jimh posted 09-27-2014 10:28 AM ET (US)
If I may, let me offer two suggestions that might be implemented in a project like this.
For the fasteners that will be installed under and through the hull laminate to retain the new gunwale boards, perhaps a T-bolt could be used. See
http://www.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=T-bolt&oe=UTF-8& hl=en&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ei=FccmVPf9K9OiyASn6YKwDw&ved=0CDIQsAQ
for some examples of a T-bolt. I think a T-bolt with a rounded T-bar would fit nicely into the curved surface under the gunwale. On the upper end, a cap nut could be used.
To provide a retainer for the new gunwale boards at the vertical rails, the metal straps used in this installation could be replaced by an second section of the wood gunwale board itself. The two sections of the gunwale board would thus be clamped around the vertical rail stanchion tubes.
Binkster posted 09-27-2014 01:13 PM ET (US)
[Please contact the webmaster, me, to discuss your entirely new topic--jimh.]
Tamarackcove posted 10-02-2014 05:47 PM ET (US)
Hulliinthewater, I really don't know the thickness of the material, but I just used a large square to make sure I would come up into the center of the board. Four holes and no mistakes. Maybe the SeaGods were looking over me.
On a secondary note... The bent stainless washer came out in a perfect "U" shape that fit the bottom groove perfectly. I laid another plain stainless washer over the inverted bent one and finished with a stainless locknut.
DaveS posted 10-09-2014 02:32 PM ET (US)
I really have to confess, when I first saw the title, I was thinking, this could be bad. Looking at the pictures, it looks like a really nice job and adds a lot of value to the boat. When I was looking for my current Outrage, I ran across a 17' 1997 Outrage that the previous owner had installed Gunwale boards. It was so poorly done, I walked away.
Nice job!
Tamarackcove posted 10-13-2014 03:57 PM ET (US)
DaveS,
I really didn't want to attach a 2"x6" board from the starboard to port side of the boat like other 17' whaler owners did. I used to fish 10-15 miles out of Algoma, WI , in Lake Michigan, and this system worked real well.
Never had a stress issue or having the board loosen up from the boat. I hung it up once, fishing the St. Croix for walleye, and I heard a snap, when I turned around I found that the top pully on my Penn downrigger cracked. I backed up and finally had to cut the cable. Lost my two releases, and 10# 'rigger ball.
This is worked out great and allowed me complete access to the back of the boat to fight fish and motor access.
Tamarackcove

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Author	Topic: 17-footers: Installing Gunwale Boards
Tamarackcove	posted 09-15-2014 01:07 PM ET (US) Gunwales once supported a ship's gun. Gunwales are now used for holding down riggers, outriggers, rod holders, and a host of other fishing gear. Owners of Boston Whaler 17-foot hulls often had to attach a board, going across from one gunwale to the opposite side, to hold the down riggers and rod holders. My 1985 Montauk was rigged with a Mercury outboard that did not have trim, so I needed to be able to have ready access to the rear of the boat, and I came with the solution shown below. I started with a 39-inch piece of 1-3/4-inch treated wood, ripped to 6-3/4-inch width. This was the correct width for the board to just clear the inside of the rear hand rails and be flush with the outside of the rub rail. I put a radius on the back edge of the board to match the transom curve, and routed a decorative edge on the outside of the board. Cutouts for the Montauk's rear hand rails have to be made for the board to slide into place.These cutouts are not in the same place on each side, so measure and cut one side at a time. Make these cutout slots just deep enough so the inside edge of the board is flush with the inside of the rail. I clamped this board to the gunwale and carefully drilled two 5/16-inch holes--upward--aiming for the middle of the clamped board, through the middle of the underside of the Montauk's grooved edge. I then took two 5/16-inch stainless carriage bolts and inserted them through the top of the board, I bent two 5/16-inch washers in a vise to conform to the groove on the bottom side, and covered each with a regular 5/16-inch washers and tightened it up with two locknuts. I then took a 1-3/4-inch strip of stainless trim and lag bolted it to the edge of the board, covering the rail cutout. I used a Forstner bit to drill a hole for my Penn pivoting down rigger base and my through-bolted rod holders, making sure that everything cleared the rails. I then stained and oiled the boards, bolted the loaded boards back on the gunwales, and tightened everything up. The boards and mounting system are very strong, as I have hung up the ball weight on the bottom and they sustained no damage. If I were to do this again, I would use a piece of 6/4-teak, planed smooth on each side. It would match the teak console doors, and the thicker wood would be stronger, although I never had any problem with my set-up. --Art
jimh	posted 09-15-2014 01:33 PM ET (US) Art--Thanks for the nice article on making gunwale boards for a Boston Whaler 17-footer.
Tamarackcove	posted 09-15-2014 01:57 PM ET (US) Jim--thanks for setting this up for me. ASIDE to mtbadfish: this is your Dad's leaning post!
hullinthewater	posted 09-26-2014 01:08 PM ET (US) Art- looks solid. Can you tell me how thick the gunwale (deck side) laminate is where you thru drilled?
jimh	posted 09-27-2014 10:28 AM ET (US) If I may, let me offer two suggestions that might be implemented in a project like this. For the fasteners that will be installed under and through the hull laminate to retain the new gunwale boards, perhaps a T-bolt could be used. See http://www.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=T-bolt&oe=UTF-8& hl=en&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ei=FccmVPf9K9OiyASn6YKwDw&ved=0CDIQsAQ for some examples of a T-bolt. I think a T-bolt with a rounded T-bar would fit nicely into the curved surface under the gunwale. On the upper end, a cap nut could be used. To provide a retainer for the new gunwale boards at the vertical rails, the metal straps used in this installation could be replaced by an second section of the wood gunwale board itself. The two sections of the gunwale board would thus be clamped around the vertical rail stanchion tubes.
Binkster	posted 09-27-2014 01:13 PM ET (US) [Please contact the webmaster, me, to discuss your entirely new topic--jimh.]
Tamarackcove	posted 10-02-2014 05:47 PM ET (US) Hulliinthewater, I really don't know the thickness of the material, but I just used a large square to make sure I would come up into the center of the board. Four holes and no mistakes. Maybe the SeaGods were looking over me. On a secondary note... The bent stainless washer came out in a perfect "U" shape that fit the bottom groove perfectly. I laid another plain stainless washer over the inverted bent one and finished with a stainless locknut.
DaveS	posted 10-09-2014 02:32 PM ET (US) I really have to confess, when I first saw the title, I was thinking, this could be bad. Looking at the pictures, it looks like a really nice job and adds a lot of value to the boat. When I was looking for my current Outrage, I ran across a 17' 1997 Outrage that the previous owner had installed Gunwale boards. It was so poorly done, I walked away. Nice job!
Tamarackcove	posted 10-13-2014 03:57 PM ET (US) DaveS, I really didn't want to attach a 2"x6" board from the starboard to port side of the boat like other 17' whaler owners did. I used to fish 10-15 miles out of Algoma, WI , in Lake Michigan, and this system worked real well. Never had a stress issue or having the board loosen up from the boat. I hung it up once, fishing the St. Croix for walleye, and I heard a snap, when I turned around I found that the top pully on my Penn downrigger cracked. I backed up and finally had to cut the cable. Lost my two releases, and 10# 'rigger ball. This is worked out great and allowed me complete access to the back of the boat to fight fish and motor access. Tamarackcove