Bait board features - what is essential?
Gday all! :)
I have been altering my 6.2m ali plate, and I want to design and build a bait board for the transom. I spend more time diving than fishing - which is why I am asking for advice - but I plan on doing more fishing now we have a bigger boat! Havent decided if it will be permanently mounted or removable yet. So what features should I incorporate into my bait board? I have been given a lot of ideas already -
1. small, insulated, drainable or removable compartment for frozen bait - approx third of boards width - accessed via lift up cutting board or a slide out tray
2. larger uninsulated storage area underneath cutting surface - approx two thirds boards width - accessed via lift up cutting board or a drawer that slides out
3. two or three part cutting surface(so you dont have to lift the whole board to get into storage area underneath)
4. gutters that support all 4 edges of the 2 or 3 cutting surfaces and channel the mess toward the rear of the board where it can exit via a drain tube - keeps it out of the dry/bait areas
5. plier and knife holders to the rear
6. rod holders on rear/sides for trolling
7. drink holders
8. folded edges to reduce injuries
What do you think of these features? Any more to suggest?
I have two widths in mind - either 600mm or 800mm wide. What would be your choice? Around 400-450mm deep and 150 high internally. It will be constructed out of 3mm 5052 ali sheet, with 50mm OD tube for rod holders. High Density Polyethylene cutting surfaces - probably around 10mm thick as the maximum unsupported span will be only 300mm.
I would love to hear your opinions and ideas! Cheers
snappermiles
Posts: 2100
Date Joined: 05/11/10
your ideas are good
i had mine made 700 wide i has a fifty mil lip around the back that is rolled one side is just a cutting board the other side the cutting board lifts up which opens up to a live bait tank or storage area it has rod holders each side a drain hole which i have attached a drain hose to so the fluids dont run anywhere but into the water! i have also got some drink holders to put onto it!
ALL FISHERMEN ARE LIARS EXCEPT YOU AND ME! AND IM NOT SO SURE ABOUT YOU!
hlokk
Posts: 4290
Date Joined: 04/04/08
I like those first ideas
I like those first ideas ;)
If a drain, it good to have a bit wide ali pipe so you can fit some wide pvc tube so any crap doesnt go straight into your outboard well or down the back of the transom. Spots for lures are good too (can be as simple as a raised edge along the back inside).
Welcome to fishwrecked btw Mark.
chookc
Posts: 442
Date Joined: 07/01/10
The drin holes need to be at
The drin holes need to be at least 15 mm diam otherwise fish scales clog them up and the board dooesn't drain. The bigger the hole the better but not so big as to loose sinkers etc down it...
markjaffa
Posts: 6
Date Joined: 27/01/12
Thanks for the replies
Cheers for the replies and ideas guys. Thanks for the welcome too hlokk. :)
I will probably make the drain pipe using 25mm OD tube with a 19mm ID. Easy to fit 1" hose to lead the crap away from the well/transom. Hopefully that will be big enough not to clog but not so big that sinkers will fall out.
Any further ideas/comments?
bull
Posts: 81
Date Joined: 28/03/11
Hi Mark
Welcome to the site .I am in the process of welding a ali one up as we speak.I will be putting 2 rod holders ,couple of subbie holders and a tray below cutting board for starters.Then anything that comes to mind as i progress along. will gets some pic's up when im finished.
Cheers
pharlap
Posts: 69
Date Joined: 02/01/12
Great topic, in the process
Great topic, in the process of looking into the same of what's needed and what works, I'd say a fully functional bait board can make a days fishing a lot easier, deck space wise, storage etc
Paul G
Posts: 5215
Date Joined: 12/12/07
I found mine to be a pain in
I found mine to be a pain in the but. sitting at the back of the boat made it hard to get around when onto a good fish .I screwed a cutting board to the live bait lid its easy to clean and don't sit up and get in the way.the knives and pliers all sit in there holder on the back of the boat .
Active Gyp-Rok solutions ,Residential and commercial ceilings and walls
thesupervisor
Posts: 1136
Date Joined: 10/06/09
have a look here for some
have a look here for some ideas
http://www.baitmate.com.au/custom_boards_26.html
i got one made by these guys and at $600 delivered i think its a bargin
getting the bottom line final answer from a bunch of blokes that use false names and put smiley faces at the end of paragraphs is not the best place in the world to get the information you seek.
markjaffa
Posts: 6
Date Joined: 27/01/12
Thanks for the link
Cheers for the baitmate link. Some nice looking boards there - and so they should be for $600! It shows me that lots of people have different ideas on the best way to build a board
thesupervisor
Posts: 1136
Date Joined: 10/06/09
one thing they do on their
one thing they do on their trays is they have velcro on the sides so the get no rattles
i also have a live bait tank built into the side of mine
yeah its best to work out what suits you the best then build it
getting the bottom line final answer from a bunch of blokes that use false names and put smiley faces at the end of paragraphs is not the best place in the world to get the information you seek.