How has Version 2 performed?
The stainless steel version has been in place now for over 10 years, and is still going strong.
As noted above, we made a couple of mistakes in the design, the most obvious being that we made version 2 a little too narrow front-to-back. As a result, the rear legs are just a little too close, landing on top of the console rod holders. We fixed the problem by having our friend weld an extension onto each leg that cleared the rod holders.
We also made the rack just a smidge too wide. The vertical rod holders work, but a little more clearance would have been nice.
Will there be “The Rack, version 3”?
Possibly! Over the years, our fishing style and tackle requirements have changed. We’re thinking we may not need the top shelf any more, which would clear our line-of-sight from the helm. That would make putting a regular seat (instead of the current leaning post) a possibility.
One of the other improvements we’re considering is to enclose “The Rack”. That would provide better gear protection in wet conditions, and clean up the boat’s appearance.
We’ve had our eye on some custom fiberglass work produced by local fabricators. We’ve been toying with the idea of having them build a custom enclosure in gel-coated fiberglass, that would sit in front of the console like the current rack.
We’re also thinking about an extension to the front casting deck with covered storage that would replace the front ice chest. Haven’t checked into the pricing yet, but it’s bound to be steep.
We’ll keep you posted!