# Fishmaster Grab Bar Reviews?



## manatiburon (Aug 6, 2013)

Gang,

I am in the process of a Gheenoe rebuild, and I wanted to ask those of you that have the Fishmaster Grab Bar to provide any feedback/pictures/opinions about it. I will be adding a 13" center false floor, and plan to reinforce the area that I want the grab bar to be, so installation pictures will be priceless!

Thanks in Advance!


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## anytide (Jul 30, 2009)

i was suprised at how lightweight and flimsy they are, but there are a lot of people out there with them and havnt heard a lot of negative feedback.
- when FedEx delivered it and the whole packaged weighed about 2 lbs. i knew there wasnt a lot to it.......
:-?


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## manatiburon (Aug 6, 2013)

2 pounds! That's some light stuff! How did you find the connection between base and grab bar? too weak?


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## disporks (Jan 19, 2011)

The bar is a little flimsy depending on how it is mounted. The base-bar isn't the flimsy part. I mounted mine on 3/8 epoxy coated plywood with a 1/4" aluminum backing plate on the bottom of the floor, it does flex a little bit in a heavy chop but I also put my boat through the ringer. For the price I think its a pretty good buy. As far as screwing it into the floor of a gheenoe I don't think that would be very strong unless you don't go through a heavy chop and just need it for an oh shit handle. I also have a 1/4 plate welded inbetween the bar for my mini dash.


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## manatiburon (Aug 6, 2013)

> The bar is a little flimsy depending on how it is mounted. The base-bar isn't the flimsy part. I mounted mine on 3/8 epoxy coated plywood with a 1/4" aluminum backing plate on  the bottom of the floor, it does flex a little bit in a heavy chop but I also put my boat through the ringer. For the price I think its a pretty good buy. As far as screwing it into the floor of a gheenoe I don't think that would be very strong unless you don't go through a heavy chop and just need it for an oh chit handle. I also have a 1/4 plate welded inbetween the bar for my mini dash.


Love your mini console!

Is that 3/8 plywood actually bolted or somehow glued to the hull? 
My 13" false floor will be glassed to the hull, and I am planning on sandwich another 1/2 inch of plywood where I want the grab bar, so I will end up with at least 1" of deck to bolt it in (or screw it, depending on final verdict). I do not think that it should flex too much if the base is bolted to a glassed false floor.


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## disporks (Jan 19, 2011)

Its velcroed to the ribs of the boat using 2" wide Velcro...its in there pretty good. I used the coarse thread stainless screws that came with the bar for a couple weeks before making the backing plate with through bolts. Took a huge wake from a ski boat and a passenger grabbed the bar and the screws came right out of the 3/8. Made the aluminum backing plate and ran some bolts/washers and haven't had a problem since. I take on some pretty big waves with this boat and have yet to feel like the bar doesn't support me. (Travel ship channels often and sometimes you just gotta go ahead and plow through some HUGE wakes.)


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## disporks (Jan 19, 2011)

when I pull my floor out for a bi yearly cleaning it bends pretty good taking it out. I didn't coat with glass but just epoxy to seal it. That Velcro holds it tight


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## manatiburon (Aug 6, 2013)

Gotcha Dispo, thanks a lot for the feedback. I might take your idea of a base plate, maybe a SS or aluminum plate and add 4 SS carriage bolts sticking out to grab the base.


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## manatiburon (Aug 6, 2013)

Bump.
Anyone else out there with this grab bar willing to give some feedback?


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## springerscott (Jan 31, 2013)

I have one and love it. I was going to have one made but no way could I get one close in price to the Fishmaster. Sure it's lightweight but I mounted mine to the floor and added some support brackets tied in to a storage box. It is rock solid. If you don't have the added bracing, you are relying solely on the floor mounting flange and hardware. I can post some pics tonight of how I did the bracing.


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## manatiburon (Aug 6, 2013)

Thanks! I look forward to your pics!


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

I have these grab bars on two boats and I use them almost daily. They have held up well, look good, Fishmaster service is prompt and the price is hard to beat. I would buy one again.


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## manatiburon (Aug 6, 2013)

Nice, did you installed them with bolts or screws?

Thank y'all for your input.


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

> Nice, did you installed them with bolts or screws?
> 
> Thank y'all for your input.


Bolts.  Fishmaster provides good ones.


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## manatiburon (Aug 6, 2013)

Thanks Vertigo. I think that I will only be able to bolt it in the center, unless I pre-install the bolts with the deck


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## Batt34786 (Apr 7, 2011)

I've got one, and it doesn't seem flimsy to me. I'll see if I can dig up pics, but I epoxy coated a 15" piece of composite 2x6 and epoxied that to my deck, then just screwed the mounting plate to that. 

Price was great and I'd buy one again.


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## Batt34786 (Apr 7, 2011)

The 2x also helped raise the bar a bit - I'm 6'3 and the extra 1.5" in height did help.


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## springerscott (Jan 31, 2013)

Sorry for the delay...  I used a 2X8 sealed, epoxied, and glassed on the floor, then used white Delrin to make brackets, a buddy water jetted the radius to match the bar, then used the scrap slugs, drilled holes and slipped them inside the bar so the bar wouldn't collapse from tightening the through bolts.  Very solid.


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## manatiburon (Aug 6, 2013)

> I've got one, and it doesn't seem flimsy to me.  I'll see if I can dig up pics, but I epoxy coated a 15" piece of composite 2x6 and epoxied that to my deck, then just screwed the mounting plate to that.
> 
> Price was great and I'd buy one again.


That's what I was looking for, screw on installation reviews! ;D
I like the 2x6 idea, only if I could find a 13" piece hanging around somewhere... may be the scrap wood bin at the HD. What I had in mind initially was a base made out of this sequence:
Hull->1/2"plywood false deck->woven roving/mat->1/2" plywood (13"x 6" wide)-> 0.75 oz. glass mat.

The false deck will be glassed to the hull, which should be a good starting point of attachment.

Thanks for the advice


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## manatiburon (Aug 6, 2013)

> Sorry for the delay...  I used a 2X8 sealed, epoxied, and glassed on the floor, then used white Delrin to make brackets, a buddy water jetted the radius to match the bar, then used the scrap slugs, drilled holes and slipped them inside the bar so the bar wouldn't collapse from tightening the through bolts.  Very solid.



That is just too slick! very clean installation. Unfortunately, I do not have a center or side box to attach it to, thanks for sharing the pictures!


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## manatiburon (Aug 6, 2013)

Bump. Any Gheenoe owners with this grab bar installed? Installation pictures are greatly appreciated!


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## anytide (Jul 30, 2009)

storage box customers' pix.....


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## manatiburon (Aug 6, 2013)

Love the console box, the grab bar install looks pretty strong as well.


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