# Grab Bar



## strander100 (Aug 26, 2013)

Wanted to gain visibility for river fishing on my Alumacraft 1650 tiller and decided to extend the OB handle and to stand up toward the front of the boat. This adjustment solves one problem, but creates another in the form of less stability. 

After doing the research, especially on mud motoring sites, I came upon a hybrid idea that may help others remedy this problem, especially if like me, you want a grab bar that is removable and does not call for major infrastructure changes. If you look around, you will find others using all sorts of things for the same purpose, for example, exhaust pipes, shovel handles, hand carts, etc.





My setup includes four aluminum parts, two of which are commonly sold as sliding seat accessories at boating stores like Sportfisherman’s Center in Muskegon, MI. These parts consist of a top track, seat plate, bottom track, and fabricated grab handle welded to a flat plate. 













First, instead of riveting the store bought 48 inch track to the face of the bench seat, it is shortened and attached to the top of the false wall in my boat. Next, I took the mating seat plate with customized lip to a local welding shop, where a bar was fabricated and welded to a flat piece of sheet stock. Now I could have the bar portion bolted to the seat plate for complete removal. Lastly, a track was installed on the lower wall to accept the seat plate, in order for it to be slid into position. 





The top track is longer than the bottom one, so when put into place the seat plate mates with the sliding track on top and then slides into the lower track. The rubber feet under the seat plate prevent my device from sliding, but a person could rig any type of stop without too much trouble. When removed, everything is low profile and there are no holes in the gunwale or floor, just two tracks on the side wall that could be painted to match your boat. 





Works great for me.


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## acabtp (Aug 26, 2013)

very clean! well thought out and executed, nicely done =D>


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## PSG-1 (Aug 27, 2013)

Nicely done! You ought to think about patenting that. :idea:


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