Has anyone installed a bow eye on Peapod? I bought a 3/8" steel bow eye for extra strength while towing and trailering but can’t find a guide on placement and on the width and depth for the interior backing. Also, is this really necessary? I have a painter threaded through the stem for general use, but am not sure if this will be strong enough for towing at 5-6 knots behind a motor boat in chop.
Any help is much appreciated.
Jose
I put one on mine. I used the 3/8", 2 1/2" thread length version from CLC. I didn’t use any backing beyond the existing bow/stem fillet. The placement is such that it’s above the waterline and the level of the trailer winch. If you need actual measurements, let me know.
There’s one steel plate on the outside and one on the inside. The greatest difficulty was getting the holes properly aligned. The geometry is a bit complex, what with the angled stem and the thick fillet coupled with the need to position the holes exactly on the outside edge of the stem.
Don’t forget to seal the hole with lots of silicone sealant, 3M 4200 or whatever your favorite marine sealant is.
Laszlo
Thank you Laszlo. The current hole for the painter is 9 1/2 inches down from the top of the breasthook, as per the instructions. Should I use that as one of the holes for the bow eye, or drill two new ones below it? If so, how far below? I hesitate about drilling three holes in the stem.
Thank again,
Jose
Mine did not have a painter installed so I had to drill fresh holes for the bow eye. Let me get back to you after I get a chance to measure where it is on my boat. Does the manual not say?
Laszlo
The manual only had the measurement for the single painter hole. Thank you!
Jose,
Sorry to take so long to get back to you, I’ve been away from the boat and the computer. The bow eye on my Peapod is 16" down the stem of the boat as measured from the top of the gunnel.
As you can see, the only backing is the stainless steel plate that came with the eye. The fillet is plenty strong.
Hope this isn’t too late to help you,
Laszlo
Hi Laszlo,
This is extremely helpful. Thank you!
Have a great rest of the summer.
Best Regards,
Jose
