Hobie Oasis GearTrac Install with GT90, Fullback, and Screwball

That's great if you like the Scotty's style fixed mount. I don't personally. I definitely prefer the Ram ball as its so much more infinitely adjustable. Also I like that I can control the tension if I want it to slip if I'm snagged up or something without anything breaking. Now I put Ram wedge ball mounts into all my Scottys spline holes to convert them.

That's great if you like the Scotty's style fixed mount. I don't personally. I definitely prefer the Ram ball as its so much more infinitely adjustable. Also I like that I can control the tension if I want it to slip if I'm snagged up or something without anything breaking. Now I put Ram wedge ball mounts into all my Scottys spline holes to convert them.

I love ram mounts,  until it's time to troll with divers, then they're useless.

That's great if you like the Scotty's style fixed mount. I don't personally. I definitely prefer the Ram ball as its so much more infinitely adjustable. Also I like that I can control the tension if I want it to slip if I'm snagged up or something without anything breaking. Now I put Ram wedge ball mounts into all my Scottys spline holes to convert them.

I love ram mounts,  until it's time to troll with divers, then they're useless.

 Why is that Lee ? Too much pressure and they slip ? What size divers are you using ?Was planning on trying a few on the Colombia Sunday.

Yeah,  too much tension and the 1.5 inch balls can't handle it.   Great for lakes or downriggers though.

Yeah,  too much tension and the 1.5 inch balls can't handle it.   Great for lakes or downriggers though.

There is a bit of shrinkage that goes on with the RAM balls over time. 

I was having this issue with my side of the hull mounted RAM Rod holder after a year or so of use and sun exposure. 
The knob that tightens down on the clamp would bottom out and not clamp the ball anymore.  I would put a crap load of tension on the knob and the rod holder would still slip. 

So...

Just this week I fixed that issue.  I took apart the clamp and used the sanding disk on my air die grinder to remove some material off each side of the clamp to allow it to really squeeze the RAM ball tight.  I think with the clamping power now, the rod holder will remove the ball from the mount before it ever slips again.   

Finally got our new boat finished.  I'm really happy with the feel of the track system. 




Fishfinder is easily removable for surf launches and landings




I'm also extremely happy with the Ram rod holders.  Ease of adjustment is superior to what I was using before.  These are not the ball mounted rod holders, which I don't recommend for trolling at all, unless you only drag dick nites through your local lake.




Tip:  If you're going to install a track system, order the backer plates.  They come threaded and really made life easier. Which would you rather deal with, the pile of nuts and washers on the left, or the single plate on the right?  If you're rigging an Oasis, there are places where you can only reach the first 1 to 2 holes, so without the backer plates, you'd have to install somewhere else.

Great set-up, thanks for posting! You put your cellbloc exactly where I was considering putting mine, so it's very helpful to see it installed.

I'm glad you're happy with the post/spline base - that's my setup as well and I like it. The Oasis has limited options with respect to the rails so I'm glad to see things are working for other people.

Yeah, my wife HATED dealing with the fish finder and trying to get it positioned properly and getting the Ram ball tight enough.  Now I get the fishfinder in my face and she gets a happier day on the water.

Before you buy a backer bar for a gear track, reach inside your kayak and feel the area inside the gunwale where the backer bar will be located.  On some kayaks, there is a large flat area, and a backer bar will work great.  On other kayaks, there are obstructions, or the inside of the gunwale isn't flat enough for a backer bar to lie flat.  In those cases you may need to use fender washers under the nuts, and may need to bend the fender washers to fit the inside of the gunwale.

An advantage of the YakAttack GT175 gear tracks is that they can be mounted from the outside of the kayak with screws, so the shape of the inside of the gunwale doesn't matter.

Before you buy a backer bar for a gear track, reach inside your kayak and feel the area inside the gunwale where the backer bar will be located.  On some kayaks, there is a large flat area, and a backer bar will work great.  On other kayaks, there are obstructions, or the inside of the gunwale isn't flat enough for a backer bar to lie flat.

True. The GT90 backing plate is correspondingly narrow compared to the GT175 backing plate. It works great for the narrow/tight gunwales of the Oasis.

Watch your fingers, too! There are exposed pointed screws in some places under there!

Watch out for rudder lines too.  I sometimes forget the need to state the obvious, but we all know that one guy that always figures out a way to screw something!

Watch out for rudder lines too.

Definitely!  I recently added a Scotty deck mount to my Revolution.  It was real awkward reaching up under the gunwale to bolt it in place, but I got it done, with lots of Marine Goop to seal up the holes.  The next weekend I drove a long distance to go fishing, loaded up my kayak, paddled away from shore, plonked in the Mirage Drive, lowered the rudder, and discovered that the rudder was frozen in place.  I couldn't steer.  Crap! I paddled back to shore, felt around under the gunwale, and discovered that one of the rudder lines was stuck underneath one of the fender washers which I had installed under the nuts.  I was afraid that I had bolted the rudder line down under the washer in a blob of goop, and that I was going to have to pack up all my gear, go back home, reach around under the gunwale, take off the nut and washer, and extract the rudder line from the goop.  But fortunately, after a little gentle pulling I discovered that the rudder line had just gotten wedged under the edge of the washer.  I was able to pull it out and go fishing.  When I got home, I put a piece of duct tape over the fender washer so the rudder line can't slip under the edge of it again.  I know that in the future I'll be a lot more careful about the location of rudder lines when outfitting my kayaks.

A little off subject are the black rods across the deck for the new improved seats?

A little off subject are the black rods across the deck for the new improved seats?

Yes

A little off subject are the black rods across the deck for the new improved seats?

Yes

If my bad hip can take the peddling I might have to start saving for a hobie 
Thanks Lee