1. What type of material are the arches made of?

We use 1 1/2″ schedule 40 pipe, the alloy is 6063 a marine grade aluminum.

2. What kind of finish will the arch be done in?

The standard arch comes with the pipe polished/grained to remove the mill scale, if the mill scale (created during the forming of the material with heat and compression) is not removed the arch would get that spot oxidation you see on a lot of aluminum boats. This type of oxidation will penetrate straight into the aluminum creating craters. Removing the mill scale from aluminum will, if left to oxidize, create just a thin even coating that will not go any further than a chalky film.

There are two common ways to protect your arch, one is to coat the arch with a liquid coating. This method requires cleaning the arch and multiple coatings with a brush or wiping on. The common products used for this need to be reapplied every couple of years.

The method we recommend is to powder coat the arch, you will get a life-time of protection with the only maintenance being to simply rinse it off. There are 6,500 colors to choose from. If you don’t know about the possible look you can achieve, check out NIC powder in White City Oregon. Look thru their galleries [ Here ] for color options. Besides giving you an incredible choice of finishes and protection powder coating is a “green” way to go, the powders are non VOC’s and are baked on.

The standard bare arch is maintained by simply rinsing it off when you are rinsing your boat.

3. Does the arch come ready to wire and mount the radar?

Yes. It’s easy with the optional cable port installed and the radar plate pre-drilled. If you know what brand and model radar you will use we can pre-drill the radar plate. Using a shop vac sucking from the cable port you just tie a small piece of cloth or tissue to a string and suck this up thru the arch, then using this pull line you pull your wires up thru the arch. Always put a new pull line with the wires your pulling up so you always have a pull line in the arch.

4. Can I mount lights and antennas on the arch?

Yes, all the arches come with mounting plates on the top. They are in between the outer rod holder and the next one in. If you want to mount rotating spotlights we have optional plates installed level and large enough to accept them.

5. Can you create an arch that folds down?

We can… but recommend against it. For an arch to fold down the vertical legs have to be straight up and down, parallel to each other in order to be able to pivot. This changes the look that Rod Dog achieves by following the angles and shapes of your boat. Instead of that nice tight look it will make the arch look like a one size fits all arch.

Another negative is that any wiring or radar cable cannot go up thru the arch legs but will have to come thru the gunnels of the boat and re-enter the arch above the pivot point, these exit and entry points have to be water tight. Exposed wiring is prone to getting snagged or tripped over. Also the wiring will have to run thru the rear leg instead of the driver’s side front.

Finally, there is the cost. Rod Dog started out with the intent to make an arch that the average fisherman can afford. Creating an arch that folds is twice as expensive.

6. Can I wake board with a Rod Dog arch?

Rod Dog does not currently make a wake boarding arch. While someone could wake board with a Rod Dog arch, the stress that serious wake boarding puts on the gunnels needs to be spread out, that’s why wake boarding arches have the forward leg go so far forward… to distribute the stress and pull from a more forward position.  Serious adult wake boarding should be done with an arch dedicated to the sport. Our arches are designed for the fisherman and family use, we do have an optional tow post for tubing and waterskiing.

7. What about lighting for the cockpit?

The radar plate hangs over the rear of the arch to give you a mounting place for lighting.

8. Can I add more rod holders to the arch?

Yes. We have made arches with up to 16 rod holders, 8 on top and the rest on the vertical legs. Enough for rigs set up for trolling, bait and jigs. We know that, with offshore tuna fishing for example, you need as many as you can get!

9. When will testimonials be available on the web site?

Very soon. If you want to contact one of our customers, send a note [ Here ] and we’ll put you in touch.

10. Is Rod Dog really a hero or just a plain ol mutt?

Rod Dog [ Here ] is wildly acclaimed around the world, he has saved women and children from burning buildings, rescued drowning swimmers, can out run a cheetah, out jump a kangaroo, has run off grizzlies from baby deer and elk and has beaten five pit bulls in one fight.

He doesn’t look like it but he is also a undercover police dog, and been trained as a guide dog for the blind.

What can I say about him, he’s my hero. But why does he look like a ugly mongrol mutt? It’s his cover, to lay around and look like he has six dads and who knows what kind of mother.