My first canal cruiser had a plastic milk crate and PVC rod holders. This system worked well— until the milk crate started to crack. For my new canal cruiser, I decided to build a custom canal cruiser crate that would provide more storage, support my fishing rods and reels, and not fail due to fatigue.
My custom canal cruiser crate has three components: the box, the clamps, and the rod holders. I made the box from 1/4″ thick plywood and the stitch-and-glue method, which uses epoxy fillets and fiberglass tape. After the crate was built, I sanded the interior and exterior with 120-grit sandpaper and then applied multiple layers of spray paint, with light sanding via 220-grit sandpaper between each layer. Three spray cans later, the box was ready to be mounted to the rear rack of my eBike via clamps.
With the box secured, I cut a foam pad to fit the bottom interior of the crate. The foam pad covers the stainless steel bolts that secure the crate to the clamps and thereby prevents the bolt heads from snagging my gear. The pad also protects my gear from impact while riding over rough terrain. Lastly, the pad reduces sounds, which is helpful when approaching a sensitive spot below the dark of night.
The most common fishing rod holder for fishing bikes is a PVC pipe and hose clamps. Installed properly, this method works well. However, I chose stainless steel rod holders mounted to the sides of my crate via stainless steel bolts because they are a low-cost insurance policy for my expensive fishing rods and reels.
My custom canal cruiser crate performed exceptionally well during my field testing. My expectations were exceeded! I love the simplicity, durability, low cost, and utility. I am paper prototyping some add-ons. Subscribe to my newsletter to receive the future article.
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