How do you mount a downrigger on a small aluminum boat?

[Full_Monte]

I know Petty has been asking the same question about mounting downriggers on a boat with flat-top-surface gunwales, but what about those of us without that nice flat top surface? I have a 15 1/2 foot Gregor with three bench seats, and just bought two used 1106 Scotty electric downriggers yesterday. They came with Bert's slide-in mounts. Mounting options I'm considering are:

a. Mount them on a 2x6 plank that runs across both gunwales.

b. Build some kind of support structure that ties into the vertical aluminum seat supports.

c. Attach a mounting plate to the angle stock used by the manufacturer to stiffen the sides of the boat. These run up the the inside of the boat where the seats are located and are thin stock about 1 1/4 inches wide on each side.

How have you guys tackled this problem? Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[Petty4life]

I had the same problem with one of my old boats it was a 14ft lonestar aluminum. i bought these from gregor and they worked great. About $26 each

 

[Full_Monte]

Thanks, Petty...do you think that mount would be strong enough for a downrigger with a 60 inch boom? Do you through-bolt it through the side of the boat on top and bottom? I'm thinking it might need a big reinforcement plate for a long-boom downrigger.

 

[Petty4life]

with a 60in boom i would reinforce

 

[twisted lines]

I only wish my Gregor was 15' but my downriggers are off the center seat. Just figuring how to clear the sides was the hard part, But I like them eazy to reach.....

 

[dunnigan jim]

MONTE My frieend has a 15' klamoth with cannon telescoping booms and he mounted them by the seat brackets for extra support. That way he didn't have to driil thru side of his boat. The pics Petty showed is what he mounted. Good luck Jim

 

[Full_Monte]

Thanks for that! Like Petty, I'm not fond of drilling holes in the boat. It's been a dry boat so far, and I'd like to keep it that way!

 

[Digi-Troller]

When I was fishing out of a 16 foot aluminum jon boat I used a clamp on mount for my downriggers. The clamp I used had two clamps (as opposed to Cannon's one clamp). It was made by TiteLok, and cost like 45 dollars.

Now, even though it worked great for me, I wouldnt suggest it with a 60" boom. My booms were 18" at that time, and it worked great. Just thought I'd mention the clamp mount as another option. Perhaps I'm wrong and it would work well for you too. Thats up to you to decide.

Good luck, DT

 

[Kokaholic]

I have a 16' deep v tracker, I have Scotty 1106's Also, I guess my question is this, Will you ever run those booms clear out at 60"? I think I would mount somehow to the rear cross seat area. This would keep you from drilling into your boat on the outside and you can re inforce your mounting area with ss or Aluminum plate. Then you could use the ability to extend your booms out to whatever you need for clearance. This would also allow you to keep them inside, mounted up and easier to travel with.

Just my 2 pesos

 

[GeneO]

I own a 15 foot Gregor and used a Springfield seat pedestal to get the downrigger over the side of the boat. Mount your pedestal to the center seat near the side of the boat, reinforce the seat, mount your downrigger to the seat bracket that swivels on the pedestal. When it is time to remove the downrigger you just loosen the bolt on the seat bracket. At first I used the seat bracket to swing my downrigger but ended up buying a downrigger swivel. GeneO

 

[Full_Monte]

Thanks, Digitroller and Kokaholic...

I've been thinking about this, and I think there's a good possibility of tearing off a piece of the gunwale, (or at least bending the crap out of it) if I clamp on a 'rigger with a 5 ft. boom. I think that the boat mount has to be able to withstand snagging the weight on the bottom or a submerged tree. (Would I do that?) The instructions DO say that the downriggers are designed for boats longer than 16 feet. I presume that's because they make them out of thicker aluminum sheet than on smaller boats.

I'm leaning toward using one of the bench-seats as a mount for the 'riggers.
I would remove the wooden top, and make a support underneath that would also tie into one, or both of the vertical walls of the bench seat. Then, I'd re-attach the bench seat and mount the 'riggers to it. Kokaholic...good point about the height of the gunwale on the rear seat vs the middle seat. If I don't pay attention to your point, I'll be putting notches in the gunwhale to make room for the booms!

 

[Digi-Troller]

Hey, good point about snagging the bottom. When I was using the clamp mount in my aluminum boat, I found that out the hard way. I snagged bottom and almost did some real damage before loosening the clutch just in time. Ever since then (when trolling near bottom) I have always made sure to troll with my clutch just loose enough that it, and not the boat, will give in such an emergency! One more thing to consider, regardless of where or how you mount your rigger.

 

[HiTechKoke]

Also have a pair of cable cutters handy just in case things go really bad! Having your downrigger clutches adjusted properly is something you should do at the beginning of the season in your driveway. It is pretty easy to adjust the Scotty's, make sure you adjust it to your heaviest weight in case you switch around.

 

[twisted lines]

I'm leaning toward using one of the bench-seats as a mount for the 'riggers.
I would remove the wooden top, and make a support underneath that would also tie into one, or both of the vertical walls of the bench seat. Then, I'd re-attach the bench seat and mount the 'riggers to it.

I Used what they call T-nuts drill a hole the right size drive the nut in the hole from the bottom and mount the base for the swivel. that part was easy but getting the height and putting Cannon Manuals on the scotty swivels was the challenge, If the boat wasn't upside down and snowing outside Id show you a picture, I like it On the seat. I also found there was enough room in the middle seat when the top was off I could put the battery inside without removing any foam, helped to clean it up and get some weight forward; That 40 year old evenrude needs help keepen the nose down.......

 

[Full_Monte]

Twisted Lines...interesting. With all the weight we put in these boats, I'm surprised there was extra room inside the bench seat for a battery. I thought they were all made to be filled completely with foam. Good idea on the tee nuts.

 

[Full_Monte]

Also have a pair of cable cutters handy just in case things go really bad! Having your downrigger clutches adjusted properly is something you should do at the beginning of the season in your driveway. It is pretty easy to adjust the Scotty's, make sure you adjust it to your heaviest weight in case you switch around.

HiTech

Are you speaking from a persoanl experience you'd care to share? Heh..heh!

 

[twisted lines]

Twisted Lines...interesting. With all the weight we put in these boats, I'm surprised there was extra room inside the bench seat for a battery. I thought they were all made to be filled completely with foam. Good idea on the tee nuts.

The front and rear were stuffed, and the center had just enough room for a box & Battery I put a lid in the top and a plug on one side just because.