Need help mounting a downrigger

[xeddog]

I have just acquired two Scotty 1091 downriggers and, of course, would like to mount them on my boat. My boat is a 1987 Beachcraft 215c. If I remember correctly, Beachcraft was owned by Reinell at the time so the names are interchangeable. Anyway, the gunwales on the boat are pretty narrow as you can see in the pictures.

I have thought about replacing the wooden step with a wider one, but there are problems with that. The current step is just under 3" wide, and the mounting bases for the downriggers is 5 5/8" square. So the problems are 1) If the extra width is outboard I cannot put up any canvas in that area, and the gunwale probably could not handle the torquing forces from the downrigger either. 2) If the extra width is added INboard, then the seat gets pretty crowded, and I still have the torque problem. 3) If I split the difference then I have all of the problems.

I am thinking about something like in the last picture with the replacement step attached to a vertical board which is then attached to both the gunwale and the interior sidewall. This will help with the torque somewhat, but the sidewall is only 3/8" plywood so it probably won't help a whole lot. It does, though, seem like my "least bad" option.

I really don't have any other alternative locations that I can think of. This may be the strongest place I have to mount anything. The way the top of the transom is designed leaves me no place at all to mount anything. So if anyone has a similar mounting dilemma, and could post some pictures of your resolution, I would really appreciate it.

Any and all suggestions welcome.

Thanks,

Wayne

 

[gdombroski]

Re: Need help mounting a downrigger

I fish a lot and see alot of downriggers mounted. Never saw one mounted that far forward. Normally mounted as far back as possible so when you turn you lines don't go under the boat. You'll loose a lot of tackle that far forward and get alot of line in the props. Plus the gunwale normally gets wider farther back.

 

[Andy'sDelight]

Re: Need help mounting a downrigger

Your downriggers should be where the rear bench cushion is. You will have all sorts of issues if you mount them forward as already mentioned above. Maybe cut off some cushion in the back and you might already have an easily mountable platform. Unfortunately your boat wasn't designed for hardcore fishing with downriggers in mind.

 

[xeddog]

Re: Need help mounting a downrigger

Thanks for the replies. I am aware of the problems mounting the down riggers so far forward, but as much as I would like to mount the down-riggers back there I don't think it is possible/practical on this boat. Here are a couple more shots of the boat. The first looking back along the port side toward the stern, and second a shot looking down on the rear corner with the down rigger mounting plate laying on the transom cover so you can see the problem better.

The pictures probably show the problems better than I can explain, but there are several reasons why I don't think I can mount the down riggers back there. The gunwale stays narrow all the way back. The transom cap is probably even narrower and I think it is weaker than the gunwale. It would be difficult to beef up the rear corner given the way it is all molded back there, plus the seat back is hinged so it can be swung up to access storage, batteries, and the stowed canvas. That is why I was considering replacing the footsteps. Far from being ideal for sure, but maybe my only practical option.

Wayne

 

[LongLine]

Re: Need help mounting a downrigger

I would make some kind of a stepped bracket out of thick aluminum that mounts to your gunwale and goes up over that rear tansom piece on both sides. Then mount a removable 2x8 board across the whole width of the boat to those brackets. Mount your rigg'rs to the board. The brackets would need fairly heavy & long backing plates underneath. (The same equipment you used to cut the plywood will cut aluminum with no problem as long as you cut slower than you would with wood)

Tom B.
(LongLine)

 

[LongLine]

Re: Need help mounting a downrigger

Here's kind of what I'm talking about:

Bracket only has to be 2" wide. Attach board with nutted thumb screws & washer. Do a desent job on the brackets & they'll look like they belong on the boat. ie bevel, shine, wax etc. (Use stainless screws)

Tom B.
(LongLine)

 

[xeddog]

Re: Need help mounting a downrigger

Longline -

I see what you are talking about. I had thought of something like that and thought it to be quite a kluster ^%$#, but then again, I don't have any "clean" options so whatever I do is going to be one anyway.

One other thing I have considered is building some "mini swim platforms". Create some small but strong brackets and mount it outside the boat with some good backing inside the transom.

Wayne

 

[Bondo]

Re: Need help mounting a downrigger

Ayuh,.... Move the cleat back,+ mount the downrigger right There...

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Need help mounting a downrigger

Use one of these, the pic shows it upside down, it slides into a flush mount rod holder.



http://www.fishusa.com/Cannon-Downrigger-Gimbal-Mount_p.html

You should have enough room for a rod holder like this.

http://www.iboats.com/Seasense-Rod-...3292142--**********.594477856--view_id.341023

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Need help mounting a downrigger

I agree, no clean way to put them on with the narrow gunwale.

But, can't you just drill a couple different mounting holes in the plates and bolt them down centered on the gunwale, maybe offset so you don't bump into them sliding down the rail?

 

[xeddog]

Re: Need help mounting a downrigger

Bond-o - That is an idea alrighty. I could move the cleat but I still have the problem of the narrow gunwale and the torque created by the down rigger. I guess I could then make the combo top/side mount like I talked about in my original post. I will definitely look into that more.

ondarvr - I don't think the gunwale is wide enough to install one of those flush mount rod holders. If it did happen to fit, I could only put it on one side because I have electrical cabling and controls on the other side. Even on the side shown I would have to re-route a few electrical cables, but that would be the least of the problems.

fishrdan - I would have to make a new base plate. Also not a major problem, but I still have the torque problem and the "weak" gunwale.

Just for info purposes here, The Scotty 1091 down riggers are probably too large for the boat, certainly to big for the gunwales, but the price was just unbeatable. Two of them NIB for less than $200. The 1091 has the optional Scotty 1026 16 position swivel pedestal mount. They have extendable booms that go from 30" to 60", so even with the boom retracted all the way it is still pretty long and would put a lot of stress on my narrow gunwales. Any hangup with the ball and I could potentially bust the %$#@ out of my gunwale. The mounting plate is 5 5/8" square and the mounting holes for the base plate are a rectangular pattern 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" center-to-center. The gunwale is only 3" wide. Outboard of those holes are some that are on approximately 4 5/8" centers and have a SS self locking nut in the bottom. This is what the pedestal would bolt on to.

Onto the base plate goes the pedestal which adds 3 1/2" in height, and it has a 5 5/8" top and bottom plate. It has 4 mounting knobs with 1/4" bolts sticking out that go through holes in the bottom plate of the pedestal and into the base plate on the 4 5/8" centered holes. Then onto the top of the pedestal goes the down rigger itself. There are 4 more holes in a rectangular pattern that are 1 5/8" and 3 3/4" center-to-center. The down rigger mounts onto this piece via a 5/16 x 5 1/2" bolt with a knob on one end. Difficult to explain so maybe the pictures will help.

• All parts.jpg - shows all the parts that came with the Down rigger for mounting
• Base Plate.jpg - is the part that has to be bolted down to something.
• Pedestal.jpg - is what goes on top of the base plate above.
• Tilt.jpg - is the last piece that gets bolted to the top of the pedestal with the screws shown. It sets into a recess in . . .
• Bottom of Down Rigger.jpg and is held in place by the long bolt.

These are the parts that came with it. I will probably wind up making my own base plate and not using the pedestal, but I would at least like to try it out. Another option would be to fore go both the base plate and the pedestal and just use the tilt thing bolted directly to the gunwale. It would fit, but the down rigger would be facing straight back and would not be movable. I would also lose the tilt-up feature, and I don't know if that is a minor thing or a major thing. I would guess minor.

Well that's it for now. SWMBO is getting tired of me being on the puter all day. Time for a meal and some tv.

Thanks to all,

Wayne

 

[bigbad 4cyl x2]

Re: Need help mounting a downrigger

check out this site . ;http://www.shopatron.com/products/p...RIGHT/part_number=MF2957/646.0.1.1.0.0.0.0.0? ; and then one of these ;http://www.shopatron.com/products/p...+Base/part_number=MF2980/646.0.1.1.0.0.0.0.0?

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Need help mounting a downrigger

I have Scotty, Penn and lake System downriggers and several boats that I use them on, each has a different mounting system.

Try this, it mounts on the inside of the gunwales.


http://www.westmarine.com/1/1/14421-right-angle-side-gunwale-mount.html

 

[bigbad 4cyl x2]

Re: Need help mounting a downrigger

and those tracs can be turned into good looking step pads with this ;http://www.shopatron.com/products/category/646.0.1.1.25581.0.0.0.0 ; its what im going to use . but i like that think in the above post too