downrigger mounts

ralphl

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 2, 2010
Messages
223
curious as to where most find a solid place to mount a downrigger on a pontoon. did yon make a custom mount or use a commercial one
 

MSGTRETIREDCSP

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Sep 21, 2010
Messages
38
Re: downrigger mounts

I've been thinking of installing a downrigger on my boat as well. I can't tell you anything about the installation, but will watch this thread to see what others have done.
 

ralphl

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 2, 2010
Messages
223
Re: downrigger mounts

admin, should we move this to fishing??
 

tunes

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 26, 2008
Messages
34
Re: downrigger mounts

Hi I took two heavy pieces of aluminum angle 3 inch. Sandwiched the rail then took another plate on either side of the rail and made angles on the bottom to bolt to the side and the deck. Took alot of figuring to try and come up with a place. Even at that you hang a weight and I think you could major damage to the rail. Trying to come up with something to mount on a toon is a real poser. I have two storage compartments on the back of mine and thought about mounting them to the lids. But there again if stick the weight, look out. Also my downriggers have the flexible boom, I think the ones that have the rigid boom would put more stress on the rail.
 

ralphl

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 2, 2010
Messages
223
Re: downrigger mounts

I made a plate that seems to work, will post pics later. as to a hang up, I tie my weight on with a short piece of 20 lb mono, about 6 in. It will give before the rail goes and I would rather lose a 10$ weight than replace a rail.
 

Jeff-in-PA

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
402
Re: downrigger mounts

DCP_3961.jpg


2 x 8 bolted down to the framework of the rear storage bins and also lag bolted into the ends of the side panels.
 

mt_bulldawg

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 18, 2008
Messages
37
Re: downrigger mounts

I went down to the shop and made a couple mounts. A flat base on the bottom which bolts thru the top of the bottom rail. That was welded to square tubing that has another flat base on the top - which bolts into the top of the upper rail. Then I mounted my downrigger swivel base on it and I'm set. I knew I couldn't just mount a base thru one of the top rails - they wouldn't be able to handle that kind of stress and torque - but these work very well with top and bottom rail mount. And they get tested last summer - I was fishing 130 feet and all of a sudden I was in 40 feet. Broke one downrigger line and both downriggers were bounding hard - but the mounts held - not even a dimple in the siding and no twist or anything in the rails.
 

ralphl

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 2, 2010
Messages
223
Re: downrigger mounts

MT Bulldawg, sounds like you were fishing Flathead... Any way you can post a pic??
 

mt_bulldawg

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 18, 2008
Messages
37
Re: downrigger mounts

I've got a pic or two taken with phone but I don't have photobucket or anything like that.

Oh, and yeah, it was Flathead.
 
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