What's The "g O" With Down Riggers?

[GregL]

Looking at accessories for a new boat, wanted to run dual downriggers off the back.

I have a few questions as I have only used them a few times on other peoples boats.

What's the better brand, I have only seen Cannon and Scotty, is there any better?

Manual or electric?

Electric models, what sort of power cable do they need?

I'd like to run power cables under the gunwales for downriggers and electric reels before delivery.....

Can the big ones be run on detachable mounts?

thanks for your help!

G

[nemu]

You've not said what circumstances that you'll be fishing but if this is for the boat you told us about you really only need one I'd say and I'd go for the one that would retrieve quickest Penn made them also and they are detachable they all detachable but I dont like using them for live baiting marlin myself because I think they can be a hinderence with tangles and problems with keeping on a bait school but that is me and someone else might say otherwise.Come fishing with us and see how we do it .Regards emu

[Mik]

Hey Greg

Mate I bought 2 downriggers for my new boat & they were manual. They were from an unknown brandname that basically looked almost exactly like the one below but its not that brand. Anyway, I had this great idea that I would rig them electric. They guy I bought them off was supposed to be arranging motors & a kit to convert them but its been a slow year on the camel trail apparently!

Anyway, in eager anticipation for the arrival of said motors I had a sparky run cable & switches to my dashboard. We fish two up often so the added hassle of having to worry about who winds up the downrigger when a strike comes was gonna be a shootout at 5 paces, until the sparky came up with this idea.

Switches are designed with three positions, centre is off, up retreives the bomb & it is a stay in position up so you just flick it once & up she comes while you continue to drive the boat & give your brother in law all manner of encouragement

The downrigger mentioned has a clutch system so when the bomb has reached the top the clutch will slip allowing the motor to keep running without breaking anything. When you remember you just flick the switch back to centre & off until you bro-in-law has landed moby dick & away you go again.

The down position drops the bomb but the switch is set to return to centre & off unless you hold it on. This is designed so you can't start lowering the bomb & forget about it. Once you get to the depth you're set.

This is all great in theory, however as I'm still waiting for my motors & kits I dunno how good it is

I love the idea of the ones you can connect to your sounder so they track the bottom. That's sweet. Check it out! Humminbird

As far as I know you can get them detachable base type in most brands. Mine are rod holder mounted but I will convert them to removable block mounts one day.

The cable the sparky ran was 80amp but it would largely depend on what draw your downrigger motor has. 30 would probably have been sufficient but I don't do things in half measures (Except of course my efforts in washing dishes when I'm playing bachelor!)

Edited September 3, 2008 by Boofhead

[VA911]

Scotty electric all the way.

only need 12v but 6mm cable is preferable. They do draw a bit of current.

yes they are detachable

Edited September 5, 2008 by VA911