I just bought a new 18' North River Mariner and am considering how to
mount downriggers. The boat has 1-1/4" rails all around and no good
flat spot on the gunwales to fasten a mounting plate. Scotty's is the
only manufacturer I could find that has a downrigger mount for this
size rail that I could find. Anyone have any experience with this
kind of setup or have an additional idea?
thanks,
bob

"bobl" wrote in message
...
I just bought a new 18' North River Mariner and am considering how to
mount downriggers. The boat has 1-1/4" rails all around and no good
flat spot on the gunwales to fasten a mounting plate. Scotty's is the
only manufacturer I could find that has a downrigger mount for this
size rail that I could find. Anyone have any experience with this
kind of setup or have an additional idea?
thanks,
bob


I have a 21' Jetcraft but it does not have rails all the way around. I
mount on the flat spot on the gunnel where the rail ends.. The ones with
rails I have seen, have a L shaped flat on top plate welded between the rail
and the gunnel. Do not think I would mount to the rail only. Lots of
torque when the ball gets hung up, or a big jelly fish is caught on the
wire. Would be the same with a lot of weeds.
Bill

"Calif Bill" wrote in message link.net...
"bobl" wrote in message
...
I just bought a new 18' North River Mariner and am considering how to
mount downriggers. The boat has 1-1/4" rails all around and no good
flat spot on the gunwales to fasten a mounting plate. Scotty's is the
only manufacturer I could find that has a downrigger mount for this
size rail that I could find. Anyone have any experience with this
kind of setup or have an additional idea?
thanks,
bob


I have a 21' Jetcraft but it does not have rails all the way around. I
mount on the flat spot on the gunnel where the rail ends.. The ones with
rails I have seen, have a L shaped flat on top plate welded between the rail
and the gunnel. Do not think I would mount to the rail only. Lots of
torque when the ball gets hung up, or a big jelly fish is caught on the
wire. Would be the same with a lot of weeds.
Bill

Torque? How does it twist around it's long axis? Perhaps you meant a large moment?

"basskisser" wrote in message
m...
"Calif Bill" wrote in message
link.net...
"bobl" wrote in message
...
I just bought a new 18' North River Mariner and am considering how to
mount downriggers. The boat has 1-1/4" rails all around and no good
flat spot on the gunwales to fasten a mounting plate. Scotty's is the
only manufacturer I could find that has a downrigger mount for this
size rail that I could find. Anyone have any experience with this
kind of setup or have an additional idea?
thanks,
bob


I have a 21' Jetcraft but it does not have rails all the way around. I
mount on the flat spot on the gunnel where the rail ends.. The ones
with
rails I have seen, have a L shaped flat on top plate welded between the
rail
and the gunnel. Do not think I would mount to the rail only. Lots of
torque when the ball gets hung up, or a big jelly fish is caught on the
wire. Would be the same with a lot of weeds.
Bill

Torque? How does it twist around it's long axis? Perhaps you meant a large
moment?

No, I meant torque. A long trailer tongue will get you a large moment.
When you hang up a ball, that torque is translated into spinning the
attachment to the rail. Down rigger, rod holder. Or ripping the downrigger
off the boat. Same as the torque on a head bolt. Even if it is not moving
the torque wrench torques the crap out of the bolt.

"basskisser" wrote in message
m...


Torque? How does it twist around it's long axis? Perhaps you meant a large
moment?


All the textbooks that I have dealt with use torque and moment synonymously.
In practice, it is common to use "torque" when a rotation is expected, such
as with a shaft or bolt and "moment" when the load is static, such as the
loading of a beam. They both have identical units.

I would have expected a professional engineer to be able to use the terms
interchangeably.

Rod McInnis

On Sun, 21 Dec 2003 17:12:09 +0000, bobl wrote:

I just bought a new 18' North River Mariner and am considering how to
mount downriggers. The boat has 1-1/4" rails all around and no good
flat spot on the gunwales to fasten a mounting plate. Scotty's is the
only manufacturer I could find that has a downrigger mount for this
size rail that I could find. Anyone have any experience with this
kind of setup or have an additional idea?
thanks,
bob

Well, first, you can't go wrong with a Scotty downrigger - they're the
Best (and built in BC!).

Sounds like you'll probably need to make a platform. My 12ft Mirrocraft
has an ugly but sturdy welded-steel platform for the downrigger (Far Cove
has a wide enough gunwale to have it mounted there). Bill made a Good
Point about the torque that happens when you catch on the bottom, but you
have to temper how much you want your cannonball with how much you like
your gunwale. Best to have a plastic snap (the "weakest link") to attach
the cannonball, so if you get stuck, that's all you lose.

Lloyd Sumpter
"Far Cove" Catalina 36

If your "only" problem is with the rounded shape of the gunwale...then you
might consider using "Bondo" ( auto body putty) to fill in the gaps. It is
available with fiberglass shards mixed in for additional strength.

I'm considering doing something similar on a Carolina Skiff, to mount the
trolling motor.

Basically, I have a flat wooden board ( the mounting board), onto which I
will mount the trolling motor. The mounting board needs to be bolted to the
bow of the boat. The surface of the bow is irregular, since part of it is
the flattened gunwale and part of it is a slightly lower front deck. The
angles, at which these two points join, are complicated and made even more
interesting....since the bow starts to round off at the very point on which
I intend to mount the trolling motor.

I will make up the mounting board; drill it and dry fit it into place.
Remove it..mound up putty all around the area that I need "flattened"; pour
a large gob of Bondo in..and set my flat mounting board into the Bondo. The
Bondo should fill in all of the crevices. A little smoothing before it sets
up, and I hope to have a filleted, smooth and molded appearing trolling
motor mounting.

RichG
http://groups.msn.com/CarolinaSkiffOwners


On Sun, 21 Dec 2003 17:12:09 +0000, bobl wrote:

I just bought a new 18' North River Mariner and am considering how to
mount downriggers. The boat has 1-1/4" rails all around and no good
flat spot on the gunwales to fasten a mounting plate. Scotty's is the
only manufacturer I could find that has a downrigger mount for this
size rail that I could find. Anyone have any experience with this
kind of setup or have an additional idea?
thanks,
bob

Just buy a removable motor mount from Cabelas, Bass Pro etc. Then shim with
the rubber washers they supply. Then when done boating, slide the motor off
and put in the garage.
Bill

"RG" wrote in message
...
If your "only" problem is with the rounded shape of the gunwale...then you
might consider using "Bondo" ( auto body putty) to fill in the gaps. It
is
available with fiberglass shards mixed in for additional strength.

I'm considering doing something similar on a Carolina Skiff, to mount the
trolling motor.

Basically, I have a flat wooden board ( the mounting board), onto which I
will mount the trolling motor. The mounting board needs to be bolted to
the
bow of the boat. The surface of the bow is irregular, since part of it is
the flattened gunwale and part of it is a slightly lower front deck. The
angles, at which these two points join, are complicated and made even more
interesting....since the bow starts to round off at the very point on
which
I intend to mount the trolling motor.

I will make up the mounting board; drill it and dry fit it into place.
Remove it..mound up putty all around the area that I need "flattened";
pour
a large gob of Bondo in..and set my flat mounting board into the Bondo.
The
Bondo should fill in all of the crevices. A little smoothing before it
sets
up, and I hope to have a filleted, smooth and molded appearing trolling
motor mounting.

RichG
http://groups.msn.com/CarolinaSkiffOwners


On Sun, 21 Dec 2003 17:12:09 +0000, bobl wrote:

I just bought a new 18' North River Mariner and am considering how to
mount downriggers. The boat has 1-1/4" rails all around and no good
flat spot on the gunwales to fasten a mounting plate. Scotty's is the
only manufacturer I could find that has a downrigger mount for this
size rail that I could find. Anyone have any experience with this
kind of setup or have an additional idea?
thanks,
bob