Downrigger boom for port side

[gungadin]

Over the past couple of years, I have had two downrigger rod holders crack, with one snap and the rod going over the side. Always on the port side. I have attributed the breakage to the difference in the direction of force on the clamp assembly. On the starboard side the force when trolling seems to be forcing the clamp tighter into the adjustment grooves, while on the port side the force is actually pulling the two pieces and the grooves apart. The load is fairly evenly distributed on the starboard side but concentrated on the lower section of the clamp on the port. I have concluded that this is one of the contributing causes to the breakage.

In an effort to mitigate this condition, I have rotated the boom on the port side 180 degrees so that now the clamp is on the same side as the starboard side, both are now on the front side of the downrigger. I also rotated the line guide 180 degrees as well. This seems to work fine, but I may need to put another line guide on to stop line rub.

My only concern is that the boom extension clamp lightener is now facing downwards, not really a problem as I have used a lock nut to make sure the bolt doesn't back out. I would like to turn it 180 degrees so that it is back on top, but don't know how to remove it. How do you separate the sliding extension from the fixed section of the boom?

 

[RiverBoy]

You're freaking me out. Being a lefty, I fish my rod on the port side always. Just got a new islander and a decent rod to boot. Would hate to see that go in the drink. I noticed this same problem as well. There appears to be excessive strain on the base of the boom rod holder. To boot, I run Scotty orcas as rod holders off the boom. I run the orca on the port side upside down, so I closes on itself, as opposed to trying to open itself

 

[walleyes]

I think you might want to back off on the tension on your rod some,, I mean there is only as much tension on it as you choose to put on it.. That takes a lot of tension to break that assembly.. I don't know what type of rods you run either might want to look at longer rods,, I just don't know. Or possibly you are over tightening the set screw and causing a crack in it. Just sounds odd to me.

 

[Bait&Sea]

What Make/Model downriggers?

 

[gungadin]

What Make/Model downriggers?

I use two Scotty 1106 downriggers, with 15lb finned cannonballs, 1 rod per side, and anywhere up to 300ft down, in fairly strong tidal action. Rods l use vary from 9 to 11 ft, drag is set for playing the fish and l use downrigger grips to prevent the line from being pulled out while trolling. Trolling speed over land varies with the tide. As high as 8km/hr with the tide, and sometimes backwards againt the tide.

It has only happened on the port side, never on the starboard. The only variant was the location of the rod holder.