Need help/advice for 14' Harbercraft fishing setup.

[sachehache]

Hey everyone, first post on here as a member!

I just picked up a 14' harbercraft aluminum boat with a 9.9 merc. from my neighbour for a really good deal. He gave me a brand new manual downrigger with it and I'm just wondering if anybody has any experience mounting downriggers on small aluminum boats like this one. I want to fish the breakwater, off vic golf course, sidney etc. There is a pic. of the boat below...I was thinking of mounting it on the back aluminum triangle, but I'm not sure if thats strong enough or if if I will need to reinforce. If anyone has any experience with anything like this I would appreciate any advice or some pics showing your setup!


Also, as a side note what size/weight cannon balls should I be using?

Thanks!

 

[Seafever]

I would not put them on the corner triangle plates.

Move them up to the front of the seat metal. (The bench with the seat on it).

It pretty easy to get some metal brackets made and mount them to that.....for strength.

Like this.....

Having that extra gunwale support strap right beside it helps too.....( on this one the strap came with the boat though).

 

[scobo]

I did almost the same as seafever on all my small alum boats. My difference is that I had a bigger bend and mounted the bottom part of the bracket onto the side of the boat, not the seat. It wouldn't be as strong as above but worked just fine. I tried the gunnel mounts that the scotty bases screw into and didn't like that setup at all. the rigger bounced too much, so back to the almost identical mount as pictured above. I used up to 12lbers without problems but more commonly 10lbers but really depends on how big of arms you want working the manual as I think most can handle up to 15lbs. I used pancake weights to make up for the smaller weights.

 

[sachehache]

Seafeaver that looks like a great setup and from what scobo reaffirmed, it is a popular one too! Did you do that yourself Seafever or did you get that done at a shop? I don't have the tools or expertise to fabricate something like that hahah!!

 

[Dogbreath]

A friend of mine has a similar mount for his 14' Lund it's reinforced by some leftover plywood looks a little ghetto but he uses it mostly on the Fraser so it fits right in.

 

[Big Green Machine]

Here's a couple options, one do it yourself cheap, the other involves a bit of money

 

[eaglemaniac]

http://www.scotty.com/fishing-gear-equipment/downrigger-mounting-systems/1021.htm

Hey sach Scotty makes this mount for aluminum boats, works fine. eman

 

[Big Green Machine]

http://www.scotty.com/fishing-gear-equipment/downrigger-mounting-systems/1021.htm

Hey sach Scotty makes this mount for aluminum boats, works fine. eman

I had a similar mount on my 12 foot Princecraft and when using a 15 pound ball, the gunnel would still bend and I even had it mounted near the middle seat where there was a bracket for reinforcement. Probably depends on hull gage.

 

[sachehache]

Eagle, I originally looked at that option before posting on this form but was sceptical and scuba said the same thing. Do you have em' mounted on a small tinny or on a larger aluminum boat? Also, I think that the best idea guys is definitely the two metal brackets mounted to the seat. Does anybody know someone who could make this up for me (Big Green Machine or Seafarer)? please PM me if anybody knows of anyone or if you any of guys would want to do it

 

[eaglemaniac]

I used mine on a 12 ft. Lund for over 20 years and had no issues. I put a small block of hardwood under the clamps, it added more sturdiness. I only used 12 lb. balls though as reeling up a 15 er is to much work.I've seen lots of mounts of all types and they work fine as well. Good Luck. eman