Scotty Orca rod holders?

The newest Orcas are way better, and can be used on each side.
Stosh
 
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I like them. Less experienced users can get the rod out of the holder much more easily. I noticed early in the game that they don't always close completely. A good firm bump is needed for the jaws to close properly so they are touching. I wonder if that was the cause of the various experiences recounted here of Orcas popping open when the fish strikes. It's never happened to me.
 
There gone back top strikers. I dont like them and one popped open yesterday. I faced them correct way. Bad design.

I'm in the same boat. Destroyed the cork on the handles of my Fenwick HMX's and have had multiple instances of them popping open when dropping line, when trolling and when turning. Each time it's happened, it's been with the hinged side facing forward ironically.

This year I switched over to the plain old Rocket Launcher's, I prefer them over the Orca's. I love the design and the idea behind the Orca's, I'm just not sold on them.

If anyone has any troubleshooting or modification suggestions, I'd love to hear them before I give up on them. Otherwise, I have a pair for sale.
 
No problems with the newest version and like them for getting the rod out and in hands quickly. The older version did open up but not the newest ones.
 
No problems with the newest version and like them for getting the rod out and in hands quickly. The older version did open up but not the newest ones.

I am happy to hear that you haven't had any issues but humbly disagree. Mine are the new version (less than 8 months old) and I have had the problem of them opening slightly under tension as well as unexpectedly popping open and dropping my rod into the water on 4 occasions. That's a potentially expensive 'oops' to forgive and forget about.
 
One of the stupidest thing
Do the new ones still chew up the rod corks ?

Yes. Another reason I turfed them. This is my take. My 9 year old has hard time pulling rods out of those holders. It clamps way to tight for him. There are no instructions about hinge positions. You should just put a note in the box that say log onto SFBC forum and search scotty orcas. Why not make a right and left side instead of trying to save money, and make it clear?

I already had a rod/reel go over which could have been a $500.00 mistake which was huge red flag. The cork on my rods are now chewed up. To me that is bad design. Scotty does very good down riggers just I am not a fan of these holders.

So I will stick with the strikers.
 
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I will add only use the Orca's for trolling for salmon. I use the Striker for Halibut but hate how hard it is to get the nrods out when they are under full sideways tension from a larger hali....especially with a longer butt section on the rods. I use 9' Trophy bucktial rods for trolling and the butt sections are only about 8 inches long which I prefer...the Orca's work best for me with these rods. I still have the tubes on the booms but not enough butt section in the tubes and I can see snapping off a rod would only be a matter of time.
 
My choices - Strikers for Halibut, newest Orcas (without white ring) for trolling salmon with single action reels. I use an extension on my downrigger booms and tilt the Orca rod holders back until they lean on the cover of my downriggers. When I had the older Orcas, I did cover the rods with tape to protect the cork.
My 2 cents
Stosh
 
My choices - Strikers for Halibut, newest Orcas (without white ring) for trolling salmon with single action reels. I use an extension on my downrigger booms and tilt the Orca rod holders back until they lean on the cover of my downriggers. When I had the older Orcas, I did cover the rods with tape to protect the cork.
My 2 cents
Stosh

We run similar. Any pics? Curious to see your tilt. Wait, what? No but seriously pics
 
RiverBoy
Here's a picture. The Orca allows me to use the rod butt cushions on the rods.
 

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Thanks Stosh. Similar but my extension is straight up and down. I like the idea of having more rod inboard. Side note: hard to tell from pic , but is that rigger on your second pic on the port side of your boat and just rotated inward? If so, wouldn't the holder be in he position prone to opening?
 
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