Big Boards

[Tom S.]

Need some help rom those of you that run the mast type boards. My boards run almost perfect until I get into about 3 footers. Then they run very unpredictable. They won't keep the tow lines tight. Should the outside board be set to run a little ahead of the inside, or is there some other adjustment I can make? Thanks in advance for you help guys and gals!

[4-given]

I'm a little confused. Are you running 2 big boards on the same side of the boat? Duane

[Marble Eyes]

Maybe I am not understanding your questions, but when I get into that kind of situation with mine, two things are happening.

One, the Wave is catching the Planar lines and pulling back and slowing it and dragging in the Board. The other is that your speed is varying, especially in a small boat.

Because I run a small boat, I just bring in the boards closer, until the waves don't catch the planar line or the slop is out of the line.

[Gumbo]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-09-01 AT 02:50PM (CST)[p]Are you using homemade boards/skiis? Most store-bought ones are offset maybe 5". But that distance is fixed, at least on mine. The only thing you can change is where on the board you connect the tow line (forward or aft to adjust how they track).

As for keeping the tow line tight, I set mine so that they surge, lag, repeat. If you want your boards to track as smoothly as possible, get Otter Boats. But personally, I like the action of surging boards.

[theo]

the outside board should be about 6 or 8 in ahead of the inside bd.try moving your line snap ring around after you get your outside bd adjusted it will let you run your bds in any size waves (whatever size YOU can take or your boat) this will also keep your planer lines tighter and they will run better for you.it doesn,t hurt for thtem to surge back and forth it gives the lures a litle more action.

[BD]

These are the large double boards used with a mast. They are not the in-line boards you are thinking of. Each board and the line attaching it to the mast can have several fishing lines trolled from it. The fishing lines are released from the board setup when there is a fish on so you fight and land the fish without the drag or bother of unhooking the in-line board. The releases I used when I fished the big pond would slide along the planer line. When you hooked a fish on an outside line you played it off the back of the boat. When ready you could then let the inner lines out to outside positions and set another release with an inside line.

[BD]

P.S. Think of it this way. Take an in-line board and make it ten times bigger, then attach it to another big board so there is about a foot of space between them.

[Tom S.]

I guess my info was incomplete. I have the homemade double ski type boards. I run them off of my 24 ft. Thompson. At times, one board will lag behind or be forward and turning toward the boat. I will try moving the outside board forward and the other suggestions you guys have given. Thanks again.