homemade planer mast

[Randy K]

Does anyone know how, or halve plans for building your own planer board mast???????
Thanks,
RKowal1250@aol.com

[Redskin]

I've been using a home made planer board mast for many years. I simply use a 6 ft section of PVC pipe that will fit your seat post, drill holes at the top for eye bolts. I use the front seat post for the base and stabilize the mast about 30 in. up with ropes tied off of the front anchor cleats (they're behind the front seat post) and a third rope off the very front of the boat. (I was able to run a line under the front nose cap on my PrinceCraft.) I chose not to get fancy with line reels etc in order to make the mast very stowable so that I could rig anytime, anywhere. It's very simple and it works. I simply use wooden line winders (home made again) for the trolling ski line and tie the line to the eye bolts. Again simple but effective...

[SeaCat]

I have rigged one up that sounds similar to Redskin's.

It also uses a 6' piece of PVC -- two different thicknesses available, get the thicker wall stuff for durability. I drilled it and installed eye bolts at the top as line guides and then capped it to keep out the water. I then have two rail mount style Big Jon planer reels mounted at 3' high.

Where mine differs is that I had an extra taper lock seat pedistal around. Just the right diameter to let the PVC slip over the top. With the seat pedistal going up about 15 inches, it is very rigid.

Ryan

[Homer]

My homemade mast was similar to the other two, except that I used a 5' section of galvanized fence post instead of PVC pipe. It fit right over the pedestal seat base and worked like a charm.

[Fin Addict]

I had a homemade unit which I made from Stainless rods with a pair of pulleys on top. Simply wound the line on stainless pegs either side of the unit. Turned on a metal lathe, a custom plug to fit into a seat base, out of aluminum. Unit worked nice but I picked up a Cannon mast on closeout very cheap. LOVE THOSE REELS! If you make your own, be sure to make it high enough so the releases will slide down easily. Personally I would look for a used store bought version. Seems like a lot of guys get these and never really figure them out or find they are in the way.