dual planer board system

[JohnL]

I would like to experiment with a dual planer board system for my 18 foot boat. I have seen plans to build the boards. The mast and reel set-ups, however, are obviously very expensive. Anyone have any alternatives to the expensive reels? homemade? used/reconditioned? What have other people done?
JohnL

[Mr T]

I used to own a Cannon mast with dual reels. Unlike most of Cannons products, the planer board mast was not very well thought out. The mast would slip around in it's base when you cranked on the reels and the knobs would come off the reel axle and fall over the side. Cannon sent me some improved replacement parts but it was a Micky Mouse set up and I finally sold it and went to in line boards by Church Tackle. So........if you find a used mast and dual reels great! Just avoid Cannon. They make great downriggers, but lousy planer board masts and reels. I'm not even sure if they still make them. A friend had a Big Jon mast and it seemed to be top quality. He liked it. Hope that helps.

[chuck jones]

We made our own mast & purchased big John reels. Our mast is set up to be attached 1 on each side of the boat. We have a cuddy so we don't have a large mast in front. We purchased pulleys from a boat shop to run the line from the top of masts.
What do u plan on using as tow line?
You might want to try weed wacker line, about 150#
it will let the releases slide well and acts as a shock absorber for the boards a little. They only thing wrong is that it has memory.

[Redskin]

I have a home made mast that I've used for years. Get a 6 foot piece of PVC that can fit over your front seat pedestal. I think mine is 2 1/2 inch. Stabilize it with rope off of your front cleats/bow eye. I don't use reels - simply some 1x4's with a "V" cut out to wind the line around (free hand) - I then attach it to an eye bolt at the top of the mast. Since the only time you typically let line out or bring it in is to start or stop your day its really no big deal. Hope this helps..

[goldie]

we made our mast out of aluminized exaust 1"3/4 or 2" whatever it takes to fit into a detachable seat mount. we used two empty line spools made a handle out of alum. we also made colapsable boards.the whole setup cost about $40
they work great

[Xplorer]

John,
I just got done making my own board mast this weekend. I used schedule 80 PVC for the mast. Mine fits inside the front pedestal post,secured with a 3/8" bolt thru post and mast for stability (I drilled the hole higher on the post so it would be covered up when the seat was on it). Eyebolts at the top end. For line reels I used a pair of old movie reels. Mounted them to the mast with 5/16" bolts with a nut and a few fender washers as spacers. Wingnut to tighten down reel. Screwed a 4" piece of wood dowl to movie reel for a handle. My neighbor has a 26' lake superior boat and said they should work great. Will spool up each side with 150' of planer board line. I got the reels for free from an AV department at a school. I was hoping for 8" reels but all they had were the 12", which will work fine.
Now if this weather will just cooperate so I can get out on Superior to try it out!! We just got about 4" of snow this morning, YUCK!! Good luck and let me know if you have any questions. Xplorer

[Doc]

John, The previous post are mostly correct, whichever way you choose, to build or buy, it is very important to have a pulley and a spring at the top of the mast, the big dual boards pull real hard and in waves will truly test the tow line. I feel the reel option is important because if you are on fish you will need to retrive the releases. I personaly have a Willie mast and homemade boards witch work great. On my friends 22' cabin boat we Mikey Moused a rubber strap/tow line and it works very good also, but to get the releases back we coil the line at our feet. We have to be careful upon the reseting of the boards so there are no knots as that will stop the release from
sliding. I saw a post in the classifieds at W.C. for the whole set up, may want to check it out. Making the boards is easy all you need is some 1x6 pine, some threaded (1/4-20) rod, some nylon nuts, a skill or a table saw, a drill and 2 eye bolts, and some flat washers,etc.

[Rapala-Dude]

does anybody have an e-mail address or a pnone number for the willie? We broke a handle off during a tournament last fall. Thanks

[Xplorer]

Good point Doc,
The boards will create alot of pull on the line. My neighbor suggested that I experiment with a 12" dipsey snubber to absorb some of the shock, especially in rougher water. I am making a set of single board's this weekend and will experiment with the snubber.

[Gunga Din]

LAST EDITED ON Apr-04-01 AT 09:07AM (CST)[p]Forget the snubber. You want your boards to jerk, go slack, jerk, go slack. This imparts great action to the baits. We always hope for a good chop when using the big boards.

Also, buy a bunch of the releases. That way you don't have to pull the boards in but a few times during the day to collect them.