Mounting downriggers to fiberglass

[paulie]

So i just bought the boat I've always wanted, a Warrior Eagle 1890. Besides being absolutely stoked this is also my first fiberglass boat and I'm hoping to mount the Cannon Uni troll 10's I have from my old boat. My concern is that the obvious place to mount them is on the gunnels and since they are rounded I'd like to know if I have to get something fabricated to compensate for this because I can't find anything commercial. Also, what kind of reinforcement do I need under the gunnels to support the bases and downriggers?

btw, I'm a long time viewer/reader of this site and just joined, so, Hello!

[BCLII]

Hello and welcome! I don't t know warrior boats but someone will chime in here. A wealth of information here. Good luck!

[paulie]

Originally Posted by BCLII

Hello and welcome! I don't t know warrior boats but someone will chime in here. A wealth of information here. Good luck!

Honestly, I have no idea why I didn't join years ago

[REW]

A very simple thing to do, is to mount your riggers on a rigger board, and then just use a bar and U bolt to clam the rigger board to the rear cleats. No holes, or reinforcements necessary - if you have the room for a rigger board on the back of your boat.

Be safe
REW

[paulie]

Originally Posted by REW

A very simple thing to do, is to mount your riggers on a rigger board, and then just use a bar and U bolt to clam the rigger board to the rear cleats. No holes, or reinforcements necessary - if you have the room for a rigger board on the back of your boat.

Be safe
REW

The boat is a bt.

I tried a board on my last boat, also a tiller and it just didn't work as it got in the way of the controls. Then, with the Warrior, the cleats are right inline with the drivers seat.
The riggers are going on the gunnels or not getting installed.
Thanks for the input though

[REW]

Since you are going to install your riggers on your gunnels aft on your boat, you likely have issues to get to the under gunnel area.

If so, then pick up a pair of these hatches in the appropriate size and color for your boat.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/T-H-M...h-All+Products


Figure out your mount, and then, in the area below your mounting area, install one of these hatches for under gunnel access.

When you are doing the total job, go ahead and cut the circles for your gunnel access and prefit the hatch to be sure that all is well for the installation.
But, before you actually install the hatch with its edges and installation screws, go ahead and mount your rigger mounts to the gunnels of your boat.

By cutting the inspection hatch hole and then doing the rigger installation - before actually installing the hatch ports and mounting screws, you will be maximizing your installation space under the gunnel. i.e. no protruding hatch edges into the gunnel area, and no protruding screws into the gunnel area to scratch up your hands etc.

But, once you have your rigger installed with any appropriate backing plates, you can then install your hatch to still give you access and if you get in a bind, you can always unscrew the hatch mount to maximize your room under the gunnel, rather than just unscrew the cover.

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By the way, for many boat - perhaps not yours, if mounting a rigger on the gunnel, it helps to install a L shaped brace and bracket under the gunnel that is braced back and angled to touch and connect to the inside surface of the gunnel.

The reason for this is that the typical rigger, especially if it has a 48 or 60 inch boom, has a pretty big down bending force on the rigger mount. But, if you have a well reinforced solid reinforcing mounting plate on the under surface of the gunnel, and then downward extending braces that are angled to press against the surface of the inner gunnel, you have a much much stiffer mounting area to be able to resist any bending force from the rigger arms, rigger, and rigger ball as you are using the rigger while fishing.


But, if you install the rigger near the rear corner of your boat, you have the triangulation stiffening effect of the rear corner to really stiffen up any rigger mount and thus could make extra under gunnel support unnecessary.

Another thing that you can do, is to deinstall the rear cleats, to better learn of the gunnel construction. Many glass boats when being manufactured, utilize an aluminum or wood stiffening member in the top side of the gunnel. i.e. in between the layers of glass there is often a thick metal or wood member to stiffen the top gunnel area just for the purpose of mounting rod holders and riggers. If you are among the fortunate to have a boat that is constructed this way, you will have to do little in the way of reinforcing the top gunnel area. As I said earlier, one way to find this out, is to temporarily deinstall the rear cleats, and then use as sharpened wire or dental pick to look and check the layers of material that compose the top gunnel area. If you find that the area has been reinforced, and if you find, that after installing your inspection ports, that that same reinforcement extends to the area where you want to install your rigger, you will be able to install your rigger, with just a basic 3/8th piece of aluminum on the underside of your gunnel to appropriately reinforce the rigger area.

By the way, if you have picked out your rigger that you want to mount on your boat, be sure to purchase a good quality mount that both locks and rotates. Then, make your mount so, that the mount itself can be easily installed or removed from the gunnel of your boat.

A very nice way to do this is to take your boat, with the rigger, and the rigger mount - to a good machine shop that works with aluminum.

Figure out the location where you want to mount your rigger.
Then, have the rigger mount ready to be mounted on your gunnel.
If access is needed under the gunnel, as I pointed out earlier, have the holes cut in the under gunnels area for the access hatches.

Then, work with the machine shop and your self to design a mounting plate that can be bolted to your gunnel area. The mounting plate might be something like 1/2 or 3/4 inch thick aluminum. Have the machine shop mill the underside of the aluminum plate to match the contour of the top of the gunnel in the area of your rigger mount. Then, have the shop drill and counter sink 4 mounting holes in the mounting plate for your rigger.

Then, have them drill and tap the two or 4 holes that match the mounting screws for your rigger.

Also, have the machine shop cut an aluminum reinforcing plate to match the underside of your gunnel to reinforce the gunnel area as needed.

Now, go ahead, take your boat home, and then mount up your rigger mounting plates to the aft gunnels of your boat. Install your inspection hatches, and do a test mount of each of your riggers, checking on the underside of the gunnels for appropriate clearance of bolts etc.

If all is well, reinstall the inspection port covers, mount your riggers and go fishing.

Although the typing takes a while, you should have less than an hour of machine shop time to take care of your mounting plate requirements. If after completing the plates, you have the shop do a brush finish and slightly round the corners on the aluminum, you will have a set of rigger mounts that will look very nice on your boat for a very long time and will have a perfect fit and finish.

Be safe
REW

[vanalstj]

My 193 DC has wood reinforcement in the gunnel where down riggers would be located. Not sure about a back troller. I put 4 down rigger bases on my boat, and used aluminum plates under the gunnel to be sure I had enough support. I would contact the new factory and ask them if there is reinforcement for down riggers in the 1890. (info@warriorboatsllc.com)