Downrigger placement, part 47....

[ckjackson]

I'm not sure if this is the proper section or not, so please forgive me if it should really be down in the electronics section.

I'll start off by saying I have done a search, and the search raised an option I haven't thought of...

The former Nancy H (we're waiting for the boat to pick her own name) has the old-style lazarette covers...hinged and molded of fiberglass. Someone said that they'd used or were going to use the covers to mount downriggers, and that would be the absolute ideal place for me, since we have the overhead roof. But will the covers hold up to a pair of Cannon electrics and the stress of pulling a 10-pound ball around. Granted, I'd use a whopping big backing plate, but will it work? While I'm going to do a temporary wiring for the downriggers off the crank battery, I'm looking at installing a fuseblock inside the starboard lazarette as it doesn't contain the propane tank...a

What should I use for plugs? On my old boat, I had some corrosion problems with the downrigger plugs, and I'd like to find a better solution.

It's been a long struggle with motors, work issues (as in too much) and some travel, but I'm thinking Monday may be the time to get the boat wet. I think I'll be able to break in the motors trolling a flasher and hoochie in the bombing range, or maybe Oak Bay....we'll see.

Thanks for any help or advice.

Keith

[MOOSE]

I would not mount downriggers to anything that is not firmly bolted to the hull itself. You might get by with pulling a 10 lb. canonball around, but the stress of hanging one up might rip the whole works loose. ...just my opinion.
Al

[Sea Wolf]

Kieth-

There's no way those lids are attached stongly enough with their hinges to take the load of a downrigger, at least, as is.

However, if you cut the lid in half or 2/3'rds - 1/3' rd, or so, the back portion could be backed with a plate (aluminum, stainless, or even Starboard) underneath and accross the lid section and full out to the sides, distributing the stress on the whole of the lazarette topside.* Adding a top-plate would give you even more added structural integrity to just having the bottom-plate alone.

The remaing forward section of the lid would then serve as access to the backing plate attachments, as well as the batteries, storage, and whatever else lies therein.

Can be done, just requires some ingenuity!

Joe.

* I'm assuming you have the same flat, solid, HPPE (High Pressure Poly Ethylene) doors that are on my "87 Cruiser. Something similar could be done if you have the later, domed, hollowish covers.