Anyone tried the lund sport track downrigger bracket ??

[BFSC Kevin]

I heard that they flex quite a bit but I love the idea of mounting the riggers on the gunwale.

I don't have a whole lot of space to mount the riggers on the side deck so I'm seeing what my options are...

The rear square in the image below at the transom are at an angle, so I don't think that would be a great idea to mount the riggers there.

The only space available is around the rear cup holders if I was to go with option b or c stated below.

I have a Lund 1675 SS and Scotty 1116 propacks

 

My options are...

a) Get the lund sport track down rigger brackets.

But they flex alot?

 

 

b ) Get 6' tracks, 6' risers and mount that on the side deck.

I'm guessing not so great since this person modded it and added a bar across(see option d)

 

 

c) Get 6' pedestal risers by Scotty and mount that on the side deck, but that needs a bit more desk space

One of the sturdier options but I need to find the space to mount them and bolt them securely.

*the image below is a lund explorer 1725 with 1116 propacks, so it has more space than mine to mount them.

 

 

d) Make a removable transom board.

But I think that will get in the way and it will be a large piece of wood laying around when I'm not using it... I will also have to make a way to make it stay securely. I probably won't do it like the way in the picture below, using tracks then risers, then bar. I would just stick a board going right on the gunwale to gunwale with a bar supporting in the middle

 

 

Opinions please?

Edited March 13, 2011 by kevin

[Moosebunk]

No to option "A"

 

That is all.

[Radnine]

 

 

Opinions please?

 

Kevin,

First of all let me say that your research looks complete and I love the way that you laid this post out.

I am not a down rigger guy, but I am wondering if there isn't some way to use a seat post to your advantage? If you buy a seat post from Swivel-Eze(available at Bass Pro) and affixed a mounting plate to it (using a seat mounting plate), or a board to a couple of them, would it not be stable and portable? Kind of like the guy did here, but utilizing the two aft seat positions. Also in the photo below, the clamps on the gunwale look like they are removable as well, are they? The more I look at this photo, the better I like his solution.

Or perhaps by beefing a seat post up you could use only one in the rear deck position. Like I said I am not a down rigger guy, so am unsure of what kind of force these things see, but the sport track thingy that Lund sells looks a bit light weight to me. And if it will do the job I can't believe that a seat post wouldn't.

You might also want to PM Lexxington for a photo of his set up across the back of his Legend.

Good luck!

Jim

Edited March 13, 2011 by Radnine

[Fish Farmer]

I asked them at the Lund dealership and they said no to mounting your downrigger on them, just rod holders.

[Spiel]

Option A for sure.

 

I have a pair on my boat (you've used them Fish Farmer) and have had no issues with them at all and I run 10lb balls at high speeds out on the big lake.

 

They're a metal plate that uses the both slots (inner and outer) of the sport trac, hard to see in that 3rd image.

 

They do require a number of screws (provided) that fit into a special clip in the outer trac,

bit of a pain I would imagine if you wanted to remove them on a regualr basis.

[Fisherman]

I would do what is shown in the last picture, side to side, with or without the leg into the seat post. If you use a sturdy piece of hardwood, maple or oak, the peg leg is not needed. I don't care what has been said about mounting them directly to the gunnels, you put a 10/15 pound cannon ball at the end of a 3-4 fot long rigger arm and now you are talking 30 - 45 pounds of weight putting a lot of torque on the gunnels. When you run in a bit of rough water, that action is further amplified. If you put a side to side plank across the whole boat absorbs the torque as a rolling motion rather than the twist on the gunnel. Your boat your choice.

[Crazy Ivan]

Option 'c' in my opinion would be the best.

You want the riggers to be 'in' the boat. Try to avoid going beyond the beam so that when you tie your boat off to a high walled dock you're not smashing your riggers against the wall. The Lund brackets look like they would put the riggers outside of the boat.

 

Good Luck!

[lew]

Pigeontroller also has a nice setup on his Lund with a board going across the stern. He may see this and post the pictures of his rig.

[Billy Bob]

I would think all options will work....it's what you're most comfortable that should be applied and that my not be least expensive.......Is this a brand new boat that you haven't used yet....if so, I would advise using it for a couple months so you can understand what will be best for you.

 

Bob

[Sinker]

Do you not have enough space on the gunnels to mount tracks? I like the tracks, easy install, easy to remove riggers/rodholders, and they are tough. Get the longest ones you can fit, they come in handy for all kinds of stuff.

 

S.

[irishfield]

I'd go tracks as well.. and even if the gunnels aren't wide enough.. Pursuit sells track brackets now that fit the Lund Sport trac inner channel for quick mounting.

[BFSC Kevin]

Thanks all for the replies.

 

Moosebunk - hmmmmm I think Spiel likes it quite alot though.

 

Radnine- I quite like that option too, but just that I would have a full board going across the boat which I only need the two riggers on. I already have 4 holders on the sport traks. Unless I decide to mount some more holders... but I don't need that many holders I think.

 

Fish Farmer - Are you talking about no mounting them on the gunwales? But Lund makes brackets to mount downriggers on your sport trak/pro trak

 

Spiel - I like this option because I would not need to drill but my worry is, the scotty 1116 can extend to 60inchs and with a 12lb ball at the end of the cable, would this flex it alot and be too much for my little boat? Hence I'm considering to do the board across the back, to disperse the pressures.

Here is a better image of the sporttrak/protrack bracket... but that is on a wider gunwale.. so maybe that is a pro-v.. definitely not an explorer..

 

 

Fisherman - I agree

 

CrazyIvan - That is true...

 

lew - Yes Lew, I've seen it before. I quite like it and I'm leaning towards doing it that way. But wait, no cleats for the back for the boat? Or does he just tie onto the board... hmm.. I hope Dax sees this...

 

Billy Bob - I have used it but not for long. I've put alot of thought into but I'm stuck! AHH

 

Sinker - The gunwales are only 4inches wide. It is like a long hollow tube with no access into it, except for the 5inch opening that is used to bolt the cleats. When you look/feel under into it, you realize there isn't much space to bolt the tracks on either, even if there was access. With the sport trak(inside track) and pro track(outside track), there is about 1.5-2 inches of flat space remaining. That is not enough space to bolt a 6inch track with washers or plate really unless a track company is willing to drill the mounting holes closer together.

 

Irishfeild - Wayne, these ones? I found them on traxtech..

I could do this.. How strong would this track be for riggers? They recommend you to use atleast 24 inch track.

Boy.. this option can get very expensive. lol

Need to by the t bolts, 36 or 60 inch track, downrigger base and cut off 1 inch hole to insert the t bolts. Yikes!

And I would probably get some holders for the track instead of using scottys on the sport trak.

 

 

After writing up this reply. I think I'm leaning towards making a downrigger board.

#1 disperse the pressures

#2 cost

#3 I can make it, it will be fun? lol

#4 This way I don't need to find a spot to drill and wire for the riggers' sockets

 

And for those interested in seeing another thread about the downrigger board that was posted on OFC, here is a link

Edited March 14, 2011 by kevin

[irishfield]

Irishfeild - Wayne, these ones? I found them on traxtech..

I could do this.. How strong would this track be for riggers? They recommend you to use atleast 24 inch track.

Boy.. then I might as well use the tracks inside the sport track.. but I have 4 holders on the sport tracks already and this option is very expensive. lol

Need to by the t bolts, 36 or 60 inch track, downrigger base and cut off 1 inch hole to insert the t bolts. Yikes!

 

 

 

Yes.. exactly Traxtech was formerly known as Pursuit. It's their tracks that I have on my Lund.

 

Those sport trac angle adapters and a 3 foot track would be plenty strong.. probably stronger than my track bolted to my gunnel top. I don't see the reason to cut a hole in your track.. just take the transom cap off the end of the gunnel and slide the T bolt plates in.

[BFSC Kevin]

Yes.. exactly Traxtech was formerly known as Pursuit. It's their tracks that I have on my Lund.

 

Those sport trac angle adapters and a 3 foot track would be plenty strong.. probably stronger than my track bolted to my gunnel top. I don't see the reason to cut a hole in your track.. just take the transom cap off the end of the gunnel and slide the T bolt plates in.

 

There is no space to slide the t bolt in when I take off the cap.

There gunwale goes right up against the transom. There might be a few millimeters, that's about it.

[irishfield]

Could you not hog a bit out with a dremel so the access is then hid by the cap?

[Billy Bob]

If I remember correctly a few years ago (4-5) my buddy Teddy had Lund similar or exact to yours. I don't exactly remember how he had his Cannon downriggers mounted but what I do remember was they were down LOW and I had to be on my knees to rig them...a REAL PAIN in the BACK, especially when it got rough out....he kept the boat only 2 years and traded it on a Polarcraft....he only fishes Lake Erie and "that" Lund didn't make sense for him.

 

If you have a similar configeration you might want to take that into consideration to mount them on pedestals.

 

Bob

[irishfield]

Traxtech sells different heights of swivel bases to make it all work just fine.

[Radnine]

Given all that has been said Kevin, I would be remiss if I didn't ask if you have considered selling the Lund and buying a Crestliner?

Jim

[BFSC Kevin]

Wayne - true

 

Bob - true

 

Jim - why crestliner?

[Billy Bob]

I think Lund is the #1 FISHING BOAT out there....it's just some models are better than others for rigging on the Great Lakes......my buddy Will has a 18.5' Lund with a 115 Yammy and it's great for downrigging with it's real high gunwales....Teddy's was more of a bass style Lund.....

 

My Grumman also has high gunwales making it easy for rigging plus it "feels" safer in rough water then Teddy's boat did...he would of traded it in for another Lund but Brobeil Marine no longer carries Lund because they have to be packaged with Mercury outboards now and Brobeil is a OMC and Yammy dealer.