Considering outriggers....looking for suggestions

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Hey Guys and Gals:
I have a 228 with a hard top and I am considering buying a set of out riggers. That is far as my research has progressed. I will be fishing a few times a year off shore and I run the boat primarily on inland lakes.

When fishing recently in the Gulf of Mexico, outriggers would have helped as we had a couple of tangled line issues and then there is the drop back that occurs with the bait which helps catch fish. I have used the rod riggers, poor man's outriggers with some success in the past.

Would it be better to get the kind which are removable versus the fixed mounted kind given the use of boat?

what brand makes a good telescoping hard top mounted version? I am thinking if we go with permenant fix mount outriggers , then telescoping kind is the way given we trailer our boat.

if going with a removable outrigger, what brand would yall suggest? We also have the option with 4 side mounted rod holders on the hardtop. So we can afford to lose 2 of those to portable outriggers.

Thanks and will look forward to your answers.

 

[Tuna Man]

I am certainly the minority here, but I am not a big fan of hardtop mounted outriggers. On your boat I prefer good old fashioned Lee gunnel mount outriggers. Easy to lower, easy to raise. Easy to remove if needed. Others prefer H/T mounted mainly to get them out of the way. I did not mind the gunnel mounted on my old boat during tuna (trolling) season. However, I did remove them during striped bass season and leave them off till summer time when the tuna showed.

I'm sure others can offer other suggestions.

 

[ocnslr]

Taco Sport Slams if your budget is really limited, but I really recommend the Taco Grand Slams. Again, you may be able to get by with the 1-1/8" outriggers, but the 1.5" diameter will serve you better. Length of 15-feet.
You can probably single-rig them and be happy.

Ours are double-rigged, and have a LOT of miles and hours of use on them.

Brian

 

[megabytes]

I am with TunaMan. My next boat will have dealer installed Lee side mounts just like I have now. A 30' fishing boat just doesn't look right with center console outriggers in my opinion. I like the way the Lee's look and deploy.

 

[Strikezone]

Smoky,
Just installed Lee gunnel's on my 228. Haven't fished them yet but can't wait. I'm hoping to add a couple of extra lines in my spread with them.

GW actually advised against hardtop mounted riggers. They said to beef up the frame if I chose this approach. I wasn't willing to spend the money to weld the top so I chose the gunnels.

My first choice of outriggers were actually the Lee Jr. Wishbones but they were too large to fit the Seafarer.

I hope to get in another offshore trip before the end of summer and give the new riggers a try.

 

[Fishtales]

I have the marlin and installed the taco gs270 hardtop top guns. You don't have to weld in plates. My dealer installs them all the time without the supports welded in.

Use the plastic tube spacers that sleeve the bolts so you can't crush the hardtop when you tighten up the bolts.

Use the metal backing plates and the mylar wedge plates to accomodiate for the hard top roll off to keep them vertical.

Finally use the 15 foot versus the 18 foot poles that telescope and you will have a nice set up. I love them. You can deploy from the helm and when not in use they are up and out of the way. Very nice on a smaller boat or walkaround so you don't have any obstructions getting to bow. Great with kids too again out of the way.
Wheb needed you can telescope down and get under any bridge or keep them that way when not using.

I shopped for a while and getting evertything for less than a grand on ebay. Easy install although I had to work up the nuts to drill 3 inch holes and four 9/16 mounting holes for the bolts. Just seal everything with 4200 and you will be good as you will drill through the core in the hardtop. Some pics in the gallery if you want to check it out.

 

[dipthenet]

If your interested I have a set that I will never use on my Grady. They are Lee Side mounts. I fish the Great Lakes and will never use them. Other than making the boat look sweet, or to hold a muskie net I have no use for them. They have the 2" tubes and 18' screw together aluminum poles. Good luck on whatever decision you make.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Thanks everyone. It is a mixed bag on this one. I will check out both the Lees and the Tacos. We will likely have to install them ourselves...not sure too many boat dealers around here in the mountains do this kind of work (lol). Just starting my search. Strikezone, interested in your results please let me know how your like it.

 

[Bokat]

Bob,

I vote for the 15' Taco riggers. I have them on my boat. I use my Gulfsteam on a lake quite a bit as you do. They are very easy to retract and get out of the way when not needed at the lake.

You can buy a line caddy or make your own with SS clamps and small black plastic cleats. The caddy mounts to the side of the pole so you can wind your rigger line around it so the line is out of the way when the riggers are retracted.

Something else I use my riggers for is to hold a tarp over the cockpit for shade. I extend the riggers part way out and angled slightly up and slightly out to the side, maybe one notch from straight back. I slip the tarp gromment over the end of the rigger pole pointed end and use bungee cords on the other end to fasten the tarp to the hard top. You can even create an air scoop with the tarp over your hard top to divert any breeze down into the cockpit. I use a tarp with a brown side and a silver side. Brown side goes down to keep the glare down and silver side goes up to reflect the sun. It works great.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[laterandall]

anyone have any trouble with the hardtop outriggers in rough seas breaking the hartop or pulling the mounting screws out? I am skeptical of mounting anything up there that could tear up the expensive hardtop- are my concerns well founded or am i just being paranoid? I wouldnt know as i have never mounted anything to this hardtop! any input would be much appreciated. pictures would also be great!!

 

[Bokat]

laterandall,

I have had my Tacos for about 6 years and have had no problems with them damaging the hard top. If you are going to be running hard in heavy seas you can retract them. I made a run from FL to Grand Bahama Island several years ago that cracked two of the braces on my hard top supports it was so rough. We had retracted the riggers for the run and they were not an issue. The only problem I have had is two of the plastic sleeves inside the poles have come loose. When that happens it makes it difficult to line up the lock button with the holes. You have to find a way to rotate the sleeve around until the holes line up. Taco will repair them, for a price, but I haven't taken the time to send them in yet.

My hard top is aftermarket and not from the Grady factory. It is made with two fiberglass panels sandwiching a foam core. I think the Grady hard top is better made than mine. Also, the outrigger bases should be through bolted and not screwed into the top. I only mention that because you were concerned about the "screws" pulling out. I hope this helps.

 

[Fishtales]

Hi

I'm with Bokat. I have not had any issues with hard top damage after 18MO.

I also use the taco caddies to wind up the lines when the poles are retracted. The bungy cords provide tension to keep the lines tight on the caddies.
They are great as they are up and out of the way when not in use.

If you use thru bolts, the metal backing plates and the tube spacers, you will be fine. The tube spacers assure you don't compress or damage the hardtop when you tighten them down.

It comes down to your use case. If you use them all the time, then get the side mounts. If you only use them some of the time, then the HT are a good option.

 

[laterandall]

Thanks guys for your input. I realize that thru bolting these outriggers is the way to go, did you have to use a mounting plate of any kind though? I think i will go with the taco grand slams for sure- they seem to be the outrigger of choice as hardtop mounts go. Thanks again for the helpful advice!

 

[Fishtales]

Taco makes aluminum backing plates. They also make hard plastic wedge blocks to offset the hard top roll off. These are really not needed, but I was a little anal about keeping them true verticle.

They also provide the tube spacers. Go to their website and get the info. They have a pretty good install manual that can be downloaded.

I recommend you use ss bolts, flat and locking washers and ss nylon locknuts. I would also install those white hard plastic washers between all ss washer and aluminum taco parts (top base and backing plates).

Check ebay and river marine supply on the net (they had decent prices you could use for a compare if you want them now).

 

[dwain]

I have a 228 Seafarer with hardtop and mounted the Taco Grand Slams. Make certain you use the backing plates and seal the holes. I siliconed around them as well. Works great. The rods are telescoping. I fish the Great Lakes and depending on the weather (waves) like to travel with the rods not expanded. Taco is a good company. Good Luck Dwain

 

[Gary M]

My boat had none when we bought it so I went through your same dilemma. Because I don't troll a lot, I chose Lee's Gunnel Mounts. Thay have three positions: Up, Out and Down.

In order to slide under bridges I run out with them Down as this photo shows.

In the Up postion, they look like this.

We carefully positioned the mounts in order to allow easy entry onto the boat with them Up......

The "trick" was to drill the gunnel holes at the proper angle for the shaft/pipe of the mount. We used a section of a 2 x 4 to make a "template" of the proper angle to be drilled. We also chose to have backing plates made. Once the holes were drilled (measure, etc THREE times!), we coated the inside of the holes and allowed it to dry overnight before finally mounting the mounts. We used oversize washers, lock nuts, etc.....

I leave the riggers off the boat and only mess with them when I'm going trolling.....