achieves by plucking the cables and then tensioning
the turnbuckles according to the sound.
HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?
Since the whole idea of adding a pair of ’riggers is
to get a wider spread, there are two numbers you
need to keep in mind during the install. These are the
angle of the ’riggers in comparison to the boat’s front
and back (rake), and the angle between the boat and
’rigger once it has been lowered into trolling position.
If you try to give the boat a racier look by tilting
your poles too far back, you risk losing the width of
your spread once they are deployed. If you stand
them straight up – like most commercial boats – you
get a great spread but a terrible look. Darin Asher
recommends an angle of 45 to 55 degrees, which
compliments your boat’s appearance and keeps your
spread width. He says a good rule of thumb to keep
the rake in check is to ensure your outrigger tips don’t
extend more than a metre past the transom when
stowed in the upright position.
Setting the trolling position too high above horizontal
means you will also lose spread, while setting the angle
too low means you run the risk of dipping the poles in
rough seas, which can trash a very expensive piece of
equipment. When considering how low you want your
outriggers to lay, that 45- to 55-degree number comes
up again. Dave Snure adds that one consideration in
determining the best trolling height is to be able to
look out each side of the flybridge while standing at the
helm and be able to see the ’rigger tips.
HALYARD PLACEMENT
An outrigger uses a system of lines called halyards
to move the release clips up and down on the poles.
You can have one or as many as four halyards on
each pole, working clips for baits and lures or moving
teasers in and out.
A fully-rigged setup with all the lines, pulleys and
adjustments can look quite intimidating at first. It just
takes a bit of time getting used to figuring out which
line works what! However, before you start rigging the
halyards you need to figure out where you need to
attach them to the boat.
With centre-console and trailerboats it’s important
to consider whether you want to attach the halyards
to the gunnel or a T-top. Attaching the halyards to
the gunnel makes them much easier to operate, but if
you attach them to the uprights supporting the T-top,
or the T-top itself, it clears your gunnel and lets you
move around the boat freely once you are hooked-up.
However, if the halyards are attached to the top of the
T-top, unless you are very tall you may have trouble
reaching them.
Convenience is the number one factor to consider,
according to Asher. He says you want the base of the
halyards mounted close to where the crew will be
working and not too far away from the rodholders, but
not where they will be awkward to operate.
Snure says it’s also nice to position them so you’re
not forced to climb through a spiderweb of halyard
lines to climb into the boat – or where they tempt
the clients or guests to use them as a handhold while
boarding!
As Capt Peter B Wright says, by installing the
outrigger base pad, the back-bar pad and the halyard
attachmentallonthesameline,youcanavoidhaving
to readjust the tension of the halyards each timethe
poles are put out for fishing. However, if your halyard
attachment is either above or below those othertwo
attachment points, then you will need a bungeecord
or cam cleat to help you keep tension on the halyards
when you switch their positions.Twolinescanberun
offeachoutrigger
halyard– onelure
or baitpositioned
closeto theboat,
theotherfurther
back– andseparate
halyardscanbe
runto eacheyelet
alongthepole.On
thislongoutrigger
theyarerunningfive
fishinglines,plusa
teaserlinefromthe
flybridgerunning
throughthelarge
ringonthethird
halyard.Mounting your outrigger bases on the sides of the cabin, or
on top of a hardtop/T-top, frees up easy access around the
gunnels – which helps enormously in situations like this, when
you need follow a hooked fish around the bow.“Beforeyou
startrigging
thehalyards,
youneed
to figure
outwhere
youneedto
attachthem
to theboat.”
bluewatermag.com.au 63Outrigger fundamentals