Planer Board Experts

[Lt.Dan]

:help: LOOKING TO BUY A GOOD SET OF PLANER BOARDS AND MAST,THINKING OF THE BIG JOHN OTTER BOAT.NEED SOME HELP ON WHAT TO GET AND WHAT KIND OF MAST TO BUY. I HAVE TO PUT IT ON A 23 FT WALK AROUND WITH SOFT TOP ON IT. I HAVE SEEN A BOAT THAT PUT A THE MAST ON THE TOP OF THE RAILS IN THE FRONT AT THE PULPIT.ANY IDEAS? FISHING THE GREAT LAKES

[double trouble]

do not buy these. they do not track well, weigh a ton. , flip over and crack.
buy the double or tripple folding riveria or planerboard.com version. or make them yourself like i do.

[andy capp]

I would not buy any of the manufactured ones. BUILD your own out of 1 x 10 cedar. I am not fond of the folding plastic ones I watched them flip too.

[double trouble]

http://triflash.hallcrash.net/free/PrintPlanar.asp

[double trouble]

http://www.planer-board.com/page2.html

[Lt.Dan]

Thanks For The Feedback.i Think I May Just Try To Make My Own This Weekend From The Plans Double Trouble. Are All The Mast Built The Same Or Any Better Then The Rest.

[DangerDan]

I use dual boards off of an arch I built and installed on my boat. Bought the planer reels from BJ's and the setup works great as big boards go. The plans I used are similar to the plans you show links to except mine say to use 1x6" cedar. I substituted the 1x6 with 1x8 thinking that the bouyancy would not be as good with 1x6 and then ended up having to add weight at the bottom of the boards to get them to track better in 1 to 2' waves. I wonder if I would have been better off using 1x6 as the instructions recomended. Perhaps they would ride better without the weights. The one problem I have is the tension on the guide ring wore the planer line and now it needs to be replaced. I think this is also due to using the 1x8 as well. These boards really pull away from the boat and have alot of tension when making turns. I like the way they run out from the boat so I'd say my project was a sucess. All the same I'll likely go with weed eater line and give that a try. Two tips. Don't seal you boards and if you paint them just mask off and paint the upper portion of the boards for visual needs. The water that penetrates the boards will help in tracking and the overall ride in rougher water. I'll still be purchasing inline boards this summer to run my led as the big boards just can't handle rough water at all.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/533/medium/71_Slickcraft.jpg

I'm not sure if you can see the reels in this pick but all together the arch didn't cost that much more than the mast and reels would have cost and I can use them from the cockpit. The boards don't track to the rear very far, infact they don't even reach the back of the boat when deployed out as far as 75'

[Lt.Dan]

Thanks For The Pic And The Info Dangerdan.i Have Been Looking For A Arc Like You Have On Your Boat To Put Rocket Lunchers On, But Someone Said They Are Pretty Expensive,maybe I Need To Investagate A Little More Into Them.it Looks Like A Pretty Neet Set Up Where Your Reels Are And Then I Would Not Have To Walk Around The Cuddy.i Have Been Trying To Find A Place To Store My Rods But Really No Good Place To Mount Any Thing.