4
Downrigger Safety
The Scotty Models 1085 and 1091 are designed for use
on wide beam boats of 16 ft. long and up. Installation on
smaller boats is not recommended. All sports have some
physical hazards connected with them and fishing with
Downrigger calls for some common sense and precaution.
There are natural physical forces associated with long
armed downriggers. The load of strain at the mounting
point of a downrigger is proportional to the length
of the arm. In the event of a bottom hang-up with a
30”-60” arm and high strength trolling wire, the arm
leverage can exert a tremendous amount of force on
the gunnel of your boat. It is obvious that this force
could overcome a weak mounting point on the boat.
In the case of a small boat, it could cause the boat
to submerge or overturn if the wire is caught on the
bottom in a strong tide or in a heavy wind.
Care must always be exercised to avoid tangling your
downrigger wire in your boat prop. The best way to
avoid this risk is to mount the downrigger near the
stern of the boat so that the wire never gets under
the boat in a turn. Sharp turns should be avoided.
If your model has the tilt-up base and the downrigger
is tilted up, the boom must be tilted back past
vertical, and the red lock lever tucked fully under the
downrigger base.
Keep your fingers away from the underside of the
downrigger base and remove the lead weight when
the downrigger is tilted up or unattended.
Make sure the area where you are mounting your
Downrigger is strong and reinforced. If it is weak,
reinforce it with a backing plate of wood or metal.
Don’t attempt to retrieve a weighted or snagged
downrigger cable by hand. Wave or boat motion
could cause serious injury.
Always try to bring weights, release and tackle
inboard to you. When retrieving or hooking up, do
not lean out, as a sudden roll or a slippery deck could
send you overboard.
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