4
Downrigger Safety
The Scotty Depthpower 30” and 60” electric downriggers are designed
for use on wide beam boats of 16 ft. in length and up. Installation on
smaller boats is not recommended. All sports have some physical hazards
connected with them and shing with downriggers calls for some common
sense and precaution.
There are natural physical forces
associated with long arm downriggers.
The load or 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 breaking
strength trolling wire, the arm leverage can
exert a tremendous 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.
When 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 ngers away from the
underside of the downrigger base and
always remove the 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.
Always try to bring the weights, releases, 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.
Don’t attempt to retrieve a weighted or snagged downrigger cable by hand.
Wave or boat motion could cause serious injury.
VERTICAL
Red lock lever must
be tucked under
base to lock
the downrigger upright.
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