Not sure it would be applicable in your situation, but Big John makes single reel towers that can be set up one on each side of your boat, they can be easliy removed when pleasure boating if that's a concern..

Also some guys don't even use the mast or tower, they attach the reels somehow on the frame work for the canvas cabin cover ???

John S.

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well its time to pick all of your brains again...i am very interested in setting my boat up for planer boards this spring.but in thinking the set up out.i ran in to a problem? i have a 19 ft 4 winns bow rider.i just had a new convertable top made for it..i had asked some of you some questions about planer board set up.and was told to set the mast up on the bow..this is where my problem is.in order to set up the mast for fishing seting lines ect..i would have to remove the bow cover and conv. top to access the mast.as we all know its pretty cold out there in april.thats why i had the cover made to stay out of the wind?i went to the big john site.to the set up page.it says you can set up at the back of the conv. top.my questions is.have any of you ran in to this problem before??my concern is if i set up there would the otter boats get far enough from the boat??i have never used planer boards before so this is all new to me..thanks for any help in advance... JOE S...

thanks john i didnt know you could hook it up to the canvas frame .i wonder if they sell some sort of holder to attach to the frame /or if i have to fabricate something? thanks for the idea... JOE S...

Like john said you can get 2 single set ups and mount them on your gunwales along the side of the boat wherever you can reach them maybe at the back edge of your cover. this picture shows where this guy mounted it you would probably be furthur back or maybe right there and you can unzip your front window to reach the reel??

lots of possibilities.

I don't think a bimini top type cover pole system would be strong enough to hold planer boards but maybe? If so they have ones that clamp right to a pole or rail.

ADRIEN if i attach the single reel to my ss steel canvas frame would i put the reel towards the bottom and would i have to put a pully on the top on the frame to mimic a mast.and would this get the otter boats out far enough from the boat. P.S. my canvas frame is very solid i think it would handle the load fine i think??? thanks JOE S....

You don't need a pully or mast if you are attatching to the top of your frame. You could put the reel facing any way that was easiest. They come with 1 eye for the line to go through attatched to the reel frame.

If you were to attatch the reel to the bottom of the frame then put a small pully at the top of your frame that would be fine too i think?

Mine is attatched to the top of my rocket launcher and the line just comes right off of the reel and out.

Planer boards put quite a heavy strain on their mounting location. You might run into trouble in rough water or if you only put 1 side out.
But obviously i don't know how rugged your structure really is?

Joe I have a walk thru also(almost like the picture YOAdrien posted It a lund but a deep V) I'm putting it up front so it as far up front as I can go I have a pc of canvas that attaches to the middle of the walk thru so you can keep the bow cover off and it still lets you stay out of the wind it snaps right down to the floor so it stops all the wind from coming in the boat.Just a thought.

Erin

i run mine off the rear roof post, if you look at my boat in the showboat section you will see a rope on the driverside back roof post, i run the reel off the front bow rail up to the rope and out to the cannon dual boards, it pulls real hard so your setup would have to be rugged for this setup.no experience with the otter boards but the design looks like it would pull less than the old style boards?