Outriggers (Help Drilling)

[channel_surfer]

Well after a lot of shopping my dad finally pulled the trigger on some riggers. Got a pair of flush mount bases and some really nice looking 18' black Tigress HD poles with gold trim.

Going to gunnel mount them just behind the pilot house. Saw this in a photo and like the look. Any tips on how to drill a perfect 45 degree 2" hole for the mounts? I've got some powerful drills so that's not a problem just need advice on how to drill the hole at the 45 degree angle without messing up.

Thanks!

 

[HM5]

Line your drill motor up with a 12" speed square on the 45 degree side. Use a 1/4 bit for pilot hole. Then use a 2" hole saw, and the 1/4" bit in it should follow. Keep checking while drilling with the speed square.

I have also seen jigs made up for drilling at various angles, but can't remember where.

 

[Megabyte]

Matthew has it right. Drill the pilot hole on a 45 degree angle first, then use the hole saw.

Something else that I have done before...
When chucking the drill bit into the hole saw, turn it around so that the smooth end enters the pilot hole. That way the drill bit won't 'egg out' the pilot hole if you aren't holding the drill motor perfectly.

 

[channel_surfer]

Thanks.

 

[Bryan 2530]

Depending on the hole saw you may have to put in a longer guide bit.

 

[pelagic2530]

ouch.... i would have run away from those gunnel mounts as fast as i could. we had a pair on the boat when we got it, and IMHO they are junk. not enough spread, and no height for pulling bars. but good starter riggers for the money i guess. when you install them, try to go pretty far "outboard" on the covering boards. running around the cockpit, theres a small raised area with a smooth, non-nonskid area outside of those. make sure your hole will not run inside this smooth area. reason being, there are stringers that run underneath these boards that help support the house. get any closer to the side of the house than what ive just described, and you can "sideswipe" these with the hole saw and it gets gory pretty quick. i have pictures ill see if i cant dig up of the hack install that was done on ours.

 

[channel_surfer]

Yeah please post the photos here or email me at sch1234 at gmail dot com.

Thanks.

 

[channel_surfer]

Also, just a few other questions regarding your issues with the gunnel mounts.....

First, how was there insufficient spread if the gunnels are the widest part of the boat?

Second, I'm using 18' HD poles, and using the gunnel surface mounts puts the rigger bases about 1 to 2 feet lower than they would be with wishbone or side mounts on the PH wall which is the most common setup I see on the PH boats, seems like there will be plenty of height to me.

 

[sparky]

Also, just a few other questions regarding your issues with the gunnel mounts.....

First, how was there insufficient spread if the gunnels are the widest part of the boat?

Second, I'm using 18' HD poles, and using the gunnel surface mounts puts the rigger bases about 1 to 2 feet lower than they would be with wishbone or side mounts on the PH wall which is the most common setup I see on the PH boats, seems like there will be plenty of height to me.

The gunwales are too low. Height and spread are what you want. Those same 18' poles, if mounted on the PH overhead would give you better spread.

 

[channel_surfer]

If the poles were mounted on the roof instead of the gunwhales they would be about 2 foot closer to each other. How is that more spread?

 

[pelagic2530]

If the poles were mounted on the roof instead of the gunwhales they would be about 2 foot closer to each other. How is that more spread?

it will decrease the actual width of the spread a bit. however, having them mounted on the gunnels makes the lines leave the rigger clips much closer to the surface of the water, rarely more than 3 to 4 feet high. this means that you will have to run your lines much closer to the boat. and forget about using spreader bars or anything of that sort, you will only be able to run them a very short distance past the transom before the bar hits the water. believe me, i know from experience.

while it is true that the gunnels are only about 1 or 2 feet lower than the wishbone mounts on the side of the house, the nature of the wishbones allows them to fold out at almost 90 degrees to the side of the boat, allowing you to adjust them to whatever angle you like for whatever height you want. whereas the gunnel mounts can only operate on one plane. realistically, when you drop the riggers, theyre actually going further back towards the transom then they are out.

i will try to send you those pics later today. sorry, ive been swamped.

 

[channel_surfer]

Mocked up the 18' poles on the gunnels just at the back of the cabin wall. Dad and I took turns holding the pole in place while the other one ran to the other side of the yard to eye it up.

They will work fine for us in that location. We can run them straight out off the side at a 45' angle to the water for massive height, or point them more aft if we need to be closer to the water. The tips of the rigger poles when running straight out the side are at least 12 to 15 feet above the waterline. Plenty of height.

Plus they look great there.

Thanks for the advice about the stringer under the walkway, we might have hit it if you didn't mention it. We'll be just outboard of the stringer.

Probably install them this weekend. Thanks again.

 

[pelagic2530]

Mocked up the 18' poles on the gunnels just at the back of the cabin wall. Dad and I took turns holding the pole in place while the other one ran to the other side of the yard to eye it up.

They will work fine for us in that location. We can run them straight out off the side at a 45' angle to the water for massive height, or point them more aft if we need to be closer to the water. The tips of the rigger poles when running straight out the side are at least 12 to 15 feet above the waterline. Plenty of height.

Plus they look great there.

Thanks for the advice about the stringer under the walkway, we might have hit it if you didn't mention it. We'll be just outboard of the stringer.

Probably install them this weekend. Thanks again.

glad i could help. if youre still interested, i will send the pics tonight, i swear. i apologize for not sending them by now.

 

[channel_surfer]

Sure send them over. No rush.