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Posts: 68
| O.K. guys,.. I got the Downeast railmount holders on "Ranger" style(round) rails. Problem Im having is when trolling a hard pulling, usually bigger lure or a medium size dipsy diver my rod holders slip or spin around the rail putting the rod almost straight up and down. Iv got them tight, even put nuts and lock washers on one and it still spins. They are not that old and the little rubber pad things that came with them are in good shape. What can I do to fight against this issue without ruining the rails, or drilling holes through the rails and "pinning" the holders(I dont want to get crazy here). Thanks!
Edited by kid coulson 7/30/2012 6:38 PM
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Posts: 134
Location: WV | I wish i new also, i got some rubber at a local hardware store that helped. I just wraped it around the rail and tightened it extra tight. Still slipping. I have so much trouble out of this. Lost a rod combo last year with my favorite crank due to this. |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | You guys are rite on with the rubber. I have used the same method for years. When you use the rubber make sure the rails are clean. Wrap the rubber as tight as you can by stretching it while wrapping it multiple times around. Tighten the down east holder tight. When used a lot you will have to redo the wrap a few times a season. I fish every day and only redo my holders a few times a year. Depends on how much you move them when you fish. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | i put duct tape on the rails then the rod holder...and i just cranked them down super tight and they don't slip much...but i don't troll much.. ; )
seems like when it's hot out you have to tighten them more so when it's cool/fall etc...i keep a screw driver in the boat if they need to be tightened |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | I see on some TV shows it looks like they are using some sort of abs rail mount and a clamp on downeaster. |
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Location: 31 | First thing, pitch the inner tube strips and split a rubber/plastic hose to fit over the rail. If the diameter is too big you can trim it down so it doesn't overlap. If you want to lock them down, a larger aquarium type rubber hose is the ticket.
However, I've been using this same plastic/vinyl (not rubber) tubing I got at Farm & Fleet for about 10 years or so, without ever having changed it. I started out using the strips that come with it like everyone else for a few years, then went to the rubber lock down tube, then this plastic/vinyl that enables changing the rod angle (with a deliberate effort using the rod in the holder for leverage). If the DE moves from the lures vibration, a quick turn on the easy to get at screw takes care of it. I do have to make some seasonal adjustments when things shrink or expand...but for the most part they don't move much, and the versatility is well worth it to me.
With a low to the water Ranger 600 series type boat you don't have to fight the down rod in and out of the water with this set-up (if you typically like to submerge the rod), just set it in the holder out of the water and pivot the rod down into the water (or back up) to whatever angle desired. Also, being able to adjust on the fly like this allows you to pivot the reel level to crank in baits/boards while still in the holder about 80-90% of the time. I've logged well over 1000 hours trolling with this method, and once you get used to it, I guarantee you'll be looking to bring in boards this way whenever possible (Especially the new giant Church boards). This method has proven to be (almost) fool prove. Different subject but along the same lines, I see most guys run the bait out, engage the reel, then put it in the holder under pressure when it's much more efficient to drop the bait in the water and put the rod in the holder while the lure is still on it's way out. When coupled with the pivot deal, setting lines is a breeze, just need some light thumb pressure while paying out line, then let the clicker takeover once the reel is in the holder. You can also get a different rod going while one is paying out... it's all about optimal efficiency while trolling, same as casting. |
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Location: 31 | horsehunter - 7/24/2012 7:46 AM I see on some TV shows it looks like they are using some sort of abs rail mount and a clamp on downeaster. I've seen that, and I think it's a pretty lame method altogether... a lot of extra hardware and not much versatility, and I don't like the clamp on models near as much either for a variety of reasons. Namely, in rough/cold conditions it's pretty easy to take a chunk out of your bare knuckles on those things. The only benefit that I can see with the clamp on like that is to be able to take them off for casting. But what a pain in the rear to remove/reinstall those DEs when switching back and forth from trolling to casting several times a day. In my opinion, the rail mounts do not get in the way enough (if at all) to warrant something as hokey as that on a new 620.
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Posts: 68
| Thanks for the input guys. Ill try some different tubing around the rail and Im going to look into some stronger grade bolts/screws also. |
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Posts: 2893
Location: Yahara River Chain | Personally if I had a boat with rails i would ubolt a piece of 2x4 (with the block resting on the gunwhale) and place a downeaster clamp on models mounted to them. |
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Posts: 865
| They sell a rod tape that is made for the cork handles. a heavy wrap of that and tighten the screws will not slip, I promise You. Jr. |
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Posts: 865
| The versitility of the rail mounts wood be totally defeated if you screw a 2x4 onto the rails and then use clamp on units. Each time you had to adjust the angles you have to loosen and realign all over again.......Not a good remedy Jr. |
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Posts: 416
Location: Madtown, WI | I wrapped some hockey stick tape around the rails and then added nylon nuts to the bolts to keep them from backing out. Seems to have done the trick but haven't tried any super hard pulling baits, I expect I'll need to make some adjustments... |
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Posts: 44
| radiator hose works pretty well. |
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Posts: 378
Location: Michigan | Kid,
I bought 1/8 thick rubber from McMaster Carr. http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-rubber-sheets/=ikvuf6
I cut one strip for the top clamp and one for the bottom, the length of the clamp. I used original Down Easter hardware. Never any problems with slipping even with hard pulling baits. Wouldn't steer you wrong buddy.
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Posts: 68
| Brother you aint never lied!! I need something,.. magnum dipsy diver put a hurtin' on my set up!! Good tips though, much gratitude from the kid! |
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Posts: 68
| After some great tips I went to Lowes(a block from my house) and got some clear plastic/vinyl tubing. I took the bottom part of the clamp with me and found the closest size tube that would lay in there. I also bought some grade 8 bolts(may not have been necessary, but they worked great). Cut the tube to size, slit it, and wrapped it around the rail. I tightened the bolts pretty darn tight and BINGO!! I trolled Magnum dipsy divers Sunday without any issues. If anything they might be a bit to hard to move now but Im good with that. Thanks again guys for the ideas.
Edited by kid coulson 7/31/2012 6:32 PM
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Location: 31 | kid coulson - 7/30/2012 6:49 PM
After some great tips I went to Lowes(a block from my house) and got some clear plastic/vinyl tubing. I took the bottom part of the clamp with me and found the closest size tube that would lay in there. I also bought some grade 8 bolts(may not have been necessary, but they worked great). Cut the tube to size, slit it, and wrapped it around the rail. I tightened the bolts pretty darn tight and BINGO!! I trolled Magnum dipsy divers Sunday without any issues. If anything they might be a bit to hard to move now but Im good with that. Thanks again guys for the ideas.
That's good to hear man! Absolutely the best way to move the DEs is with the rod in the holder for leverage. I can pretty much tell when the tension is correct for my muskie purposes if I can only move them that way.
My exception to this is the two down rods, which I like a touch looser because I'm always pivoting those in and out of the water. On my boat the correct trolling position for those down rods is always tight against the boats rubber rub rails... being able to pivot those DEs so I'm not fighting 5' of submerged rod in and out of the water every time saves a lot of wear and tear on my body by the end of the day.
Another thing I've learned is to be sure to compress the tubing evenly between the 2 screws, if you are only tightening the easy to get at screw the pressure on the rail becomes lopsided. A trick I use to keep them even without having to remove the outside part of the DE is grinding down the tip of a beater screwdriver so the screwdriver can be used at a 90° angle to the head of the screw.
Good luck! |
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| Has anyone else had problems with the black colored down easters popping out of the pockets once the rod is set? |
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Posts: 116
| Thanks for the tips on this thread. I went to Home Depot and bought a few feet of the 1 1/4" clear vinyl tube, took about a 3/8" slice out of it lenghthwise and the holders will completely lock in place if so desired. I like to be able to raise the rod tips if I get too shallow so it is really nice to be able to set the desired tension to allow for this. I did not upgrade to bolts and nuts. The supplied bolts seem to be plenty adequate. |
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Posts: 865
| I had the same problem but Fixed it in 5 minutes, Simply make sure you put the rod holders in the correct position, where you can set your rods deep in the water and then out of the water if wanted. Now carefully remove the thumb screw and you will see a hole in the clamp base. Now Simply use a drill and drill one correct size hole threw one side of the s/s tube and use a aluminum rivet. It is a easy fix and it will never slip again, Did it months ago and it is 100% effective. Forget the tape the rubber and everything else. It doe not weaken the rails in any way....Mike Sr. |
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| Be careful not to over-tighten the screws because you can strip the threads of the Down Easter aluminum castings or worse you can actually collapse the thin walls of the rails. |
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| I put a vice grip on the rail and it leans against the gunwhale and holds the rail from slipping. I tried everything to get it to hold and nothing would. Epoxy, superglue, duct tape, waterweld. Only the vice grip worked. |
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Posts: 5874
| I never had a problem with my Folbe rail adaptors slipping. In fact, you can tighten them just enough where they won't slip, but you can still adjust the angle they run at. Plus, they never pop out, don't rattle, and they aren't cold to the touch in late fall. |
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Downeasters "slipping" around the rail ***update***