otter board & mast

[gokudl3]

I have been running otter boards with six foot mast thats has the original line on the reels. They are really sensitive to turns, they die out with the slightest turn and the tow line sag and goes in the water. I am not going to slow, and my buddy who owns them is possitive he set them up right. Do most you guys swap the planer reel line out with power pro ? The mast are brand new. Its really frustrating because inline board never do this and im preety sure somethings wrong

[GAMBLER]

Adjust the lines from the front to back. Make the front line slightly shorter and they will run better at slow speeds. They will pull a lot harder but will track a little better.

[Chromeslayer]

Double keels on the Otter boats, and 200lb powerpro for tow line... can pull 2 600 coppers off one side

[FSNmachine]

Adjust the lines from the front to back. Make the front line slightly shorter and they will run better at slow speeds. They will pull a lot harder but will track a little better.

Yes that is what I have been thinking too. mine work great and don't even use a mast. I run them off a bow rail. About 4 feet off the water.

[gokudl3]

another keel would be nice. Here is a pic of how they are set, is the loop in the right spot? I was told they are setup perfect. Is it possible they are tracking to hard then they die out, i also have a hard time getting the release to the end of the line.

[Gill-T]

With the single keel, 9.5" and 11.5" should be the string measurements. Order the half keel from big jon and upgrade them. They will pull like a mule and your planer line will be tight with no sag.

[gokudl3]

thanks alot men

[gokudl3]

Thanks Gill-T....That was the ticket, they ran perfect!!!

[muskybob]

Thanks Gill-T....That was the ticket, they ran perfect!!!

What was, the measurement or the addition of half keel?

[gokudl3]

the measurements .... the old ones were 8 1/2" and 14 1/2". With the additional keel could i run 0 dipsey without a ring

[Gill-T]

I run 1 lb thumper weights, size #1 dipsys with a ring, mag dipsys.......what ever you got.

[gokudl3]

YES

[DoubleG]

With the single keel, 9.5" and 11.5" should be the string measurements.

I just picked up a used pair of Otter Boats and I have to adjust the strings. Are you measuring from the tip of the loop where the clip attaches to the planer line or from the knot used to create the loop. From the tip of the loop to the knot is about an inch so I'm not sure where to measure from. Any help would be appreciated!

[Gill-T]

Measurement is from the knot at the the base of the loop attachment, back to where the tow line enters the holes in the board.

[DoubleG]

Awesome! Thanks.

[BullGator]

What should the measurements be for a double keel setup be?

[Yankee Troller]

I think the problem here isn't the boards, but where you have your mast mounted. If your mast is on the very front of your boat even the slightest turn is going to result in one of the boards being pulled harder and the other to slow. Your pivot point is in the back of the boat because that's where the prop is. A small movement back there results in a much larger movement at the bow. I noticed this on friends boats in the early spring. On our last two rides we had our pulleys half way up the side of the boat on the Bayliner and a third up from the back on the Trojan. We don't see that start and stop as much, and I think it's because of this.

[jonboat]

Yankee has a point. The whole pivot point idea just made a lightbulb go on over my head. I never thought about it, but I've heard guys with their mast at the bow having problems in turns. I always wondered why some folks had problems and I don't. I'm sure the string measurements come into play too, but I've never had problems with mine - the string measurements are correct and my masts are mounted about 6' back from the bow on a 19' boat. Interesting thought.... I'd love to see someone try at different locations from bow to stern and let us know the performance diferences.