Hardtop planer reels

[Fishtails]

Yes, you still need the pullies. I'd secure that grab rail also. You don't want the reel moving around.

I have my pullies mounted about 3 ft back from the bow of the boat. This keeps my otter boats tracking almost directly strait out from my rod holders.

[Tim Bromund]

This is the way I have my Thompson set up ('86 Model 252 hardtop but basically the same boat as your 240 Fisherman)

Please excuse the condition of the boat in these pics, this was right after I took the tarp off this spring and hadn't had time to wash it yet)

Planer reels mounted on the inside of the port and starboard gunwales, at the back of the HT (these are old Wille planer reels from a Mast system i used to have on my last boat)

I ran those up to a small sailboat block (pully) at the back of the HT

and from there to a spring mounted pully attached to a rail clamp at the front of the HT

This worked out pretty well, though with the wood boards I now use from Amish Outfiters, they pull so hard the plastic Wille reels have a hard time pulling them in (I'll probably replace them with the big jon electric planer reels at some point).

Tim

[Rich D]

Gman,

I have the same boat as you, and Tim, I run my reels on the inside of my rocket launcher, and run it up to the front of the hardtop, where I have a pulley that goes out to the board. I ran into the saame problem, so I moved them to the rocket launcher, and the work great, but I would run the line off the front of the top, which should put your boards even with you holders on the gunnels, or a little ahead of them. Good Luck,

Rich