Planer board problems

[jeffmac85]

I have been battling an issue that I'm hoping maybe some of you guys may have dealt with and maybe have a solution to.   I mainly walleye fish Lake Erie and some spring browns early season before walleye opener also.  Just this past year we switched to full sized planers and mast (great lakes planes mortar launcher and reels setup) from inline boards mainly because we didn't like fighting the board and they were a pain with any rookies in the boat who weren't used to them.   We are running amish outfitter boards both now have the additional rudder that Frank supplied us that he told us might help.   The issue we are having is in the wind and anything greater than a 1' chop one side board always ends up almost behind the boat while the other side is out where it should be.   I'm assuming this is from the wind crabbing either the boat or the wind side planer towards the boat.  We run anywhere from 1.8-2.5 at the ball (surface speed varies of course) but I didn't think this would be too slow to run these boards after hearing everyone online tout how hard they pull.  Im inquiring on here about a set of used otter boats in hopes that maybe that type with a double keel will track better for us in the wind and a bit of a chop.  We never run more than 2 rods per side with 6-7 colors of lead at most per rod, so they definitely aren't being overloaded either.  Sorry for the long winded post, hopefully someone here has a magic solution for me 

[Wjeolund]

I have a hard time running big boards in rough water too. Going into or with the waves helps ,but if it gets to rough I switch to in-line boards. 
 

[SmilinEd1]

Spread them, they are 12 " wide go 16"

 

We've run 40 Oz of lead per side and they pull like barn doors..

 

Snubbers...?

[AnglingAddict]

You are crabbed out - it's not the boards.  Double Keel Otters will do the same.

[tubby2]

I have ajusted the hook up to me board tow lines moving them alittle to. The back.they can pull a tank now.It forced the board outward.

[AnglingAddict]

17 hours ago, jeffmac85 said:

I have been battling an issue that I'm hoping maybe some of you guys may have dealt with and maybe have a solution to.   I mainly walleye fish Lake Erie and some spring browns early season before walleye opener also.  Just this past year we switched to full sized planers and mast (great lakes planes mortar launcher and reels setup) from inline boards mainly because we didn't like fighting the board and they were a pain with any rookies in the boat who weren't used to them.   We are running amish outfitter boards both now have the additional rudder that Frank supplied us that he told us might help.   The issue we are having is in the wind and anything greater than a 1' chop one side board always ends up almost behind the boat while the other side is out where it should be.   I'm assuming this is from the wind crabbing either the boat or the wind side planer towards the boat.  We run anywhere from 1.8-2.5 at the ball (surface speed varies of course) but I didn't think this would be too slow to run these boards after hearing everyone online tout how hard they pull.  Im inquiring on here about a set of used otter boats in hopes that maybe that type with a double keel will track better for us in the wind and a bit of a chop.  We never run more than 2 rods per side with 6-7 colors of lead at most per rod, so they definitely aren't being overloaded either.  Sorry for the long winded post, hopefully someone here has a magic solution for me 

You say any kind of chop more than 1' coming from the side - what kind of boat are you running?  If it's a light boat I guess I could see that happening if you are really sliding.  

[jeffmac85]

Boat is a 21' trophy WA.  It's pretty loaded down, we put a 112# ulterra up front and are currently running (3) 31 series deep cycles up in the bow of the cuddy until our 36V 200AH lithium cell shows up.   Plus a 15hp Honda kicker on the back pushing (I would think with this double pushing/pulling motor setup when trolling the boat itself really shouldn't be crabbing much but I guess it's possible).  When you say widen them do you mean the space between the 2 boards?  Making the gap between the 2 boards 16"?   This would involve making new crossmember braces which isn't a problem, just want to make sure I'm understanding.  We tried moving the tow bolt 1" down and 1" back as per Frank at amish outfitters recommendation, however that really didn't seem to have any effect at all, that's when he sent us the rudders to try.  Those seemed to help a bit but the issue is still there.  Also, yes we run the snubbers that came with the boards.

[SmilinEd1]

Yep, widen them to 16"

Aluminium 2" wide flat stock .125 thick shouldn't be to difficult to find maybe Lowe's.

Drill and reassemble.

A charter friend of mine gave me the tip

[Chaff]

I also use Frank's boards(Amish Outfitters). I moved the eyebolt forward 3/4" and up 1/2". I also have rutters. Anything under 2mph they  seem to run behind the boat a little bit.