Carver Owners Forum

Good Morning All,
So on my Carver I have a wrap around railing in the cockpit area. I will be fishing and diving with this boat. I can't wait! Anyhoo, has anybody mounted Downriggers and fishing poles on those boats? What do you suggest for it? Any pics? I have a bad felling I will have to pull the railing off the cockpit.
Thanks,
Steve

Nothing for ideas here? Does anybody use their boat for fishing? I think I will be leaving the railing on. I am thinking of making a 'Z' type of frame for the down riggers. It will sit on top of the railing, bolt to it from underneath but then go out a little and have portion go to the base to take some of the weight and stabilize it. I'll give pics when I get my idea worked out.

Wish I could help you. Not a fisherman. My neighbors fish, bring me my rainbows all fileted and ready to cook, which we do right away. Nothing like fresh Rainbow Trout. Especially when all I have to do is cook them!

Sorry not much help here either as we get our fish from the freezer. The prior owner of my boat installed a couple of those rod holder pockets. Looks like he just cut out a large hole and used screws to secure them in place.

I guess you can fish off just about any boat. I have a new-to-me Carver28 Command Bridge which places me on the O-1 level flying bridge conning the boat. We cruise with this boat [but we could dive from it and or place crab traps from it]. Downriggers however usually need to be close to the water operated off the main deck each with one or two rods. I also have a '76 Bayliner Saratoga Express 2550 trailerable boat that has two Penn downriggers that I've used for salmon fishing on Puget Sound since 1980. On that boat I am close to my rods and downriggers which need constant tending, adjusting and watching while trolling. If you get a fish on you try to take the other equipment in as not to get a crossed line foul-up. Downrigger fishing is not as simple as it looks. The key is to be very close to the gear. Hope this helps.

Good morning,
The cockpit on this mariner is relatively close to the water so it is definitely doable. To your point though, this will have to be a 2-3 person fishing job...always. The driver is on the bridge thus never seeing the poles at all. I have a solution for the view, I was going to install a rear view camera so I can keep an eye on the poles from the bridge. Unless we totally stop the boat, which is difficult while trolling, the person driving will need to continue to drive . No great solutions yet, just more people fishing. I'll start taking pics when I design the mounts. Can't wait to start Salmon fishing and scuba diving.

I have the Downriggers all mounted. I promise I'll get some pictures. It went quite well. I found some rectangular brackets, almost like u-bolts, that go around my 4" railing. I mounted 2"x8" boards on top of it and then welded together aluminum to from a Capitol 'I' that is used for support on the back on the boards. It is very solid and looks good too. I can stand on these things now.

Hey All,
Here are my pics as promised...

Seif911,
Do you happen to have your pics still? I am unable to see them in the above post.

We are looking to get a Mariner 36. Our broker is trying to talk us out of it saying that it is not a fishing boat. (well duh .. any boat can be a fishing boat! LOL). How has your experience been fishing off of your Carver??

Thanks
Carri

Hey Steve,

Same here - would love to see your solution to mounting downriggers. I am working with a 26' Santa Cruz and it has that beautiful teak taft rail all the way around the cockpit - and definitely do not want to remove it, nor do I want to drlll holes in the fiberglass...

Anyone have images of bracket type mounting for downriggers?

Thanks,
Mark & Christine