210 Guardian: Wiring path for Downriggers

[PeterO]

I am the proud owner of a new 210 Guardian.

Fig. 1. Side rails on 210 Guardian

Peter's Whaler - Side Rails for Downrigger Mounts.jpg (131.27 KiB) Viewed 7816 times

Fig. 2. Stern quarter view 210 Guardian

Peter's Whaler - Rear View.jpg (130.95 KiB) Viewed 7816 times

The boat has aluminum side rails. I would like to install powered downriggers on them about six to seven feet forward of the stern where they can be accessed while operating the helm and viewing the sonar on the console.

I've figured out physical mounting, but I am trying to come up with a plan to run concealed power wiring to the gunwales adjacent to the downriggers. I understand there is a channel beneath the rub rail that may allow running wire along the gunwale.

I also understand there may be a trough for running wiring on one (starboard) or both sides that runs from the console, under the floor, up to the gunwale, out to the rub rail, and forward along the rub rail to my bow navigation light. I'm wondering whether this may be a potential path for running power out to the gunwale and then back in the rubrail channel to the downrigger location.

If I took this route, I could get by with 12-AWG marine wire.

Alternatively, I could pull a power wire from the console through the rigging tube to the stern, feed it out to the engine well with the outboard rigging, and then through the rubrail channel to the downrigger location. That length of run would require 10-AWG marine wire.

Before I start dissecting the rubrail on my new boat, thought I would check with this forum to see if anyone had knowledge, experience, or advice to offer.

Cheers,

Peter O.

[jimh]

I suggest mounting the down riggers and running the wiring external to the rails, rub rail, and hull until you are certain you like the downrigger location. I would be very hesitant to start disassembly of the side rails or rub rails on such a beautiful new boat. I would solicit advice from Brunswick Commercial and Goverment Products about possible hidden wiring channels.

[PeterO]

Jimh, I agree. I'm in a remote area, and the closest Boston Whaler dealer who works on Montauks suggested installing the down rigger plugs on the stern seats (near the fire extinguisher). The rails on the Montauk extend further back and downriggers are usually mounted closer to the transom. His recommendation would require me running a 5' extension dangling along the inside of the gunwale to the downriggers on the rail. I'm going to try that, leaving enough extra 10 AWG coiled so it can be routed along rubrail if I can determine that to be a viable option. I'll mount the downriggers on the rail with cheap plastic mounts, and if I like the location will get powder-coated aluminum brackets custom welded.

Folks at Brunswick were very helpful, but couldn't answer specifics about wiring troughs or bow light wiring or size of the rubrail channel, but will try again. Let me know if anyone can suggest a good contact.

The boat will also be used as a research platform and we may be pulling nets and live seals into the stern cockpit, so I need to keep as clean as possible with nothing loose or dangling to catch on nets or chewed by animals.

Cheers,
Peter O.

[Phil T]

Given that the complete hull and gunwales are foam filled, there are not many options.

Consider:

Drill the bottom of the handrail adjacent to the mount. Run the wires down in to the handrail and fish it forward and then to the gunwale cap.
Have the wire exit the rail close to the rail base and as close to the console so you can run the wire across the floor at the closest point. You can use a rubber grommet in the hole to keep a seal and prevent wire chafing.

Run the wire down the inside of the gunwale wall and along the floor to the console. Use a wire mould or wire cover to prevent tripping. Note this allows minimal fasteners/modification to the boat. See examples.

My 1st preference for wire cover

41rHLV2eh-L._SL1500_.jpg (31.81 KiB) Viewed 7772 times

2nd Choice

086698821011.jpg (21.28 KiB) Viewed 7772 times

If a work boat, consider installing Almond Dri-Dek (floats, no fastners) on the entire floor.

[PeterO]

Phil, these are excellent suggestions, much appreciated. I don't mind having a cable running from the down rigger down along the stanchion. I could then use wire cover to run down the gunwale wall to the floor, which is pretty much across from the console. The Dry-Dek sounds like a good way to get across the floor to the console, which hadn't occurred to me, and it can always be removed if and when we need a clean boat.

Thank you,

Peter O.

[jimh]

It the electric downriggers won’t be used every time the boat is used, consider just rigging the motors with a short cable and connector. Then use a DC extension cord cable to connect them to a DC power outlet on the console. You could rig the extension cable to fly in from overhead from the T-top. The walkway would remain unobstructed, but the overhead cable might interfere with angling if you needed to walk the rod around the forward half of the boat.

When you did not need the down riggers you could remove them, and the extension cables could be remove entirely or stowed overhead in the T-top.

I would use rubber jacketed electrical cable for the extension. Use connectors what have dummy plugs so water can be kept out.

This may be a bit eccentric, but then I am not an angler, and I would like the clean rigging when the boat wasn’t being used with the downriggers. Of course if you are going to be using the down riggers the great majority of the time the boat is underway, maybe some more permanent for the electrical cabling would be more appropriate.

[jimh]

Hey—what about mounting the downrigger bases to the T-top? Get longer arms on the downriggers and swing them over the gunwale when in use, and swing them inboard when not in use. Wiring would then be very simple.

[PeterO]

Thanks for the continued interest...

The downriggers will be removed when not in use (which is most of the time), but was hoping the mounting brackets and adjacent power receptacles would be permanent.

Mounting on the T-Top frame might work for trolling as my downriggers have 5' telescopic booms, but I will also be using the same mounts and power receptacles for an Ace Line Hauler to pull prawn traps (retired life is complicated), and the short davit needs to hang over the gunwale.

I'm taking the boat in for installation of power and electronics in the next week or two, and if the installer is comfortable removing the rubber rubrail insert (doubtful), we'll explore the idea of running power from the stern through the rubrail midship to downrigger receptacles on the gunwales, akin to how power is apparently fed from the midship console to the navigation light on the bow. I'm not considering removing the rubrail, just the rubber insert that conceals the rubrail mounting screws and channel for wiring. I think that option is unlikely, in which case I will mount receptacles on both sides of the console, which will allow me to get power to the downriggers so I can play around with the best location, length of cables, way to conceal them, and practicality of running across the floor under dek tiles. Jimh, your advice on type of cables and plugs be useful as I'm testing things out.

Cheers,
Peter O.

[jimh]

Look into the Anderson SB connectors with environmental boots. The connectors are genderless, that is, they mate with themselves.

https://powerwerx.azureedge.net/product ... sbboot.pdf

https://powerwerx.com/anderson-sb-connectors-sb50-50amp

These connectors are in very very wide use with 12-Volt power distribution. The environmental boots look very useful for boat application.

I haven’t tried these big SB connectors and boots, but I use Anderson Powerpole connectors (a smaller series) all the time.

Also, although the connectors are genderless, I think the boots are not; you need to use the boots in a source-load pair to get the boots to work correctly.

[jimh]

Re cable type: if you plan to use the cable in a shroud then an untwisted cable will lay flatter.

[Tesoro]

I dont know if you have ever fished with riggers much but mounting them that far forward could result in some propellor encounters with cable or line - unless you are very careful. This is why you always see them mounted close to the stern.
I have had a few guardians and as neat as they are - fishing boats they arent.

[PeterO]

Tesoro, my own experience with downriggers is too limited to assess placement, but in researching the matter there definitely appears to be two schools of thought. Traditionally, they have been mounted near the stern, and that was my first inclination. However, with the advent of longer telescopic booms and more sophisticated fish finders, there is a tendency toward mounting further aft where they can be accessed from the helm while viewing the sonar. For example, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiVrq3mLW48. I'm on Quadra Island near Campbell River, which purports to be the Salmon Capitol of the World, and many of my neighbours are long-term fishing guides, and the consensus is to mount further forward. Having access from the helm is very appealing to me, as I will taking guests fishing that aren't comfortable operating the riggers or boat, and when in research mode there are occasions when I'll put a crew on shore and be tending the boat myself, and would like to be able to use the riggers for chumming bottom fish and pulling prawn traps while I'm waiting. All I can say is I'm looking forward to figuring it all out, and willing to put in a lot of practice.

With respect to Guardians, they are widely used by government agencies for research and enforcement, and I've had the privilege of using them extensively in my work throughout BC and Alaska during my 35+ year career as a marine biologist. Many factors went into my choice of a boat, but sea worthiness and suitability as a working platform and local conditions were primary considerations. If I were buying a boat exclusively for sport fishing, the Guardian would not have been my first choice. Montauks are very popular with the sport fishing lodges around here, and you can have them configured with rod holders, fish coolers, live wells, stereo systems, etc. There are lots of other manufacturers and models, and it's difficult to make generalizations.

[jimh]

Aside: Peter I know your area. I was there with my 20- foot Boston Whaler REVENGE in 2003. Visited that lodge with the fleet of 17-foot Boston Whaler custom boats with tiller-steered outboard engines. It was a great trip. Spent about 12 days on the water and 7-days on the highway towing the boat out and back, 4,500-miles.

[PeterO]

I hear you. I put on 13,300-km on my trip down to Edgewater to pick up the 210 GUARDIAN. I took scenic route on way down.