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I've been wanting to do it for 4-5 years, but just didn't. Then last year when retruning home from a weekend trip, I followed another and they were able to do it....

I'm still not comfortable with the look, after all she's a SPORTFISH!!!! Not some loveboat thing. Even the wife shot me down a few years ago when I mentioned it.

So I figured I needed to give it a try and this past weekend I pulled my 22ft outrigger pols from their mounts and removed an unused antena and lowered the others.

Now I can get out of my creek without bothering to have the bride raised. I had about 2-3ft of clearance at normal high tide. So I'll still have to watch if it's abnormally high. But for now I'm free! Free to fish and happy hour cruise without the worry of "Making The Bridge".

I don't use my outriggers here in the Chesapeake anyway. Most guys use a planner board to widen their spread for rock fishing. I find I can catch all I want without them. So I'll store and re-rig the outriggers, and cap the mounts on the boat.

br,
JohnD

I'm in the same boat, figuratively anyway. We recently moved our B28 to the Bush River where we have to deal with an 11' Amtrak bridge and a very limited opening schedule.

First I had to CX and disassemble/reassemble the antenna mount so I could lower it. I'm thinking of replacing it w/ a rail mounted fold-down antenna

Then I removed the (6) screws that connect the bimini mounts, drilled them out and inserted pins. Its made of 7/8" tube, built to support heavy curtains in all sorts of weather and relatively unweildy to fold down, but not so bad for two people. Still I'm thinking, smaller/lighter for next year.

Pulling the 'rigger poles out and laying them down is easy enough. It would make sense to remove them and the brackets next year, but they get so many compliments!

I guess its better to use a love boat regularly than to let a full blown fishing rig sit at the dock.



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John: What kind of rigger mounts do you have? Can you get the sliding backstay for them? if so they are easy to lower and raise.

Rawleigh,
I've got the Lee Sr. which have the main tube angled about 60degrees facing aft and the support comes from aft it does slide on the main tube, but not enough to allow me to lay the rigger down.

Steve, I agree as a matter of fact I may just take a ride out tonight and see if there are any Rock who want to donate themselves for my dinner table. btw, I'm in stony creek just off the Patapasco by the BGE plant.