Personally I would favor them up top just for the reason of walking around on the gunwale cap.
I have my outriggers mounted low, tournament style from Rupp, I didn't realize how much I traverse to the bow regularly.
i have mine on the gunnels (low). first reason for mounting them low is they are my safety grab bar when fastening anything to the folding cleats when on the high seas. second cannot mount correctly to rounded surface of the area adjacent to bridge walls. third thru- bolts would be exposed on the underside (obviously you would never use self- tapping screws) .fourth the wheel holding the lee outriggers would be within bending reach to deploy the outriggers mounted on top you would be reaching over your head on the high seas.fifth the gunnel area you would be mounting the rigger two is three times as strong as the upper area.
Originally from the factory they were mounted on the gunnels. Mine are different from the picture you have posted. I have the base and an arm mounted to the gunnel, another arm is fastened to a teak block that is fastened with bolts to the bridge area.
Tony Meola wrote:Originally from the factory they were mounted on the gunnels. Mine are different from the picture you have posted. I have the base and an arm mounted to the gunnel, another arm is fastened to a teak block that is fastened with bolts to the bridge area.
Gentlemen- Thanks for your responses.
If I had Lee's Seniors then no doubt I would mount them on the gunnels. I may have caused some misunderstanding as the image is not to scale the outrigger bases are smaller than they appear in the image.
On the gunnels with 18' poles, if mounted high on the flybridge house will create 'usability' issues such as getting the riggers deployed and will also likely hold your trolling lines at a pretty steep/high angle and a pretty stiff release tension would be needed to keep the lines from snapping out. Would also need even more solid mounting backers etc. mounted high where all rolling etc. is amplified.