Downrigger install?

[bigeasy1]

Ditto what big Lew stated.I've run riggers on my last six boats,and they do add a lot of strain to gunnels and decks.
We troll for eight to ten continuous hours for several days in a row,so all my down riggers have been mounted to solid sections of the boat with 1/4" aluminum backing plates.

I currently have four electrics mounted on my 23 Tsunami.I mounted two of them, just forward of the hawse pipes on each side.
I also mounted two on the stern cap,but during the restoration of the boat, I got rid of the baitwells that were original.
I backed up the cap with marine ply,and several layers of 1708,and a couple of roving.

If you run long arms on the riggers,it's best to mount them as close to an area with compound bends in the glass,as it can take the stress of the weight,which is considerable with long booms.
I wouldn't run them on the hatch covers,you'd be better off placing them on the gunnells,with good back up plates.

Here's a couple of pictures of mine,with the first showing just the rigger mounts,(they're Scotty electrics),and the second showing them with the riggers on them,and being used on the water.

PS* Pay no attention to the pigeon,he hitched a ride with us ten miles offshore,and rode all the way back to port with us.