Just wondering how you guys have your planers set up, in particular those of you who have pulleys toward the front of your boat. Mine is set up using Great Lake Planer rod trees with the reels at the back of the hardtop and a big jon pulley mounted on the hand rails on the roof. Problem with this is that the pulleys hit the roof if there is any slack on the tow line. Any ideas on optional mounts for the pulleys? Thought about bolting them to the side of the hard top somewhere, not sure how or where though. Thanks in advance.

heres: a pic how we posted ours. i think it's something like your thinking

This is a big jon planner mast with the reels mounted on the gunnell. I have since added SS eye bolts on my rail for the line to run though, this set up works great for me, I dont see why you cant make this work with your reels on your hard top, just remember to keep long tether lines to your planner lines

Fishman, that is exactly what we were thinking. Did you buy those somewhere or are those something that you made?

This is something we made our self and it's easy to make and cheap. The reel mount is a scotty downrigger gimble mount with the plastic mounting plate tacken off that is mounted upside down bolted to the hardtop with a plastic cap on top, and the big jon reel fits perfectly on it. The pulley mount is a stainless steel base with a 1 inch stainless tube thats capped off. The pulley is mounted to the tube with a stainless steel U canvas strap holder that is bolted through the pipe.

Gray Fox,
Both my reels and pulleys are mounted to the handrail on the hardtop. Put springs on the pulleys to stop them from hitting the top, works fine.
Splitshot115

What kind of boards do you run and are they through bolted.?
Thanks

i run otter boards and they aren't bolted though i used toggle bolts