# A safety alert re downriggers.



## YakMan (Aug 29, 2005)

*From a safety perspective it blows me away to think that people are paddling or peddling around with wire on their downriggers.*

All stainless wire on downriggers should be replaced with 100lb braid for two reasons.

1. If you get caught up or worse foul your bomb and flip your kayak....and you will at some stage if you are serious about downrigging.How the hell are you going to cut it?

2. On a lighter note you will eliminate the harmonics.


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## garyp (May 30, 2008)

Seems like sound advice


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## ausbass (Feb 15, 2007)

Resurfaces the idea of a safety knife...


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## redman (Jun 5, 2008)

ausbass said:


> Resurfaces the idea of a safety knife...


An invaluable tool on any Yacht and just as much at home on a Yak!!


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

I don't have one so don't know how they work but if it became that much of a problem would you just sacrifice the complete spool bit....disconnect it at the kayak end?


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## jokinna (Mar 2, 2010)

Barrabundy said:


> I don't have one so don't know how they work but if it became that much of a problem would you just sacrifice the complete spool bit....disconnect it at the kayak end?


i gess if yur alredy tangled up in the wire and flipd it be too late.

ps. i dont know how they work either


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

True, true if you're tangled. Also cheaper to replace the stainless cable in the comfort of your home and have that peace of mind in the event of a mishap.


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## yankatthebay (Dec 14, 2007)

agreed, I still have wire on mine but only because the braid I want hasnt come into my local tackle store as I dont need a 500m spool (I wanted the stuff that changes color as it goes down).


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## Ranger (May 31, 2008)

I'd not considered the safety aspect before, but due to this and the annoying harmonics through the wire, I recon I might take that advice!


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