Leisure Boating: What type of outriggers do you have on your boats?
Rob Naysmith: I’ve got two different kinds of outriggers on my boats. I’ve got carbon fibre on my boat Jabulani and I’ve got aluminium stayed riggers on my boat Wizard. The carbon fibre outriggers are more forgiving, a little bit softer and lighter to use and they’re very easy to use when you’re at sea. The aluminium outriggers are stiffer and don’t whip as much in the sea. You also get the old fibreglass outriggers but I use only the carbon fibre and aluminium outriggers.
LB: Do you need to service the various components of outriggers such as the mounting hardware, rigging and poles?
RN: I certainly do. With the aluminium outriggers I find if you don’t service them at least once a year, corrosion begins to set in. It’s also nice to just strip the outrigger components down, put a little bit of grease on them to ensure they stay in prime condition.The carbon fibre outriggers just need a wash down with soap to keep them clean.
LB: How often are the pulleys and release clips replaced?
RN: I very seldom have to replace these components. I use good quality clips such as the Roller-Trollers, the static clip, and I use tag lines which are just basically a swivel-like component which has a clip on it and I service these items at the beginning and the end of the season, approximately every six months.
LB: How often do you replace the outrigger lines on your boats?
RN: I just watch for deterioration of these lines as they are up in the sun all the time. My lines go up at the beginning of the season and stay up for the season.I inspect the lines frequently and if they begin to look faded, worn or damaged, then they’ll be replaced. Typically, I find that you should get a couple years worth.
LB: What line do you typically use on your outriggers?
RN: I use a black monofilament rigger line which has a breaking strain of about 400 to 500 pounds.
LB: What type of outrigger clips do you use on your boat?
RN: I use Roller-Trollers and quick releases made by Aftco.
