Downrigger pedestal

A pedestal for supporting a downrigger on a deck of a watercraft comprising

• a support post,
• a base plate,
• a mounting plate,
• two reinforcing members, and
• three securing plates;
• wherein the support post is elongate and constructed of a rigid durable material and comprises a top portion, a bottom portion, and an internal void, and said support post has a substantially circular cross section, and the support post further comprises an access aperture passing completely through said support post to provide access to the internal void of the support post, with the access aperture of the support post located on the top portion of the support post;
• the base plate is substantially planar and substantially rectangular and constructed of a rigid durable material and comprises
• a first end and a second end,
• a first portion, said first portion located proximate to the first end of the base plate and having a length,
• a second portion, said second portion located proximate to the second end of the base plate and having a length, wherein the length of the second portion of the base plate is greater than the length of the first portion of the base plate, and
• six attachment apertures passing completely through said base plate and suitably configured to accommodate attachment fasteners which attach the base plate to the deck of the watercraft, with four attachment apertures located on the first portion of the base plate and two attachment apertures located on the second portion of the base plate;
• the mounting plate is substantially planar and substantially square and constructed of a rigid durable material and comprises
• four mounting apertures passing completely through said mounting plate and suitably configured to accommodate mounting fasteners which attach the mounting plate to the downrigger;
• each of the two reinforcing members is substantially planar and substantially triangular and constructed of a rigid durable material, with each said reinforcing member having a first side and a second side oriented substantially perpendicular to the first side, with the first side being positioned adjacent to the support post and the second side positioned adjacent to the base plate;
• and
• each of the three securing plate is substantially planar and substantially rectangular and comprises
• a first end and a second end and two securing apertures passing completely through said securing plate, with one securing aperture located proximate to the first end of the securing plate and one other securing aperture located proximate to the second end of the securing plate, with each said securing aperture suitably configured to align with an attachment aperture of the base plate and to accommodate an attachment fastener, wherein each said attachment fastener is comprised of a bolt and a nut, with said bolt passing through one of the attachment apertures of the base plate, an aperture formed through the deck of the watercraft, and through one of the securing apertures of one of the securing plates, and said nut is attached to said bolt;
• wherein the support post, the base plate, the mounting plate, the two reinforcing members, and the three securing plates are constructed of stainless steel, the bottom portion of the support post is placed onto the base plate nearer to the first end of the base plate than the second end of the base plate and welded to the base plate, each of the two reinforcing members is placed onto the base plate such that at least a portion of each said reinforcing member is located adjacent to the support post and each said reinforcing member is welded to the base plate and welded to the support post, and the mounting plate is welded to the top portion of the support post.