TACO Grand Slam 170 Outrigger Top Mounts 1-1/8" (Pair)

The TACO Grand Slam 170 (GS-170) is a pair of TACO Marine's entry-tier outrigger top-mount bases configured for 1-1/8 inch diameter telescopic outrigger poles. If you have a boat 24 feet and under that you want to set up for serious offshore trolling - marlin, tuna, mahi, wahoo, sailfish, kingfish, the whole pelagic species list - the GS-170 is the right base hardware for the typical 13-15 foot 1-1/8 inch telescopic poles that fit boats in that size class.

What an outrigger base does. The mounting base bolts to your boat (on top of the T-top, hardtop, radar arch, or pilothouse roof) and holds the outrigger pole. The base provides two adjustments: (1) Lift angle - how high or low the pole points relative to horizontal. The GS-170 uses an 18-degree click-stop lift adjustment so the pole locks at preset angles: stored (down against the boat), mid-position for normal trolling deploy, and full-up clearance position for going under bridges or low overhead structure. (2) Rotation - how far outboard the pole rotates from the boat's centerline. The GS-170 rotation is continuous (no click stops) and locks at any angle via the locking lever - so you can dial in the exact outbound rotation that gives you the spread width you want for the trolling configuration you're running that day.

Why this matters for trolling spread. The whole point of outriggers is to spread your trolling lines wider than the boat's beam so you can run more lures at once without tangling them. On a 24 ft boat without outriggers, you might run 4-5 lines off the transom directly, all within an 8 foot spread (the boat's beam). Add a pair of 13-15 ft outriggers with the GS-170 base, deploy them outward at 30-45 degrees of rotation, and you suddenly have 30+ feet of trolling spread - room for 8-10 lines, each running in clean water with no wash interference from the boat. More lines + clean water = significantly higher hookup rate, which is why outriggers are mandatory equipment on any serious offshore trolling rig.

Pole compatibility - critical to get right. The GS-170 is specifically sized for 1-1/8 inch butt diameter outrigger poles - the typical recreational TACO Telescopic outrigger pole sized for 13-15 ft length. The GS-170 will NOT accept the heavier 1-1/2 inch HD outrigger poles (TACO's HD lineup steps up to bigger pole diameter for tournament-grade installs on larger boats). If you want the HD poles, you need the GS-280 or GS-380 base (sized for the bigger pole diameter). Confirm pole butt diameter before ordering. TACO publishes a base-to-pole compatibility chart in the spec sheet that ships with the product.

Boat size sweet spot. TACO recommends the GS-170 for boats 24 feet and under, which covers most center consoles, bay boats, walk-arounds, and small sportfishers in the 18-24 ft range. The base hardware is sized and rated for the load that a 13-15 ft 1-1/8 inch pole transmits to the mount under realistic offshore fishing load - typically up to 25-30 lb peak line load when a fish strikes the outrigger release. For boats larger than 24 ft running heavier baits and chasing bigger fish, the GS-280 or GS-380 with bigger poles is the right answer. For boats smaller than 18 ft, outriggers are usually impractical because there isn't enough beam separation to make the spread useful - the GS-170 sized down to a 13 ft pole is the minimum practical configuration.

Construction quality. The visible mount body is anodized aluminum with the silver finish that complements both white-hull and dark-hull boats. All bearing surfaces, fastener hardware, the locking lever, and the Sure-Grip knob are 316-grade stainless steel - which is the correct stainless grade for saltwater service (316 has better chloride corrosion resistance than the cheaper 304 grade used on freshwater products). The internal pivot bearings are Delrin (acetal plastic) rather than metal bearings - Delrin won't corrode in salt service, doesn't gall under fishing load, and operates smoothly without needing lubrication. The result is a base that opens and closes the pole smoothly year after year without seizing or binding even in heavy saltwater duty.

Installation - what's involved. The GS-170 mounts via four through-bolts into the top surface of your T-top, hardtop, radar arch, or pilothouse roof. Drill template comes with the kit (TACO publishes the exact template PDF on their website if you want to preview the hole pattern before purchase). Bolting onto a fiberglass or composite top surface requires backing plates or large fender washers on the underside to spread the load - never mount directly to bare fiberglass without backing. Aluminum or stainless tubing T-tops typically have welded mounting pads or require fabricator-added pads at the mount location. Realistic install time: 2-3 hours per pair for a competent DIY install on a T-top, including running and routing the outrigger line, mounting the line cleats, and getting the pole travel adjusted. Boat-yard professional install: $200-400 labor per pair.

The ShadeFin compatibility detail. TACO sells the ShadeFin sun shade system that uses the GS-170 (and other Grand Slam) bases as its mounting attachment. You can install the GS-170 primarily for outrigger duty and later add the ShadeFin as a versatile sun shade for the cockpit when you're not trolling - the same mount serves both functions. The ShadeFin is sold separately and adds about 5 ft x 6 ft of shade coverage per unit. Useful dual-purpose detail if you fish AM and dock for an afternoon swim/lunch break.

What's NOT included. The actual outrigger poles (1-1/8 inch Tele-Outrigger poles, sold separately by TACO and others - typical price $400-700 per pair depending on length 13-15 ft and series). The outrigger line system (heavy-duty braided line, release clips, line cleats, halyard system, snap swivels). Mounting bolts, backing plates, or sealant - source separately based on your boat's deck construction. TACO publishes a complete outrigger system shopping list in their installation guide that covers all the small parts you'll need.

Pair packaging. Sold as a pair (port mount + starboard mount, mirror images of each other). This is the only sensible configuration since outriggers always install in matched pairs - one port pole and one starboard pole. Buying individual mounts isn't an option from TACO and wouldn't make sense anyway. The pair pricing represents a meaningful discount vs hypothetically buying two singles.

Warranty. 3-year limited warranty from TACO Marine covers manufacturing defects in materials and workmanship. TACO has been making outrigger hardware for decades and the Grand Slam series has long field history with excellent reliability when installed correctly. Failures typically trace to installation issues (inadequate backing, wrong fasteners, mounting on unsupported fiberglass) rather than the mount hardware itself.