Welcome to the board fishinut,
I have 2 Scotty Longarm manuals. Had them for five years and they have been very trouble free. Usually run 1 release per side off of the balls, but stacked more this year than I have in the past. As for the releases I like the Offshore mediums. If I had the money I'like to have the electrics though. If ya do get the riggers' I highly reccommend you get a black box to go with it.
Good luck and tight lines, Jeff laugh laugh
PS,
If ya use the search feature in the upper right hand corner there have been other dicussions on downriggers.