I have seen afew posts about people ripping the downrigger off there boat and always wondered how they could do that.I have fished with downriggers for 13 years and been hungup more times than I care to think about.But in all those times I have only lost one ball that I couldnt get back.If you set the drag just tight enough to hold the ball without slipping thats going to help when you get snagged.I think by setting it loose it does not drive the ball into the snag as hard and it makes it easyier to get loose.