I set my boards up so they don't release and slide all the way back to the weight . I want the board off the line asap. Some guys do , but I prefer not to . It's your choice . I always run my lines with the deepest next to the boat . When a outside board trips I let the others slide back a little and bring the fish across after that, or you can make a little turn to help with that . As far as spreading them out , it's just depends . If I'm marking a lot of fish high in column ,I want my boards out farther from boat if traffic allows , as not to spook them . This is just what works for me , there are several ways to do it .