tiller or council?

[hamms-scooter]

what do you guys prefer tiller or council style steering? I have tiller style and like the open layout of the boat my dad has a council setup and it just seems cluttered in a 16 ft boat to have it. what you guys like? also was wondering if anyone has some pics they would share of there boats they have redone. casting decks/storage/livewell setups? looking for ideas. have a 1970 starcraft i am redoing . thanks

[fishermatt]

When I bought my first "brand new" boat it was a console (single). I wanted it to work for water skiing/tubing as well as for fishing, and I figured a console was more versatile that way. (Debateable, but that was my choice) Last summer I bought dual console and really like that, as do my wife and daughter.

For just fishin though a tiller is nice for the reasons you said.

[Outfitter17]

If you are going strictly with a fishing rig on small to medium water I would go with a tiller, if it is big water I would lean more to dual console with a full top. I have never really understood a single console, it takes up much needed space and you don't get the benifits of a full top?

[fishguyd]

more room / passengers, easier boat control for most = tiller, more versital for family fun, maybe a little faster , less room for passengers and gear, harder to fish out of for most, = Console,

[mrfish1991]

I like fishing from tiller boats. It seems like I have more control over where im going and how fast im going there. I also like having more space in the boat.

[hamms-scooter]

anyone have pics of your rigs that you have modified at all? cool to get ideas!

[PerchPounder]

Boilerguy did a complete rebuild of his boat last year you could search through his posts in the boat forum and probably get some ideas.

[Big Unit]

100% tiller always!

I have a longer - 20 ft boat with a 80 hp and its perfect fish catching rig. I still pull the kids around but not often!

[Sandmannd]

I love my console, would like a dual console down the road. I see me staying with consoles. I do like the tiller space, just have always been a console guy. I think a lot has to do with personal preference.

[WingDing2]

My first boat was a Lund 17ft Mr. Pike 50hp Merc single console

My second boat was a Lund Pro V 1750 60hp Johnson Tiller

My third boat was a Crestliner Sportfish 1780 125hp Dual console

My fourth boat was a Warrior 193 Eagle 200hp Merc Dual console

My current boat is a Sportfish 27ft 454hp Dual console

Do you see a pattern here? There never big enough!

Go big save money!

[sharpy]

yeah i have a 12 ft lund with a ten hoarse tiller on it and i love the control that that has but i cant take it out in windy conditions. having a consil on that would not be good. i also have a 620 vs rAnger with a duel consil anf full windshield it has a 225 hp johnson on it and i love it!!! it has good control and alot of room. im geuss it just depends on the size of the boat.

[wheelerboy920]

tiller all the way best for fishing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[deadeye]

Tiller. For some reason I like having 175hp in the palm of my hand.

[Bandit]

I have a single consil boat, LUV it. I figured the passenger could tuff it out.

[steffanf]

And again... I'm not with the normal crowd. I have a relatively small boat (Lund 1425... only 14'9") with a console. One might think that the boat is too small for a console and it takes up too much room. This is actually my first console-equipped boat. Personally, I was a bit skeptical getting a console and wondered if I was doing the right thing. Now I'm glad I have that console. It makes the driving expierience that much nicer. One might question the lack of room? Well, I usually fish by myself and sometimes, with one other person. I never have a space-problem, and I always have at least 3 tackle boxes in the boat with me, including two Lakewood musky tackle boxes.

[hamms-scooter]

would love a rig like that. I really like the lund alaskan 18' open floor plan and everything you need.plus capability of running on bigger waters. sweet setup!

[steffanf]

That's just it... had the 1425 up on Cass last year in 3' plus waves. It truly does handle like I bigger boat for it's rather diminutive size. By the way, I should have some pictures posted later this week under the "Let's see your rig" thread...

[gn83tm]

Do any of you guys pull the kids on a tube or skis with a tiller boat? I'm thinking about tin boats in the 16-18' and 50-100 HP range.

I ask because 85% of the time it's just 2 of us fishing, maybe 5% of the time it's 3 or 4 fishing, and 10% of the time it's pulling a tube. I'd really like a tiller for the fishing stuff but can I pull the tubes with it when I need to?

[jigginjim]

Thats how I learned to water ski. I can still pull tuber and skiers with a tiller. The boat just needs the right power. (the boat I grew up sking behind was a 14ft with a 20hp merc)

[gn83tm]

One of our neighbors on East Battle used to pull his girls on skis with an 18 HP Johny (if I remember correctly) so I know that can be done. I'm just wondering about how hard the bigger tiller motors are to control. I would think a 175 OptiMax with power steering would be easy but what about a 100 HP w/o the PS?

Thanks

[Ralph Wiggum]

I plan on pulling my wife on skis this summer just for $hits and giggles. I've got a 60 hp on a 16' Sylvan. She learned behind a 15 hp when she was young

[wplatehunter]

I have had a tiller, single console, and dual console. They all have there place, but if you have a bigger boat I would go with the dual console. My last boat was a single and I thought is was great, but after being a passenger in a single on big water I got a dual and love it. You can ski out of any of them depending on your motor size.