Tiller Guys?

[Ray Esboldt]

I worked at an in-house boat show this past weekend for Minnesota Marine/Rapids Sports Center. They asked me to chat with people about the Crestliner tiller boats. Fact is, I ended up talking to more people about full windshield boats than tillers. So, that got me thinking. How many of us die hard tiller guys are left? I like a tiller for the fact that you get maximum space out of the boat. Plus. the ride from the back is usually nice on the body, minus the ever present spray.

So speak up if you're out there. I run an Crestliner 1850 Fish Hawk with a 90hp Optimax, and I'm darn proud to be a tiller guy!

[Big Walleye 58]

I used to run a 16'Lund pro angler with a 50 hp tiller recently sold it and ordered an 1800 lund explorer tiller with a 90 hp yamaha . I was suprised how hard it was to find a tiller boat . Was told by many dealers there was very little demand that's why they're so hard to find , they don't want to get stuck with them . I had to order mine to get the boat I wanted . 2 to 3 weeks yet and I'm about as anxious as a I can be. This waiting is killing me .

[IceHawk]

Tiller fisherman here now and forever. For my style (mostly eyes)backtrolling jigging etc,I wouldn't trade my tiller for a console. I really like the extra room and control you get with a tiller boat. The one drawback of the tiller is is she can be a little more of a rough ride over a console but you get use to it.

[DTro]

The only time I would prefer a console is if it was a middle console and I was standing, or sitting on the engine housing

Tell me this. I always am amazed at the sizes of tillers. As they approach 100hp or even higher is their some sort of steering assist.

I used to drive a resort boat, when I worked at one (plain 16ft lund with three benches) that had a 40hp tiller and that thing scared the bejesus out me. Very squirrely.

[deepportage01]

ray, I switch'd to a side steer boat 6 year ago and I regret ever doing it.I thought that speed would catch more eyes WRONG! I miss my tiller so much.next year I am going back to a tiller.with the boat I have now Iam up front in back up front in back Ahhhhh .To have my tiller back would be great I never should have sold it

[riverrat56]

I'm a tiller guy, but only because 14 ft boats made in 76 don't come with many other options

I really do like my little boat though when the lakes aren't too rough and its great for the river and small lakes that are abundant around my area.

If I were to buy a new boat it would deffinatly be a tiller just because I am used to fishing with one and they leave you so much more room, which is at a premium in small boats.

The reason for fewer and fewer tillers is that tillers are really a pure fishing boat, not much cruising or skiing or tubing to do behind a tiller, most people looking at a new boat today want it to multi task. But to the people who strictly fish and chase lots of walleyes a tiller will always be in high demand

[Ray Esboldt]

dtro,

The big tillers do offer hydraulic assist, and I think you can even get a form of power steering on the real giants. My 90 is fine as is, but I don't think I would hold a 150 in my hands without a little assistance.

[Mark Christianson]

I'm with ya on this one Ray.

Tiller = Fishing!

[mahannah]

I have a Smokercraft Pro Tiller 16'6" with a F60. I have a tiller for a few reasons. First, I wanted a smaller boat that would fit in my garage. This means a 16 or 17 footer. In my opinion, there is not enough space in that size of boat to go with a full windshield. (I don't consider a single console steering an option. Them my wife would want to drive to stay warm....)

The second reason is control. With the tiller you have much more precise steering control. Also the ability to backtroll.

If you own a tiller you must invest in good rain gear as the ride can be wet. Also, there are times in the fall and the spring that I would trade the extra space to gain a little warmth. Most of the season, however, I am glad to have the space and control.

[Valv]

Quote:

---

dtro,

The big tillers do offer hydraulic assist, and I think you can even get a form of power steering on the real giants. My 90 is fine as is, but I don't think I would hold a 150 in my hands without a little assistance.

---

Last year I bought a Mercury 125hp SaltWater tiller....I always wondered what kind of muscles you have to have to drive the thing.....

Seriously though, they have to install a hydraulic assist, I really think it's too dangerous holding such a large motor with no help.

[Tofishem]

I was a console guy too, but after using both I am going back to a tiller. I'm in the process of looking for a 16-17' with a 50-75hp now. Can't understand why a guide would choose a console, with boat control being so important!

Bruce

[Gofishleech]

Had a walk thru once, dryer but no room. For the last 10 years or so its been a tiller and I can,t see changing. First big tiller I had (100hp)I put a bow mount troller on it and never used it, nice to stay put in the back of the boat. And for the buddies, I can take three of them and still have room to move about and all there gear. I run a 90 merc 4-stroke on an alumacraft 185 and just love it!!

[Ole the Guide]

Count me in on the Tiller! I'm also a diehard. I've used them all my life and I agree with Ray! More room and nice ride, except you can get wet in the back.

I have a 17' Tracker Deep-V. I love it! I bought it from Tony Dean about 7 years ago!

I was watching his show last winter and, there was my boat! My boat is a celebrity!

Ha-ha! I also found a map in it to secret spots....But, unfortunately it's a long drive to Devil's Lake...

. Just Kidding Tony!

Ole

[PerchJerker]

I used to be a die hard tiller guy. Tillers were all I owned or fished out of for years and years, and I thought I'd be a tiller guy forever.

But a couple things started getting me thinking about a console boat. For one, I was tired of always getting splashed on. For another, I started to fish bigger water and occasionally want more speed than you can get from tiller boats. Also, I noticed that the majority of the walleye pros were changing to console boats.

The thing that finally convinced me to change is some fishing I did in a friend's side console with a kicker motor. Better ride and more speed than a tiller boat, and his boat control was good. It was enough to get me looking.

I eventually bought an 18 foot side console with a 175 hp, a 9.9 4-stroke kicker, and electric motors on the bow and on the transom. I was more or less expecting to not like it, and was more or less expecting to sell it in a year and get an 1890 Warrior with a 90 tiller. My tiller buddies were betting I wouldn't even last a full year in the wheel boat. Well, it didn't take long at all for me to fall in love with my wheel boat, and the same goes for my tiller buddies that fished with me.

Now I don't ever see myself going back to a tiller. For those that say you can't get as good of boat control with a console boat, you're wrong. Between a tiller-controlled kicker motor and a good electric bowmount I can do any kind of fishing with just as good of boat control as any of you tiller guys. And I can get there faster and stay drier.

Without question a nice console boat that's set up good for fishing is going to cost A LOT more than a nice tiller rig. But for the price tag you get a bigger, faster, drier boat with a bigger main motor and a kicker motor, and you'll have just as much room and be able to fish just as well as any tiller out there. It's overkill for smaller lakes, but nice for bigger lakes.

[Mark Christianson]

But ya gotta fight with that big ole ugly windshield Perch.

Hard to do an underhanded cast to that low hanging branch up against the shore with that big chunk of glass in the way.

[relaxandfish]

Hi Guys. I have a 14 foot whit a 15H tiller and I don't see why you need bigger and faster bout around Huch area. I go fish by myself most of the time .Hava a tiller is great my first bout. i can turn around 360 deegrees around and have a lot of room for fishing even whitout geting up from my sit. I love it.

[Corey Bechtold]

I am a die hard/fish harder Tiller guy!

I have a 1650 Fish Hawk Tiller with a 50 4-Stroke and I don't know if I could fish out of anything else (excellent boat control!!!). I have used S/C boats in the past and feel just the same as you do, kinda cluttered. With Tiller boats it's nice to keep an eye on everthing in front of you while heading across the lake(kids,rods, tackle, pop cans, equipment, etc.). They also load on the trailer easier than the steering wheel boats.

There are come good arguements for the S/C boats as long as they have a small kicker motor for trolling. But for now it has to be a Tiller!

Good luck,

Corey Bechtold

p.s.

Ray, I would love to take a ride with you in your new 18' Fish Hawk Tiller! I have been waiting a long time for Crestliner to come out with that model. Shoot me an e-mail if you have a chance.

[The_Duckslayer]

I am a dyed in the wool tiller fan! I have a 60HP Evinrude on the back of the boat. When it is time to go tubing I have to hold onto that ole girl with both hands! Having that tiller lets me have a wide open flat bottom boat (there are no seats in it) Works great for hunting, after all that IS what I bought it for! I tell people that my boat is as comfortable as the chair that you bring along to sit in! Tiller always... Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[Borch]

I'm another one of those diehard tiller guys. I've fished out of both and with the tackle and gear I generally use there just isn't enough room with an equal sized console rig.

Another trend I've been noticing with even the tiller rigs is the way that the casting platform seems to be expanding and taking over the boat's space. As far as I'm concerned they could cut the area of the casting platform in half. I know it's a weight distribution issue with the 3 deep cell batteries many rigs utilize. But 80% of the time the casting platform is wasted fishing space(other than storage) when chasing eyes.

[gunflint]

I like tillers for smaller lakes. The real reason I like tillers is when backtrolling the captains bait is in the zone first.

[Mark Christianson]

Ah Borch.

I have to disagree.

I love that huge platform in my rig! Bigger IS better.

Signed,

Biglakeba$$

[ChuckN]

I was a tiller guy.

Why?

Since I'm not the tallest guy, it can be hard to see over the bow of a large tiller boat. One night I was boating on the lake, mid-week, without a ripple on the water....full moon, NO wind...just one of those unbelieveable MN nights. Cruising below full throttle, I hit a stray 12' jon boat that floated off someone's dock because the kids using it didn't tie it to the dock. I saw the boat just before impact and it threw me out of my seat. I freaked until I realized I was the only one on the water. I had to tow that boat home, almost completely sunk if it weren't for the floatation.

I fish big water. Too many times my arm just went plain numb after the initial pain of holding onto that motor. I've operated several tillers over the years...same thing.

I went to the wheel since it made me feel much more comfortable. Sure, the ride was a little more rough up further....then I went to glass. Faster, smoother, larger, ahhhh....it's kinda like a Harley thing. lol

I learned how to use my bowmount to keep me on the spot than sit in a seat in the back and fall asleep. j/k I kinda miss backtrolling, but I have a kicker for those situations that could work in a pinch.

[hitthebricks]

I'm with Perch Jerker on this subject! My last tiller was a 95 17' Alumacraft comp. w/ a 60hp motor, it was a great boat on the Croix, Metro lakes, and Mill Lacs until things got rough, but it scared the heck out of the people up front in rough water. I have to admit the full windsheild on my Crest. 2050 Sportfish makes a real good kite in a heavy wind but its worth every penny it cost me and the fact I can put up the top when its raining makes it even better. I'll also bet you guys with tillers will not backtroll in 2+ ft. waves, I have, and watched the guys in big tiller boats on Winne. run for cover during a great bite. The fact is each style of boat has to give up something to get something and you need to weight your needs and wants. HTB

[PerchJerker]

Hey biglakeba$$, why don't you just learn to cast right AND left handed ---- I guarantee that windshield will only be on one side of you at a time

But you make a fair point about casting. Basically none of my casting is pitching under cover. I throw cranks for walleyes and big wood for muskies and the windshield does not get in the way for that.

[Mark Christianson]

Lobbing and casting are 2 VERY different things.