Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Console or tiller?

Side console or tiller in a 16-18 foot open aluminum boat and why?

I have a tiller 40 hp Mercury jet mounted on a Xpress 18/60. We use it for fishing and floating the local rivers in the winter for squirrels. I have more floor space than my buddys console rig.

For a 16' to 18' aluminum fishing boat, my choice would be a tiller. It offers a more open floor plan and also if you're running the boat solo gives you a smoother ride in the chop, as you have more of the weight of the boat in front of you to cut through the waves before it reaches you in the rear, literally. Sitting more forward in a side console boat can make for a very rough ride. Add a Mercury tiller outboard with power steering, the only brand that offers power steering in a new outboard, and you've got the best of both worlds. A tiller will also give you better control for back trolling, if that's your thing.

The only slight advantage to a side console is somewhat better visibility as you're facing straight forward. If equipped with a wind screen, this might also be a slight benefit running during colder weather. I just wear more clothes.

I had a 15FT side console and now have a 16Ft with tiller. In boats of this length I'd Definetliy go tiller for all the above reasons.

Tiller. I know it isn't freshwater but I have run a lot of 14-20ft skiffs on the ocean and I far prefer a tiller. If it doesn't have a cabin, go with a tiller.

Keep it simple and light. Tiller.

I had a 16 foot tiller for many years and sold it for a Crestliner Fish Hawk 1750SC (great boat). Only kept it for a short period and went back to a Polar Kraft tiller. I don't see myself in anything other than a tiller from now on because of the reasons cited above. I can get the tiller into far more places, use a smaller outboard for the same performance (better trolling performance actually), and use less fuel.

One rule of thumb that is good to go by. If you're running 50hp and lower, go tiller. 60hp and above go console. The tiller has it's advantages up to a point and then the console takes over. powdr

Another vote for a tiller for the reasons already given....

I own both and the console boat sits in the garage. Old habits are sometimes tough to break!

Depends on what your using it for. If you hunt out of it at all then a tiller. A stick steer is another option.

Tiller

For a jet boat on shallow braided rivers where I live, I prefer console. Better weight balance, better vision. Lakes or normal rivers, I think tiller is better.

Another place where a stick steer is awesome. Sitting in the front you can see under water obstacles in shallow water. A lot of guys around here set up jet boats with stick steering.

As to the title, I believe that it was sung by Bobby Vee.

I'll go against the trend and throw my vote in for a console, with one of the main reasons being weight further forward in the boat makes getting up on plane easier. I have had a bunch of tillers and hated cracking the throttle and having the front end come up so high you can't see where you are going. End up putting your tackle and stuff up in the front to keep the bow down, then you need to go get it from there when you start fishing, move it to the back where you are running the boat, and then move it back when you are wanting to move. With a console boat your tackle can be right beside you, you have a windshield to help keep the chill off, and you are that much farther from the motor, so less noise. A single console boat still has a ton of fishable room and is easy to move around.

All that said, I would place reliability of the rig above the layout.

SS

I use a wide 16 foot 25HP tiller with shallow water drive. In the shallow swift rivers it's a big plus to tilt the engine on a seconds notice. I also fish a large lake & traveling very far gets old holding the handle/throttle.

I've had both and prefer the tiller for fishing. It opens up the floor plan, and if I'm fishing by my self, I seldom go to the bow unless to set the bow anchor. I run a 14 ft. Lund Deep V and have little trouble with bow rise when I bring it on plane with my 18 horse Evinrude. I do a lot of in tight fishing both for crappies and bass, and like fishing from the stern.

In a 14 or 16' boat with a SMALL motor, tiller is probably better. But with max hp motor and a deep v boat, it is real puckersome when you are running wide open and gust of wind blows your bow 20 degrees off course. With your weight centered at a console that won't happen.

When you are trolling, it can be hard to keep on course going forward in wind. Going backward can help on smaller water, but you need good rain gear and more patience than I have, or a good set of splash guards.

Regardless of your choice, you will spend money . .

Tiller all the way. For the same boat platform, a side console raises your max h.p. rating, thus a more expensive boat. Steering and linkage isn't too complicated, but more to go wrong. I much prefer the openness of a tiller boat and the control needed for back trolling.
But no matter which way you go, be sure to maximize the h.p. rating of the boat.
Good luck.

You never said what you plans were but a couple of more things to consider, if you haven't already pulled the trigger. Open floor plan, flat floors, no carpeting, and storage. I used to spend 4 hours fishing and then 4 hours vacuuming carpeting. No more..hose it out and go. Flat floor is easy on the back.