Console placeing!

[Squidlet]

Haveing a bit of trouble making a decision on console placement,do i go for a rear centre console seats on tha transome.
B.Centre console
C.side console
I know it's a personal choice,but their must be pro's and cons for all 3,if any one has some opinion's that would be great!
:-?

[Noelm]

never been a fan of side consoles, although there is hundreds of them around these days, not too sure about a rear console with the seats on the transome, would not leave much room for fishing, and there would be a pile of weight in the stern, so that leaves a centre console I guess.

[finga]

It would all depend on the style of boat and the style of your fishing and the balancing of the boat.
Side consuls are OK if the weight distribution is corrected accordingly.

[FNQCairns]

How long is the boat? how rear is rear? rear means a wet soft ride. also if 4 stroke = heavy so 2 blokes (they will not want to be any further forward than the CC, need rocks in their head it becomes very bumpy very fast as one moves forward. So be sure the boat has the buoyancy to accommodate.

The need to fit trim tabs can become apparent as a result...boat size/type dependent.

Mine is rear CC, CC at around about 1/3 the internal length of boat with about 1.2m betweens back of CC to start of outboard well, this is enough room to fish easily and keeps the ride relatively nice...but wet at times.

You will punish the hull more and longer with a rear CC so yet wetter again than if further forward.

[Salad Fingers]

Having gone from a (middle) side console to a rear CC I will never go back, centre rear is a better all round combo imo.
Much better ride, better fishability in my opinion as you can fight a fish from one side to the other and the console doesn't get in the way.

[Squidlet]

Cheers for everyone's input the size of the boat will be a 5m job,i guess centre rear would be better suited to a larger boat? not sure on tha side console a little offputing as ya not in tha centre if that makes sense,so that leaves centre all rounder i guess?
Will be doing both big river work and blue water (NT) so im still sratching me head:-? the rear centre doe's realy appeal but yeh,mmmmmmmmmm!
cheers .

[marto78]

I've got a 5.1m pressed tinny with the console positioned 2/3rds of the way up the boat with a 100l fuel tank underneath and slightly forward of it and find that it can still be a bit light up the front. There is just enough room in mine to roll the swags out comfortably from the back of the console to the transom in mine which is handy for those over nighters. You can see the position in my avatar but let me know if you want any more pics.
Cheers
Marto

[Squidlet]

Cheers marto,that was the whole idea of the rear centa swag space,overnighting but it's slowly changing to tha centre the more i thinkl about it,a couple of pics would be great if ya don't mind could put this troubled mind at rest,.
Cheers mate!

[cgibbo308]

never dealt with consoles. but. you could use some cardboard boxes and gaffer tape and make a prototype and see where best suits you :)
empty otto bin may do the same job, but most likely to big and smelly :)
just a thought :)

[Squidlet]

WHAT? are you on about?

[marto78]

Hey Squidlet I'll try and get some photos up for you tomorrow have been a bit busy of late.
Marto

[Squidlet]

2ezy bud no hurry!

[oldboot]

There are so many factors to consider.

weight distribution can be a real issue.

I am half way thru re-fitting mine.......and moving the console forward, because there was too much weight in the rear with the old arrangement.

This ment the bow would point at the sky comming out of the hole, and would tend to fly nose up over waves

If ya going to fit other seats or fixtures, ya need to consider that too.

I've spent a couple of hours playing lego just to figure out where everything will fit.

If you are buying an existing or new boat that is one thing ya wont get much choice.

But if you are doing a refit, or installing a console yourself......take the time to consider all the issues.

cheers

[marto78]

Pics as promised I even took some measurements ;D
From the back of console to motor well is 2.1m and from the front of the console to the the storage area up front is 1.1m. Its a bit tight but we can just roll out 3 swags side by side down the back. I usually throw everything up the front when fishing bar a 90l esky/seat and theres enough room to fish 3 or 4 comfortably. Probably not the best setup in the world but is what works for me.
Marto

[Squidlet]

Cheers for that old boot i was looking at a new boat so iguess their maybe room to play with,but in saying that i shant rush into things,i guess with tha centre console as you said your distributing tha weight better.
Marto cheers for tha pics mate youve gon above tha call of duty,####'n nice one bud the old girl look's like she's gota wide beam ay nice an stable no doubt!
Goen out next monday for a test run in a 520 Formosa Tomahawk,so hopefully it will be ok! Failing that shall continue talks with origin! Cheers for ya help!

[bassfan]

Centre console 2/3 towards the front preferably with a casting deck in front of the console. This still leaves plenty of room in the rear and all around access for fishing.

bassfan

[Why Not]

I have a G.S Marine Extreme 5.50m rear centre console. I rate the driving position and the space I get infront of the console. I can overnight on it with one person either side of the console and one up on the casting deck.

Why Not

[Squidlet]

Why not do ya find ya geting a wetter ride? i know its a smoother ride at the back!

[Why Not]

Its an open boat, so I can get a bit of spray going side on with the wind pushing the water up but that's when the conditions mix it up. I just inform people if you don't like a bit of spray then buy a cabin. I rate the fishing style I get out of this type of set up. I can flick lures or chase fish all day. Horses for courses as they say.

I owned a side console hornet and I didn't mind that set up either.

Why Not

[Squidlet]

I know it might be asking a bit but would you be able to get some pic's of the set up for us.cheers squid!

[spelchek]

Hi squidlet - I've got a 4.4 seajay with side console. I was set on a CC but on speaking to a few people I went with the SC option. Main reason was (I was advised by more than one dealer) that a side console (in my size boat) would give a bit more open room in the boat.

I'm very happy with my boat -I do 1/2 river/estuary and 1/2 open water in it. About 50% of the time I'm solo and the weight distribution is (obviously) not as good in this case as a CC would be (I've been considering investigating trim tabs for a while now). Having said that, I've never felt unsafe or at risk due the weight distribution. I put the esky etc on the passenger side when solo - not a pefect balance, but not too bad and once again, never have felt unsafe.

With a boat my size, the SC has proven to be more versatile - can sleep a swag on the passenger side, I'd otherwise be unable to do so with a CC.

It is a tough decision (I had my heart set on a CC for quite a while before ordering the SC) - but I'm sure you'll find plus and minus's to either config.

Like people are saying - the console towards the back makes it smoother, but wetter especially when there's some wind blowing across a front quarter.

Good luck!

[Salad Fingers]

Heres a couple of pics of my rear CC, doesn't really look like it in the photos but I can actually sit on the transom and steer fine (now that i've taken the bait board off), looks alot further away in the pics cos of the angle.

Same as Why Not, I can sleep two either side of the console and one across the cast deck easy.
http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu285/SaladFingers/newboat004jpg_s.jpg
http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu285/SaladFingers/newboat002jpg_s.jpg

I'll try and remember to get an internal pic for ya tonight.

[spelchek]

Nice boat SF - what size is that, I can't make it out.

[Salad Fingers]

spelchek, 5.4m.