1st time boat buyer need advise tiller vs. steering wheel

[jason mc]

Hello all,
I am looking to buy my first boat and would like it to be fishable in all waters, only big water occasionally, only rivers seldom. I have been reading some fishing books and it seems that a tiller with an electric on the front is the way to go. I am not looking at setting any speed records getting from spot to spot. I was thinking of a 16 ft model. I fish all species in the midwest and Canada. Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks
Jason mc, long time shore fisherman

[B Jensen]

It used to be that tiller boats were the most popular for fishing. They provide lots of rooms and pin-point control when backtrolling. You usually go with a smaller motor as well, so costs are held down a little.

In the past number of years however, the trend has been to console boats. They are more multi-use(fishing as well as skiing, tubing, etc), more comfortable over long distances, and in some areas, have better resale value.

When comparing apples to apples, say an Alumacraft Tournament Pro tiller vs. the same boat in a console model, they are more console boats sold by a substantial margin according to what I have heard from dealers.

If you will be running mostly smaller water and only fishing, I would go with a tiller boat.

If you want to use the boat for fishing and other things, or if you want to get on bigger water and travel greater distances, go with the console boat. There are times when you will be able to fish with the console boat when you might choose not to with the tiller.

Hope this helps, please be sure to ask if you have other questions. If you would like info on my suggestions for a specific boat, please be sure to let me know that as well.

Enjoy your boat-buying experience.

Best Fishes,

Bob Jensen

[Supserdave]

I think Bob summed things up well. I have a tiller boat, and I don't think I will give that up until I get a family and a need for a more multi use boat. The extra room of a tiller is great IMO.

Dave

[B Robinson]

The tiller will work for you, but I still think you gotta have the electric up front as well. Many uses for it....it makes it even more multi-species. You can use it to lindy rig, or get into places to cast for bass or muskies/northerns. You can also use it to help steer while trolling in the wind.

[jason mc]

thanks for the input. i will take it to heart. with countless hours of fishing, i would say only 15% of my fishing time has been from a boat, so it is nice to get some input. i have become a pretty efficient shore/wader fisherman by not having a boat over the years, all about timing on the body of water fished. a boat will make it easier to chase em thru the hot summer months

by the way, if you are looking for a fun fly in trip to ca, but don't want to spend a pile of cash, check out
http://www.canadianflyinoutposts.ca

we have taken a group of 4 in the last two summers and have had awesome fishing(walleye to 26/sm bass to 18/pike to 36/lakers to 35
nice cabin, hot showers, solar fridge, lights, and only a few mice

this fly in was cheaper than most drive in trips, with all travel costs included! if you go, please reference me

[Renn]

One other item you need to take into account is how many people will be fishing out of the boat. I own a 16 foot Pro-V tiller and drift fish 4 people out of it fairly easily. I recently got back from a Canadian trip with my mom and dad. We fished in a 17 foot Lund Mr. Pike with a counsole and I am not sure we could have made it comfortable for a 4th person. It was pretty nice when we wanted to get back to camp in a hurry though. :-)

Another thing you will want to consider is what you are going to be using to pull the trailer with. Console boats weight more that the same size tiller.

Just some things to think about.

Renn

[Marv Sandbek]

Jason: You have gotten feedback from some very wise and experienced anglers who have provided you with great information to consider. Having been an owner of both tiller and steering console models, I could best summarize the choice you make to this . . . "How will the boat be used the most (i.e. fishing vs. towing skiers/tubes), How many people will be seated in the boat at one time, and most importantly, and often overlooked, What is the towing capacity of the vehicle towing the boat? I have worked both the retail and manufacturer end of the marine business. Some retailers, in an effort to move a specific product in their inventory, will sell a package that is too heavy/large for the customers tow vehicle, or they will overstate the performance capacity of the boat & motor. As a genral rule of thumb, if you are looking to buy a basic fishing package to fish "some" big water and an occasional trip into Canada, I would recommend a close look at the following models: 1)Lund - 1675 Explorer (works very well with a 50HP engine. 2) Crestliner 1650 Fish Hawk (again, 50HP is a nice match-up. 3) Alumacraft 165 Navigator with a 50HP engine, or perhaps a used boat with similar features and capacities. Another recommendation, depending on your budget targets, would be to have on-board fuel tanks rather than carrying 6 gallon gas cans around. And, when it comes to fuel capacity, 18 gallons and up should be a minimum capacity to settle for. With a 50 HP 4 stroke or E-tec sytle engine, you should get lots of miles out of a tank of gas with any of these models. A final mention . . . if you elect to purchase a new rig, please take the time to do some "dealer shopping!" I cannot overstate the importance of good dealer support. Ask the dealer about their shop service policy on warranty work. Ask the dealer is they have a "Customer Priority Service Program." There's nothing like being broke down at 5:00PM on a Friday!!!! Some dealers are absolutley exceptional in the service department . . .others leave much to be desired . . . just like any other business! Good Luck with your boat selection, and Best Wishes on the water!

Marv Sandbek

[Tim Dougherty]

Jason,

I have a 1998 Crestliner 1650 fishhawk for sale in the boat adds - Missouri. 50hp 4-stroke tiller with very low hours. It is a great boat and I've got it priced to sell. (573)221-5623