Tiller vs Console

[Puffer]

I'm sure this has been asked several times, but I am looking at boats and can't decide if I want till or console. I am wanting to use the boat for muskie and walleye. I know that with all the gear needed for muskie, room in the boat is very important. The tiller would be best in that situation. On the other hand, I'm 51 and wondering if maybe I would want the comfort of a console. I also understand that a tiller can be alittle more dangerous if you would hit an object in the lake, ie. log. I would probably want a motor of minimum 40-50 hp. Let me know what you guys think. Appreciate your responses.

[fishnwiz]

Hey Puffer. I am going through the SAME thing that you are going through but I am thinking of going to a console instead of a tiller! My first boat was a console boat and after 2 years I went with the tiller in order to hold a breakline alot closer and for the ease of putting the boat on and off the trailer. I Still feel that a tiller is much easier to manuever as well as much more responsive to steering. I recently went out in an 18 ft glass boat after fishing out of my Lund for 17 years. The difference was incredible as far as lack of response with a 175 console in comparision to my 50 tiller....even more so at low RPM as when you are docking! I am 40 years old and cannot see myself trying to launch, or to pull out of a ramp, an 18 ft glass console boat,in high wind, by MYSELF when I am into my 50s. I do fish alot by myself and if there is any kind of wind at all..it can be tuff! I guess what it comes down to is what type of fishing do you do the most? If you troll alot and like to follow a breakline and you do fish by yourself alot on smaller inland lakes..then I would say go with the tiller. The recent trend in tillers is bigger and wider so you will feel comfortable in a tiller boat.. I am surprised that alot of guys I talk to about console boats (I am in the market for a console) either own a second boat that is a tiller model for small lakes..or Wish that they kept their tiller boats for just such use! I myself will NOT be giving up my Lund tiller! Hope this helps alittle. Fishnwiz

[Mudflat]

Found this article in North American Fisherman Feb/1999 issue by Gary Parsons:

Console boats have a number of advantages, such as a smoother ride in rough water, more comfort during long runs, and they are rated for bigger engines. Plus they will more easily do double-duty as a 'family' boat for water-skiing, tubing our joy riding.

One of the biggest advantages comes into play when you fish off the bow with a foot-control electric, and have both hands free for fishing. The bow-mounts 360-degree turning radius in nice, too.

As far as boat control, conventional wisdom has long given tillers the edge, but the advent of trolling motors with 100 pounds of thrust or better, as well as better kickers, has leveled the playing field - even in windy conditions.

About the only advantage tillers offer is economics. You can put together a very fishable 14-16 fott tiller rig for a lot less money than a console model. Still, if you want a hard-core fishin' machine that will tackle a wide range of conditions, I say a console is the only way to go.

I hope this helps out you dilema!

(p.s. I have a console and wouldn't trade for a tiller any day of the week. I can hold any break-edge on the Mud Flat of Mille Lacs.)

[River_eye]

I think most of the main issues have been adressed, so I'll just say one thing. I'd make my decision based on size, if you are going with a 50-60, then I'd suggest a tiller. I like the control much more. But if you are thinking of using it for other things than just fishing, like cruising around, and the others mentioned above, I think the console would be more comfortable.

[fishnwiz]

You make an excellent point River_eye! One other thing to consider is the fact that the further back you ride in a boat..the less you feel the jarring of the boat as it cuts through waves. While it may be a wetter ride ....at least you will still have your kidneys in the correct place after a day of running and gunning!

[Terry/JNR]

Without reading any of the rest of the replys, I have to go with console. It has the obvious benifits of the protection of the windsheild and console and the higher hp rating. It's much nicer even controlling a kicker from the steering wheel with the aid of a control arm between the 2 motors. There are even dual control setups available to start, stop, and control the speed of the kicker at the console.
Especially if you fish by yourself alot, a console puts more weight in the bow even when you fish out of the stern. This helps in wind conditions. generally you want to fish from the bow seat on the front deck. Run 2 electric motors at the same time and no tiller will be able to out control you. There's a bracket made to put a powerdrive or autopilot trolling motor on the stern of any boat. This puts the control of the stern electric anywhere you want it in the boat.
Ultimate boat control that not even a tiller can compare to. The boat can even be move dirrectly sideways. I've been using one for 2 years on my 19ft Alumacraft.
I got so much into this because the guys running tillers are always saying they have better boat control, but not any more. A rear casting deck is even on the market for 17ft & up Pro-V style boats.
Go console. You won't regret it.

[fishnwiz]

Sorry to all of the console boat owners that I have seem to offended with my remark about boat control! I was only giving MY piece of mind from the view that I take regarding boat handling differences between a tiller and a console.I realize that there are new methods of boat control being developed as we speak, Each and every person has to decide which method they are most comfortable with! Overall...I thought that a smaller tiller boat would be a much better boat to trailer as well as handle at the dock...given that this gentleman DID mention his age and feels that this is a factor in his next purchase! JUST MY OPINION! WIZ

[Tommy Mac]

Hi Puffer,
I love these tiller vs. console debates. Everyone has a strong point for each. I have run tiller boats all my life and am partial towards them. I would say that if you have not run them in the past and if you are concerned about being able to handle a 50 or 60 horse tiller stay with a wheel. However on the other hand if you have had tillers do not be concerned about moving up in horse power, the bigger tillers handle very nicely. It sounds to me as though you are going to buy a boat in the 16-17 ft range and that you have a concern about having enough room. In that case I would have to suggest the tiller. Motor set up is a major concern in either case. And one that is often over looked. Be sure you get the trim tab adjusted correctly which will go a long way to eliminate any steering tourque. It can be a tough decision buy what you want, depending on your situation. Feel free to e-mail me if you have particular questions concerning a tiller. Catch A Big One!-Tommy Mac

[Remo]

Terry, Are you saying you use 2 powerdrives at the same time? I'll bet you can juggle 4 bowling balls while standing on your head to! :-)

[Herky]

LAST EDITED ON Jan-18-00 AT 00:53AM (CST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Jan-18-00 AT 00:49*AM (CST)

All the responses have some merit and reflect how different setups fit individual fishing styles. I fish muskies first, walleyes second. After owning 2 console boats I now run a tiller. I'm not a tournement fisherman but I fish alot, from 50 to 100 days a year. I Have seen the tiller/console debate on here many times in the past year, usually the answers are from a tournement pro perspective not from the average joe fishing nut.

I run a tiller for a number of reasons. My family of five have more room to manuver without the constriction of a console. I can see the passengers(Kids) when running because they are in front of me. They were behind me in my console boats. It gets old turning around to make sure they are safe at take off or on rough water. I can see all the rods and kids when trolling at the same time. Tiller boats can be narrower and still have room to move around if you don't have the constriction of a console in the middle of the boat. Boats can be too wide. I can reach all my electronics, baitwell, livewell, rod locker and some storage without leaving my drivers seat. A narrower boat allows me to see following muskies over the side and figure 8 without leaving my pro-pole seat on the front deck. This boat also is narrower to trailer and fits easily into my garage. As far as being harder to handle my 9 year old runs mine wide open. He weighs 65 lbs.

I like simplicity yet fishability. The less to go wrong the better. I have a Ranger Fisherman 681T w/ a 60hp Merc. Foot controlled 24v trolling motor, flasher and Keelshield in the front. Lowrance, gps and onboard battery charger in the back.
Have fun deciding,
Herky

[Puffer]

I knew I would be starting a small battle when bringing up this subject, but a lot of good thoughts came from this. I am armed with many good reasons for either the tiller or console. I will now have to see which ones fit me. I would not have thought of all these ideas without you guys. Thanks

[dummie]

I just bought a new Lund tiller. Decided to go with a 14and 1/2 footer. I owned three consoles and the big problem I had was that I was in the middle of the boat while trolling.I like to be in the back of the boat where the action is. The tiller has a lot of room in it and there is not a console taking up space. They handle well and are better suited for my fishing. But I agree with the other posts also. If you are going to use it for a family boat consoles are nice. Buy what pleases you.

[dummie]

Puffer;
One thing I did not mention was boat control when hitting objects in the water. Last year we were fishing Eagle lake by Dryden Ont. Our host provided 18'Lunds with 40 horse Mercs. We hit rocks just under the surface at high speeds and never had a problem with control. I suppose if someone would run their boat with hands off scenario they would lose it. I'm glad there was prop guards on this motor or there would have been major damage. Never had a problem with control. God bless.

dummie

[Kip#`]

Like you need more thoughts - but here are mine.

I used/fished from small tillers for years (14-16' with 10-15 hp), occasionally spending time in my dad's larger tiller boats (16+', 40-60 HP). A few years ago when I finally bought a boat of my own I bought a single console as a compromise for the different species I fish for. I thought I would be compromising walleye and lake trout fishing - but I was wrong. Yes, I've had to do some adjusting - but I'm never going back.

Set-up and rigging are different. Yes, I can't swing the tiller handle and move the motor in a heartbeat - but I don't use the big motor for situations where I need that control anyway. Got bow and stern trolling motors for that. Control, for me, is a non-issue.

My dad has owned tillers forever. Like many things, he isn't getting any more nimble with age, and to my utter amazement he is looking at console boats now. Reasons: drier ride, less steering fatigue (his arm/joints get stiff), better visibility, more power on a given hull. I've driven his current boat (Smokercraft ProTiller) and it is absolutely a handful (no pun intended) compared to my side console of similar size. As a matter of fact, I think he is looking at SCs thanks to my boat just being easy and comfy to drive. He's also tired of getting drenched and being exposed to the brutal Canadian cold fronts as he travels back to the docks.

Re. hitting things, he hit a submerged tree at 35-40 mph and both he and mom flew to the front of the boat - luckily worst casualty was wood in the speedo pickup. I'm not sure if being behind a console would be any better injury-wise, but like he said at least he'd stand a better chance of staying in the boat (though this may not always be true) when he hits his next tree.

Good luck with whatever you decide - it is a good issue, with good posts being provided - and is a personal, sometimes situation-specific choice.

[River_eye]

I agree that you can get excellent boat control with bow mounted electric motors. But this still comes at a price. One of the main benefits for me is that if I'm driving me and 2-3 buddies out to a fishing spot, I don't have to get out of my seat once we get to the spot to operate my electric motors or get more space. You have more space to move around in without tripping over everybody's stuff going from your console to the bow or stern if you don't have a console.