Stern Mounted Electronics

[Albertan]

Originally Posted by Waxy

I'm seriously contemplating switching sides with my kicker and Vantage. If it wasn't such a PITA (sonar cables and mounts, new pedestal mount, fuel lines, motor mounts, moving transducers, etc...) and so expensive (new Wave Wackers), I'd have done it already. I'd be doing it primarily to move the Vantage. Being right handed, I'd like to be able to hang my fishing rod right over the side of the boat and steer with my left hand when hovering or backtrolling. The way it's setup now, I have to awkwardly cross my arms to face backward or stand facing the side of the boat and be constantly turning my head or letting go of the Vantage handle, less than ideal. I'm really not too concerned about which side the kicker is on, it's pretty irrelevant in my opinion.

Waxy

I thought about what you wrote for a few minutes, and it makes sense. TBH, my Vantage fried years ago and I haven't gotten around to replacing it with the brand new one I have on the shelf...I should get around to that this winter too. I do vaguely recall fishing at the back on the port side with my left hand on the Vantage and the rod in the right hand as you described, and it was nice.

My kicker is usually locked forward and I steer with the bow mount and set the throttle with the TrollMaster, so I don't need to really get at it a lot. It's sort of set it and forget it when I use it. I did forget though that I also have dual DigiTroll 10's at the back. So I'll have to mount up the starboard one and bring out an extra pair of hands to help test fit the Carbon 12. My storage doors open to the stern and there is clearance on the side for a RAM mount (if that makes sense). I also don't have jump seats to contend with. So I won't have to put it as far back as you did. All in all it looks promising.