New boat , thoughts on Full Winshield

[ia bhtr]

OK , pretty much like the title says , getting a new 1875 Pro V , retiring my 1999 1800 Pro V , in my much younger days all I ran was tiller boats , then the last 20 yrs have been side console Pro Vs , now pushing 70 pretty hard and this will be my last boat ( I think ) my big question is fishability , with my tillers and side consoles , the whole boat was available to me , landing fish , docking , whatever ……….. how much does a full windshield take away from the afore mentioned items ??

Reasons for thinking Full Windshield * Resale if I choose to sell or trade * Protection from the weather as my bride of 42 years and I age * Able to get a top set attaching to WS for both shade in hot sunny , and warmth in cold rainy

Guys there are some of my thoughts , Really looking for any and all thoughts , opinions , whatever you may want to share , would be great to hear from anyone who has followed the same progressions thru boats up to and including the full windshield , Thanks in advance for your thoughts ! , Dan

[That Minnesota guy]

Unless my wife was with me 80% of the time I would never give up the openness that a single console or tiller provides. But, thats just me.

Shade can be done with a Bimini top.

[ia bhtr]

Originally Posted by That Minnesota guy

Unless my wife was with me 80% of the time I would never give up the openness that a single console or tiller provides. But, thats just me.

Shade can be done with a Bimini top.

Actually , this is the very reason I posted , that and to weigh all opinions , Thanks , you just made my decision more difficult

[FishManDan]

I am all in for full windshield boat. Got rid of side console for a Lund impact sport. So much nicer to duck the splashes and wind. Fish a longer season because of it. Yes resale is better. If you watch the ads the ones for SC boats stay the longer till price drops. By the way the boat you own is always is the last boat you purchased ( Until the next boat) until ya buy the farm.

[That Minnesota guy]

I think it depends on how a person fishes. I troll, I fish bigger water, I never have my wife with, I don't enjoy fishing in the elements. For me it's a tiller. When I was fishing Bass I had a side console and a big front deck. Back when me and the boys would be drinking beer soaking a sucker for Pike it was a windshield boat with a top and sides if it rained or was cold.

No correct answer to the question, depends on how the OP fishes and it's his money so it really doesn't matter.

[Daddybigfins]

Montana is cooler in the summer and I'm at a higher elevation so that is a factor but I can't imagine how wet a guy would get without a windshield. Waves splash over the top of my Impact's windshield as it is when it gets rough. I absolutely love my sport top that snaps to the windshield, plus the walkway curtain that blocks the wind and water from the area under the door of the windshield. Very nice when it's 40 degrees in the morning! I picked up side curtains too this spring to create a "cabin" for really testy weather although I haven't used them yet and don't expect to often. It was 42 degrees at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday June 20th out here with the snowline about 1000ft above us, no way I want to be in anything but a windshield boat in Montana but if I lived in the south I'd feel differently I'm sure. I should say I rarely fish with more than 3 people so room isn't a problem-

[Bobby Winds]

Over the 40+ years I went from tillers to side consoles to full walk thru windshield boat and each boat got bigger during the process. Since I fish mostly big water the full windshield during cold windy days has made fishing a lot more enjoyable. And now with a bow mounted TM with I-Pilot I can’t see not getting a boat like I have now. Plenty of room to fish for just about any kind of fishing you enjoy. I would NENER go back to a tiller.

When anchors via TM for crappie or perch in cold weather I close up the windshield and snap in the “boot” to block off all cold air and the put my propane Little Buddy heat on to keep us warm and cozy........you can’t beat that with a Ugly Stick or even do it with a tiller boat. . . .

This fall I plan to cook hot dogs out there while fishing in the cold. . . .

[Wrktfsh]

I like the fishability of a tiller but the windshield gets the nod these days. Just got tired of spray and stuff on cool/cold days.

[egladding]

I rarely have the wife or kids in my boat but I would never trade my full windshield back for a side console. The benefits of the windshield far outweigh the negatives, especially in the fall.

[ia bhtr]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone , every thought posted has been bouncing in my brain even before I posted this thread , quite truthfully , as far as strictly fishing once I get where I am going , hands down tiller boat , but you have to get where u r going , visibility and a drier ride , my side console is much preferred , now being retired and wifey actuly finally taking an interest on fishing , everyone's positive posts on the full screen with the top set is exactly where my brain is today , wife even said with the comforts provided with a windshield , she would be coming along more often , that in itself is enough of a trigger to buy the windshield boat , so Thanks for each and every post , I do appreciate everyone's thoughts , Dan