3.9 3d tender xpro tiller to console and bench

[Jenks87]

Ive had my new rib all summer now and it’s been absolutely brilliant but I’m thinking of going from 20hp - 30hp and adding small steering console and bench seat. Mainly for those long days out on the boat for comfort and to get that extra bit of grunt when needed. Anyone gone from a similar set up and went the same way I’m looking to go would be interested in the negatives and positives. Only really used for fishing so room is good but bench and steering console won’t really be taking much room up to what I use now. Cheers lads.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Jenks87

Ive had my new rib all summer now and it’s been absolutely brilliant but I’m thinking of going from 20hp - 30hp and adding small steering console and bench seat. Mainly for those long days out on the boat for comfort and to get that extra bit of grunt when needed. Anyone gone from a similar set up and went the same way I’m looking to go would be interested in the negatives and positives. Only really used for fishing so room is good but bench and steering console won’t really be taking much room up to what I use now. Cheers lads.

Going from tiller to console & wheel steering will transform the boat, it will feel bigger & far easier to helm, extra hp is an added bonus which would possibly be unmanageable on a tiller steer. Pretty sure you wont regret it

[Jenks87]

Originally Posted by beamishken

Going from tiller to console & wheel steering will transform the boat, it will feel bigger & far easier to helm, extra hp is an added bonus which would possibly be unmanageable on a tiller steer. Pretty sure you wont regret it

Yes that was my thoughts but really wanted some reassurance. 20hp now is manageable on tiller but 30 would be a lot and think by adding the console and bench would make it a lot more manageable and would be adding a lot of storage to the boat which is a bonus.

[Easedalenovice]

Originally Posted by Jenks87

Ive had my new rib all summer now and it’s been absolutely brilliant but I’m thinking of going from 20hp - 30hp and adding small steering console and bench seat. Mainly for those long days out on the boat for comfort and to get that extra bit of grunt when needed. Anyone gone from a similar set up and went the same way I’m looking to go would be interested in the negatives and positives. Only really used for fishing so room is good but bench and steering console won’t really be taking much room up to what I use now. Cheers lads.

I think you will actually loose a lot of room in the boat

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Jenks87

Yes that was my thoughts but really wanted some reassurance. 20hp now is manageable on tiller but 30 would be a lot and think by adding the console and bench would make it a lot more manageable and would be adding a lot of storage to the boat which is a bonus.

100% you often find boats with 2 power rateings, 1 for tiller one for steering the tiller rateing is always substantially lower as the boats are much harder to handle. Having seats & console to store items in means stuff not spread about the boat.
Battery & fuel tanks can often fit under seats or in consoles which makes for a less cluttered deck. You will also feel more secure when its rough too. Just be sure everything is well secured as there has been incidents where seats & consoles have come loose which isnt good

[Jenks87]

Originally Posted by Easedalenovice

I think you will actually loose a lot of room in the boat

Only room I will loose is where the console will be which is only 400 x 350mm which is fine with me. Usually only me on boat fishing with occasionally one other which sits on the cool box any way. Be handy to place both in boat but no suppliers near me unfortunately.

[Jenks87]

Originally Posted by beamishken

100% you often find boats with 2 power rateings, 1 for tiller one for steering the tiller rateing is always substantially lower as the boats are much harder to handle. Having seats & console to store items in means stuff not spread about the boat.
Battery & fuel tanks can often fit under seats or in consoles which makes for a less cluttered deck. You will also feel more secure when its rough too. Just be sure everything is well secured as there has been incidents where seats & consoles have come loose which isnt good

Yes that was my thoughts, all my gear would be secured and also kept alot drier. My concern was fixing them to the deck as it’s an ally rib but I’m sure there are the right fixings for them out there 👌🏼

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Jenks87

Yes that was my thoughts, all my gear would be secured and also kept alot drier. My concern was fixing them to the deck as it’s an ally rib but I’m sure there are the right fixings for them out there [emoji1362]

Has it got a double skinned floor? If it has I'd look at something like these rivet nuts
https://www.rivetwise.co.uk/rivets/rivet-nuts.asp
If I was going for a permanent install I'd probably double up with sikaflex too

[Jenks87]

Originally Posted by beamishken

Has it got a double skinned floor? If it has I'd look at something like these rivet nuts
https://www.rivetwise.co.uk/rivets/rivet-nuts.asp
If I was going for a permanent install I'd probably double up with sikaflex too

Yes has a double floor, awesome thanks for the link they look tidy and yes defo will be sealing it down with silka flex as well. Now time to find a good supplier for the bench, console and 30hp on controls. Winter project to keep me busy.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Jenks87

Yes has a double floor, awesome thanks for the link they look tidy and yes defo will be sealing it down with silka flex as well. Now time to find a good supplier for the bench, console and 30hp on controls. Winter project to keep me busy.

One other thing worth thinking about if your buying a new engine is power trim & tilt, makes life so much easier especially with a console & controls

[Peter_C]

Originally Posted by Jenks87

Yes that was my thoughts but really wanted some reassurance. 20hp now is manageable on tiller but 30 would be a lot and think by adding the console and bench would make it a lot more manageable and would be adding a lot of storage to the boat which is a bonus.

I never found a 40hp tiller hard to handle *shrugs*

In the past I had considered making a light weight beach launchable boat, utilizing a steering wheel. Highfield has a design I would have almost copied except to make it pivot out of the way for gearing up to dive. Something like this, which is very minimal. Making a seat base to mount it all too that would be an enclosed box.

[Easedalenovice]

Originally Posted by Jenks87

Only room I will loose is where the console will be which is only 400 x 350mm which is fine with me. Usually only me on boat fishing with occasionally one other which sits on the cool box any way. Be handy to place both in boat but no suppliers near me unfortunately.

I have a 3.6 m with a small centre console and without it you can fit 2 people and quite a lot of stuff in the boat. With it in you can only fit one person in the boat. If that is all you want it will be fine. Try and fit it so that it can be relatively easily removed

[Jenks87]

Originally Posted by beamishken

One other thing worth thinking about if your buying a new engine is power trim & tilt, makes life so much easier especially with a console & controls

Yea 💯 would get the full package if I was going down this route. I have been told that with the 30 on the back I may need to get a hydrofoil fin to plane it easier but will test before hand.

[Jenks87]

Originally Posted by Easedalenovice

I have a 3.6 m with a small centre console and without it you can fit 2 people and quite a lot of stuff in the boat. With it in you can only fit one person in the boat. If that is all you want it will be fine. Try and fit it so that it can be relatively easily removed

So with the console on the right I can then use my cool box next to it for an extra seat and also 2 on the bench, but yea usually only one other so should be perfect. Did you find it added much more weight, being ally they can’t be too heavy are they?

[Jenks87]

[QUOTE=Peter_C;869294]I never found a 40hp tiller hard to handle *shrugs*

In the past I had considered making a light weight beach launchable boat, utilizing a steering wheel. Highfield has a design I would have almost copied except to make it pivot out of the way for gearing up to dive. Something like this, which is very minimal. Making a seat base to mount it all too that would be an enclosed box.

[/QUOTE

So I nearly looked at getting one of these floating consoles previously but then it takes up just as much room, the space below the steering wheel is unusable so my thought were a proper console so at least I can then store the battery and other accessories under it then. I’m still torn between all of this though and a 30hp on a tiller would be very rapid for my boat but the comfort for fishing all day also comes into play

[Easedalenovice]

Originally Posted by Jenks87

So with the console on the right I can then use my cool box next to it for an extra seat and also 2 on the bench, but yea usually only one other so should be perfect. Did you find it added much more weight, being ally they can’t be too heavy are they?

I only have a 15 hp outboard on mine and it goes well so to be honest the weight was no real issue.

If you get a new motor I would certainly go power tilt and trim.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Easedalenovice

I have a 3.6 m with a small centre console and without it you can fit 2 people and quite a lot of stuff in the boat. With it in you can only fit one person in the boat. If that is all you want it will be fine. Try and fit it so that it can be relatively easily removed

Seriously! We owned a 3.6 m rib with centre jockey seat for over 20+ years we regularly had 2 adults & 2 kids in for trips out. My daughter & I even managed to use it for scuba diving from a few of times with my son as boat man. It was tight to dive off for two of us but definitely doable.

[Jenks87]

Originally Posted by beamishken

Seriously! We owned a 3.6 m rib with centre jockey seat for over 20+ years we regularly had 2 adults & 2 kids in for trips out. My daughter & I even managed to use it for scuba diving from a few of times with my son as boat man. It was tight to dive off for two of us but definitely doable.

This was the other option getting a small jockey seat which is positioned up front and having the deck space behind for my fishing gear (cool box, live bait bucket and fishing tackle box) so much easier if suppliers were close 🙈

[User name]

Personally, I'd prefer not to have a console in a fishing boat, unless the boat is large and very roomy.

Depending on what you're fishing for, you may need to move around the boat to prevent the fish from going under it, or crossing another person/rod. It'll be more awkward if you have a seat/steering in the way. I prefer to have as much open floor space as possible for unhooking, baiting, rigging etc.

The console will be a lot more fun to use besides fishing though.

[Jenks87]

Originally Posted by User name

Personally, I'd prefer not to have a console in a fishing boat, unless the boat is large and very roomy.

Depending on what you're fishing for, you may need to move around the boat to prevent the fish from going under it, or crossing another person/rod. It'll be more awkward if you have a seat/steering in the way. I prefer to have as much open floor space as possible for unhooking, baiting, rigging etc.

The console will be a lot more fun to use besides fishing though.

So this was my other worry, I havnt had a console in a small boat before so don’t want to order it without being certain. It’s literally used for fishing only really so space is first on my list. Guna have a good measure of the boat etc and if not much room may have to re-think and look at a bigger boat in the near future if I want a console.