I'm curious what the benefits are to center console boats? I know their quite popular in sunny states like Florida. I can see more deck space especially if your casting all the time.
The benefits are: more space and more space. Plus, having the helm in the middle of the boat tends to give a better view of everything going on in and around you, IMHO.
__________________
"Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold" - Helen Keller
we all need to support iboats marine store when ever possible. you get, competitive prices. fast shipping, top notch customer service. also it provides us, this great FREE forum.
They make good dive boats as well as good fishing boats. Plenty of space to store gear and tanks. Plenty of open/available gunwale space for falling backwards into the water.
I have a 21' Bayliner cruiser that's perfect for cruising and bait fishing but is difficult to get into shallow waters for trolling. I just bought a 19' center console especially for trolling and plugging. What a difference and well worth the money. Advantages is that it's easy to launch and retrieve by my self, easier to get to the rod when fish is on, easier to make tight turns....it's just plain easier to fish.
BTW I still have the Bayliner for cruising with the wife and to bait fish for Sturgeon or Striper on those cold, windy winter days .
Space, space, space. Unobstructed access to any part of the boat which is important when fishing. I am slightly handicapped and the center console makes it very easy for me to get around on the boat and reach anything that I need to reach very quickly.
1) more room for fishing from any side of the boat
2) much easier on the back for operator and standing passengers since the legs acts as shock absorbers while operating the boat
3) higher operating position gives a much better view of the water while operating the boat
The down side....
1) need to walk around the console to move from the front to the back of the boat
2) Not the best configuration for family water sport boating (I know my wife likes the cushy sofa like seat in the back of our dual console)
I like fishing the in shore waters of new england. An 18' to 23' center console is ideal for this mainly because it saves a lot of wear and tear on the human back. For freshwater fishing, I prefer a side console boat since one often has to move from front to back. It is all about personal preferences.
Center console boat benefits
.
Linear Mode
