Thread: Centre console

On a boat that size, trim will be a major consideration, likely critical in the success of your boat. To far aft and she'll "porpoise" and you'll have enough bow rise to not be able to see where you're going, too far forward and she'll "plow".

The best advise is to launch the boat with the engine, battery, tanks, cooler full of beer and other stuff you normally carry. Rig up some tiller steering and a remote throttle.

Move forward and aft in the boat until the trim is just where you want it. The boat should be running smoothly, on plane with about 2 degrees of bow rise after she's "flattened" out and at full speed. Once the "happy place" is found, add the console and try it again. You may need to make minor adjustments to the console location, so just duct tape it or tie it down. Once satisfied, install for good.

You'd think that in the 21st. century we'd be able to figure things out more precisely then this, but in reality, it's faster and cheaper to do it this way. Yep, a Cad program with a tedious weight assessment (center of masses calculations) could get it quite close, but subtle adjustments would still be necessary, so use the "seat of the pants" method, which works better and faster then computer models. Besides it gives you a valid excuse to bring aboard more beer then usual. It's "trimming ballast" and a necessary tool for the "balance calculations" you'll be performing.

See, anyone can be a yacht designer.

PAR,Illshow you how I bought the boat.

Yep, I remember, you're the guy that cut out the center thwart.

Just from experience, you'll want the console to be about where the old thwart was, maybe a little forward of that. In an hour or two, you'll have found the best location, just by sliding it around a bit.

Yes,But before I start I need a floor.

Hullo

Having just read this thread, I though i'd add a few photo's showing a coversion i did. I started with a 4.45m tiller driven dingy. The motor was already set up with power trim n tilt and electric start. One of the local boat builders (Albany) made the console and re-enforced the floor as i would now be standing on it to travel. They cut the middle 1/3 out of the front seat and fitted the console into the gap, lining the back of the console with the back edge of seat, I then fitted the guages, steering etc up myself. All thats left to do is fit the door and tidy up the wiring a bit.

SNAFU

Snafu,You have done a great job looking at the photos.Thanks Phil

Don't forget, it's a good idea (and a requirement for brand new boats) to fit flotation foam.

You can never have too much foam. Mine carries more foam than i took out. I filled under the foredeck. A least the nose will stick out of the water if i stuff up and sink.

snafu