# My wooden side console tiller style to a center console.



## rusty.hook (Apr 5, 2011)

My aluminum 2005 G3, 1548, 1996 Yamaha 25hp tiller model, from original style bare bones boat to a side console and now a conversion to a center console style. 
The boat originally had a tiller style 25hp Yamaha pull start that was killing me. So I opted for a electric start 40hp Johnson, tiller style hoping to build the center console someday and converting it over to remote steering. I also wanted the 40hp because of the extra weight I was planning on adding and did not want to be under powered.
I had built this boat last year so my 83 year old uncle would have plenty of room to move around comfortably. He has a bum knee, so I wanted to make it easy for him. Now he can’t go anymore, I wanted to rebuild my boat the way I wanted when I first got it, a center console version, and man is it a project.
To start my rebuild of my boat, I removed the wooden side console I had built because I had wanted some place to install my depth finder and GPS, start, choke and kill button and bilge and light switches. no key start, because all of those switches and push buttons were not working on the tiller when I bought it. I also removed the side storage box with the big door in the right front, in front of the wood console with rod holders on top. The rear and front areas were left alone, no modifications needed. See pics.
A friend gave me a small used aluminum center console. I sanded and sprayed it with self etching primer then painted it with a medium gray color. The console was too short for my boat so I built a wood frame base from Fir, size 2” X 6”. I stacked 2 boards on top of each other and sandwiched with 5/8” plywood, screwed and glued together. 
I added a board screwed to the bottom for mounting the base to the floor. This gave me my desired height of 32” from floor to top of the console. The base for the console is 21” wide and 25” deep. The aluminum console sits on the back of the base, and is mounted the console base with eight 3” screws. The front of the console has a flip up padded seat and the console itself has a padded back rest mounted on it when the passenger is sitting on the seat. The hinges are now mounted in the front of the seat. I carpeted the base with same carpet as rest of my boat. Mounted on the console are the GPS, depth finder, lights, bilge and start, choke and kill push button switches. I mounted the fuse panel under the console for easy access.
I installed a new steering wheel and cable, a good reconditioned side shifter converted to fit on the right side of the console. 
There is more storage under the console. I mounted and secured the troll motor battery and the on-board 6 amp charger, in the front of the console base, and run the wires across the floor under a cover I made, and down the side behind the carpeted panel to the hand operated troll motor up front. The troll motor has a foot operated switch mounted on the front deck. Also mounted a side pull up bar on the left side of the console for helping me get out of the seat
I had a boat repair center cut a hole from the back of the factory mounted seat full of foam to the front of the seat and insert a 2” piece of PVC pipe for a rigging tunnel. All cables from the steering and shifter were run it and all wires from motor and the bilge pump.
I mounted a tall u shaped grab rail on the sides of the console and had a ¼” plexiglass windshield made and I installed it on the console also. In the first mod, I had mounted a small green/red navigation light on the bow, but with the trolling motor bracket there also, it was not visible enough to be legal. I ordered a pair of stainless steel tear drop lights, one red and one green off Ebay. I mounted these on each side of the console. They are Coast Guard legal.
The front deck was left in place, no changes needed. The back seating arrangement is still the same, except now the side seat base is not longer used, only the center. When driving, the rear seat pole extension is not in use, but when in the fishing mode the seat extension pole is used like the front seat, both front and rear pole extensions are 12” tall. When driving the passenger can either sit on the padded seat in front of the console or sit beside the driver on a temporary padded cushion or they can sit on the padded cooler in front of the console. The 48 quart cooler sits in front of the console.
There are a still a few small things left, like placing all the wires in their place under the console, etc. but will get them done very soon. 
It is sure nice to sit low behind the windshield on a cool morning running down the “ol bayou” and also to be able to stand up and see when driving. It is also a lot safer sitting behind the center console rather than sitting on the side in a tiller style boat. A lot dryer also.
Now all I need to do is take the boat to the water for a test drive. But if I am going to the water, I might as well take the “ol fishin poles”. It was pretty windy and there was a little chop on the water, but it drove and handled great, and was a lot smoother ride and did not get a drop of water on me, man that’s real nice. No spray from the waves at all.
Best of all, I caught 7 red fish, but all were under the minimum limit of 20”, so I threw them all back, but at least I know my NEW BOAT catches fish. It’s like I always say: A bad day fishin is better than a good day at the office any day of the week!!
I am really going to enjoy MY NEW BOAT.
See original pics and then to the side console conversions and finally to finished boat, my “new” center console boat.
Pics below of original boat when I first bought it last year.


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## rusty.hook (Apr 5, 2011)

My wooden side console, more pics to follow.


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## rusty.hook (Apr 5, 2011)

Building the center console and finishing the big project.
Below was my to do list for mod. no 2 and last I hope.

Had a lot to do and finally got ur done, as da man says, approx 4 weeks.
List to do for conversion from tiller style to center console style.
1.	sand and prime with self etching primer and paint console
2.	build base for console and add carpet.
3.	mount base to boat floor.
4.	mount console to base.
5.	move troll motor battery to console
6.	run troll motor wires down the sides and across to seat compartment.
7.	install on-board 6 amp battery charger in front seat compartment.
8.	install divider between battery and storage.
9.	big door in back covering motor battery and gas tank, cut down as needed.
10. have hole cut in seat thru the insulation and install 2” PVC pipe for wiring tunnel.
11. route all wires from motor and bilge thru 2” tunnel
12. remount start, kill, choke push buttons on console, no key start,
because all of those switches and push buttons were not working on the tiller when I bought it. Were mounted on wood side console
13. mount steering wheel and run cable thru tunnel
14. mount rebuilt shift box and run cables thru tunnel
15. remount bilge, light switches and wires to troll motor battery.
16. remount GPS and depth finder on top of console and run all wires to troll motor battery.
17. remount fuse terminal block under console.
18. mount small pull up grab bar on left side of console 
19. mount tall grab rail on console for windshield frame
20. have windshield made and mount windshield to tall grab rail on console.
21. mount 2 shelves in console.
22. make padded seat made for console
23. have padded back rest made for console
24. install fuel/water separator
25. move gas tank to back and connect to separator
26. mount red/green tear drop navigations lights on sides of console because existing lights can’t be seen from all directions on the front because of troll motor mounted on the bow.
27. vacuum inside boat for saw dust and aluminum shavings.
28. Several other little small items to take care of.
29. TAKE THE BOAT TO THE WATER FOR TEST DRIVE AND FISH.
30. DROVE IT AND LOVE IT, IT’S A KEEPER, A LITTLE CHOP ON THE WATER, BUT HANDLED REAL GREAT, SMOOTH RIDE.
Thanx for looking.


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## rusty.hook (Apr 5, 2011)

P.S. if anyone around the Houston Texas area wants the wooden console, let me know, IT"S FREE.


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## BaitCaster (Apr 6, 2011)

That looks great!


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## rusty.hook (Apr 6, 2011)

Thanx for the comment.
I always plan out my boats that I build, in Microsoft paint, prices in Excel, items list to do in Word to determine costs, etc. 
I go to different boat builders sites to look at their different styles, and Ebay for different ideas, and to craigslist to look at their pics of boats. I make a folder on my desktop and add these pics to it as soon as I get them. I might have 50 or so pics, then chose and incorporate the design I want for my boat. I try to plan before I start so I have some since of direction I want to go and the cost, thanx.
I am going to really enjoy this boat. I went fishing yesterday for about 3 hours and never had a bump. I got these red fish a couple of months ago, both weighed approx 7 to 9 lbs each, had red fish on the half shell that night.


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## fender66 (Apr 6, 2011)

Looks great! Awesome job!


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## warnoy (Apr 6, 2011)

That's an outstanding job. You sure got a fancy rig. I just finished the mod on my little 14' jon. It's just 47 inches at the beam and all I really want to do is get in an out of cypress trees finding the big black bream in Mississippi River oxbows. Got a 5 horse Johnson on her and that's all I really need. I don't have a clue about the make of the boat. It's got a 5 digit serial number stamped on the starboard side of the stern. If any body has any ideas who made the boat I would like to know. 
Thanks


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## fender66 (Apr 6, 2011)

Hey warnoy....welcome to TinBoats.

Post a few pictures of your boat with some description and someone here might be able to help you identify it.


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## rusty.hook (Apr 6, 2011)

Below are some more pics from first conversion from original to wood side console. These include drawings of the wood console and of the side storage/tackle box that I had to cut down 3 " to be flush with the front deck.
The tan boat with the small center console is where I got pic and the idea for mine, it came form another forum I'm on called 2coolfishing.


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## warnoy (Apr 6, 2011)

Yo Chris:

I will get some photos posted. Thanks for the welcome. I ought to get all my questions answered at this site. It is truly helpful and informative. It has restored my faith in good old American know how and resourcefulness.


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## rusty.hook (Apr 10, 2011)

After the rebuild from the wood side console to the center console and seeing dyeguy1212 plastic boxes reminded me I don't have half the storage for my tackle boxes, etc. I have the same clear boxes, approx 9" X 14" X 2" and I have about 10 or 12 after down sizing to go to the center console. I got the "old" tackle/storage box out that was in the first build in front of the wood console and laid it in my boat, and its fits with no modifications at all. It was in my workshop with no plans to use it, but now it's installed back at the same place with the velcro rod holder on top. The storage/tackle box is 19" X 40" It's already loaded with a cushion, light jacket, first aid kit, extra T.P. and some spare rags for wiping the old fish slim off the hands, padded winter head liners, and all the plastic boxes, and still a little more room for binoculars and spare fish grabbers, and a small tool kit. See pics below.


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## rgpemt (Apr 19, 2011)

Did you build the CC? I LOVE IT! How did the remote control work out? did you have to flip anything around? I have a side console and it is WAY to low for this fat kid to be bent over...the CC is my answer and I have been admiring what you did! My controls are mounted on the STBD gunwhale with cables exiting aft, I see yours is different. 

If you have a second, let me know how you managed that and where did you route the cables??? How long was the steering cable/teleflex? Thanks so much!!!


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## rusty.hook (Apr 20, 2011)

I built the base for the console in my workshop and just added the top section after painting. 
I had the steering wheel and shifter and all cables run and mounted by a boat repair shop. That had to be done by someone who knows what they are doing, and I had never done that. 
The hole was cut thru the seat by the same boat repair shop. A 2” piece of PVC pipe was added in the hole for the wiring tunnel.
The steering wheel and cable was $190.00
The control box is a reconditioned box and was $100.00 and the 2 cables for the box were $35.00 each. Changing the shift box is real easy, just change the covers and use it on the right side. It has to be an older shift box in order to swap sides. I do see a lot of people putting them on the left side.
The cables come in different lengths, just measure what lengths you need after the console is installed, make sure you have some extra cable. The cables already have the fittings on each end. 
I had to rerun all the wires to the console adding some lengths to them as I rewired.
When I got my tiller motor neither the start button, kill switch or electric choke buttons worked, so I moved all three to the wood console in the first build and just lengthen the wires when I moved them to the new console, lights, and bilge pump switches, dept finder and GPS also.
The rebuild has worked out great, I can see a lot better sitting or standing, and its a whole lot dryer now. The extra weight of the console base, steering wheel and others items makes for an extremly great ride now and seams to be better balanced. I realize how much safer it is now because I'm not sitting on the side of the boat anymore. I would not change it for the world. And now I can get out of the wind behind the windshield because it is 20" wide and 25" tall
Anything else just ask I will be happy to send more pics to you or answer anymore questions, send me a PM, thanx, Doyle


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## rgpemt (Apr 21, 2011)

THANK YOU!!! I have to get some pics posted of my little project. Your answers are quite helpful!!!! I'll keep you posted!!!

Thanks again!

Bob


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## rusty.hook (Apr 21, 2011)

Some very important items on converting over from tiller style motor are below:
Make sure your motor has the steering cable tube housing on the front of the motor, if it does not have the shift tube, it cant be converted to remote steering.
Mount the console then measure the steering and shift cables so you get the right lengths.
On Johnson and Evinrude motors there is a wiring harness plug for the shifter and motor. Its for electric start, electric choke, tilt and trim, etc. most come with shifter, MAKE SURE THEY MATCH UP WITH YOUR MOTOR.
I don’t have the harness on my motor because the electric choke, start and kill buttons were not working right on my tiller motor. 
The pics below are of the steering tube on the motor, the routing of the cables and wires, mounting them on the console, etc.
All wires will be covered later for protection.
Any questions, just ask and I will be happy to send pics and answers.


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## ober51 (Jun 13, 2011)

How long was the steering cable you bought? I am trying to think about how long it would need ot be from a center console, and don't want it too short or too long. My boat is a 1648 Monark, somewhat similar to yours.


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## rivercity (Aug 26, 2012)

Great job. Wanting to convert our tiller 2005 Johnson 40hp jet, 20 ft open flat bottom to a center console. Plenty of room. Kinda got center console in mind that is very similar to yours. I am thinking of putting a 15 to 18 gallon gas tank under it for better weight distribution. Want to keep it simple w/ minimal wiring (no lights required as only used on an often shallow, always rocky river).

How did you make the control change from tiller? I think I have the steering worked out, but I am coming up dry on the controls. I know I can still buy most of the needed parts OEM but would prefer other alternatives first.

Issues:
Choke - manual now, worse case is factory retro vacuum I believe, but was thinking manual cable like my old Datsun 240z dash control?
Console control - lotsa options, prefer right mount single lever w/ key?
Shifting at rear - not sure as current tiller lever controls movement inside the housing cover as well as an added direct cable to the added on Outboard Jet unit?
Throttle - no clue. Prob need to go factory?

Any insight?

Thanks,
rivercity
born a Texan but naturalized along the way as an Arkansan ... woo pig sooie!!!


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## Tin Man (Dec 3, 2022)

Wow, nice job on the center console and set up! Looks great! The engine cowling looks fantastic!


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