Outfitting my DIY fishing boat

[PlanoDano]

Building an 11.5 ft garvey. I am currently installing foam in benches. I am thinking about power. trying to decide between stick steering and tiller steering outboard. Here are pros and cons I have thought of so far.

Stick
Pros -
1. don't have to move between fore and aft seats to fish or motor
2. need only 1 electronics station
3. power trim is great for getting out of the hole and on plane

Cons
1. Will take a beating motoring from the front seat.
2. cannot easily remove motor
3. Must deal with separate battery for starting
4. about 1/3 more expensive

Tiller
Pros-
1. More responsive
2. Easily remove motor for transit or to use on another boat.
3. Don't necessarily need electric start of battery
Cons
1. Separate seat for fishing and motoring
2. 2 sets of electronics or some type of jury rig

boat has a 60 inch beam and I think I am ending up with a hull weight of about 200 lbs.

Please add some pros or cons that you think of. I primarily fish for crappie.

[locolobo]

Personally I'd go with the tiller. Had a stick steer and didn't like it. Tiller is cheaper and easier to set up. You can get T&T on tillers but looks like you may need a small motor which may not, and maybe you'd have to go with an aftermarket unit.

[PlanoDano]

Yessir, I have been kind of leaning that way. For hunting it would be tiller all the way but for fishing being able to steer the boat from the same seat as fishing would be convenient.

[gatorgrizz27]

Tiller all the way. For bass fishing you’re going to want a trolling motor up front regardless. As far as moving the fish finder, the transducer cable on my Lowrance is probably 20’ long, and you can’t easily shorten it anyways.

I’d put one of these up front and one in the back, allowing you to move the unit. You should be able to figure out how to route the cables where there won’t be a big pile of slack on the ground.

https://www.amazon.com/Scotty-Rod-Holder-Mount-Combination/dp/B001BWC8XI/ref=asc_df_B001BWC8XI/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312061152211&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13051848108492279725&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9011577&hvtargid=pla-571719767195&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=62138615036&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312061152211&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13051848108492279725&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9011577&hvtargid=pla-571719767195