Northwest Fishing Reports

Santa was good to me!

I got a tiller kit for the Yamaha on the Willie Which means out with the gigantic center consul, and in with the new sleek tiller

So after my truck was rear-ended the first of the month, and has been in the shop since (I get it back today) My boat mechanics and me (Dad and Cody) decided it was the perfect time to get the tiller on while I had some down time

Only took a day to get the consul out, pull the floors, and get most the wiring out. Next day was tiller bracket and handle on, and some wiring done. First problem we've run into however is that there is no production throttle cable short enough for a 150hp Yamaha ProV
Solution - have a custom one off throttle cable made. I'm currently waiting for it to be done

In the midst of it will also be:
-Moving and wiring both batteries to the bow
-Moving gauge cluster
-Moving Fish Finder and other electronics
-New fuse box (moved)
-New floors (old plywood ones are water logged and worn out)

I can't wait to take the new and improved Willie out for some much missed time on the water. A little time on the lake to get re-acquainted with it's new tiller instead of the steering wheel, and I will most likely be Cowlitz Bound!

Goodbye Center Consul!


Looks so odd with it not in the boat!


I'll have to get some pics of the tiller up soon! There might even be a video of the test run when we get the throttle cable

Nice Blurock! Can't wait to see it finished (and maybe a "before" and "after" pic?).

Question/suggestion:
Do those throttle cables ever break? If so it might be wise (since it is a one-off) to have two made at the same time. That way you know they are identical.

Good thinking Gringo... I was thinking about that yesterday actually. Think I might!

SWEET!!! That's the best thing that could happen to an open boat!!!

I agree with you Blurock. I have a 1987 18' Smokercraft c.c. I'm going to lower the height of console and move it forward and to starboard. Why waste all that space one can be using. I thought long and hard about a tiller but nixed the idea. There is no room up front for batteries due to the gas tank. Because it's a flat bottom the rear is where they stay. The floor in this thing is in really good shape, just rip out the old carpet and glue new. I'll be working on mine soon. Pics of your project will be appreciated.

Well, as it always works with older boats... just the tiller conversion has now turned into a much bigger project... Completely re-wiring the entire boat! All of the wires were such a mess and old, and spliced together in umpteen places, that we decided it would be easier to cut/pull it all out, and start fresh so it's right and works. Plus it will look so much nicer too! :D

On top of that, we are moving both batteries up to the front, trying to figure out what to do with the floors
(New plywood with a covering of some sort floor, or find some sort of composite floor)
(I don't like, nor do I have the money for, diamond plate floors lol...)
AND making a new instrument panel.
That's going to have to hold: Two gauges, VHF, Radio, and switch/fuse panel
Trying to decide if I should take it from the bottom of the rod tray to the floor, or from the bottom of the rod locker to the rod tray...

I took some progress pics too I will have to post when I find my camera again

Opps that sounds like some time off the water. You are in the same boat as me. Pun intended

Toni wrote:Opps that sounds like some time off the water. You are in the same boat as me. Pun intended

Haha, yeah Toni! But it will be so much better when it's done. The tiller is hooked up, with the shift cable and everything but the Throttle cable done. Not gunna lie, I sometimes sit in the boat just holding onto the tiller lol! I wanna get it on the water so bad! Plus, I haven't been fishing in over a month... It's KILLING me!

blurock wrote:

Toni wrote:Opps that sounds like some time off the water. You are in the same boat as me. Pun intended

Haha, yeah Toni! But it will be so much better when it's done. The tiller is hooked up, with the shift cable and everything but the Throttle cable done. Not gunna lie, I sometimes sit in the boat just holding onto the tiller lol! I wanna get it on the water so bad! Plus, I haven't been fishing in over a month... It's KILLING me!

Fishing's been slow anyway

Do you make the motor sounds too (I would)...

Gringo Pescador wrote:

blurock wrote:

Toni wrote:Opps that sounds like some time off the water. You are in the same boat as me. Pun intended

Haha, yeah Toni! But it will be so much better when it's done. The tiller is hooked up, with the shift cable and everything but the Throttle cable done. Not gunna lie, I sometimes sit in the boat just holding onto the tiller lol! I wanna get it on the water so bad! Plus, I haven't been fishing in over a month... It's KILLING me!

Fishing's been slow anyway

Do you make the motor sounds too (I would)...

Revin' up her engine?

I haven't gotten that desperate yet... but there might have been some rods in the boat at the same time...