Aluminum Center Console Recommendations/Fishability/Grab Bar

Okay not really sure where to ask this, but I am giving it a shot here!

I have been considering selling my Phoenix ( ) and going to a center console aluminum. Reasoning is taking my 7 year old grandson with Down Syndrome would be easier and after 3 back surgeries I have a helluva time getting up out of the console seat some days. It sucks, but it is what it is.

So a couple of questions.

How does one of these fish for bass? I know it would be great to take him crappie and bluegill fishing.

Secondly, has anyone modified the grab bar over the console to lay down? It may be iffy in my garage to clear the bar. And they are hard to measure the height on, especially as I back in and have to go up over the lip on the floor.

I have been looking at the Ranger RB190, but storage is a bit lacking. Any suggestions on other ones to look at. I would prefer a 150 hp rating if possible. I won't rule out a glass boat if it fits my budget.

Thanks and Merry Christmas!!

Boat with front and rear deck will bass fish just fine.
I would expand my search to include professional grade aluminum hulls.
Boatright Scandy White and Empire all build lifetime hulls
And a hinged grab rail is common.

Thanks Pat. Good info.

Yep, I freshwater 60% fish out of mine, it's older and had lower sides (20" transom") and sits in the water not much higher than a bass boat.
Most Bay Boats or CC do lack bassboat storage but you can get-by. One good and bad thing about and aluminum boats are they are lighter and have a tendency to pushed around in the wind.

Rb190 is a good rig. I have fished out of one for bass many times now and is my favorite as far aluminium bass rigs go. Mainly because standing while underway helps my back. Wind pushes it around but this isn't an issue with a terrova installed. It is a fairly dry boat and can handle chop. It's not a fiberglass rig so don't expect that type of a ride from an aluminium boat. As for the grab rail most any custom shop could fix you right up. Boat goes fast for such a small motor and has plenty of storage.

You might consider a deep vee boat with captain chairs, they sit higher. I sold my CC because it wasn't designed for a TM. I bought a Lund with a split windshield and captain chairs for the driver and passenger. My reason for not buying a bass type boat was the same as yours. Too hard on my back when sitting and rising from their seats. Plus I can add a piston pedestal to my chair if I want to in the future.

There's a huge difference in how these boats are built. The mass produced hulls brag on 10 gauge aluminum, the custom guys use 25 or 30 gauge. My scooter is 30 gauge, and has spent thirty years bashing oyster reefs, uncounted sand bars and other mishaps. I wouldn't trade it for anything sitting on a showroom floor.

And they cost about the same.

A couple of Scandy's, a friend has one he had built in '94, he's run the guts out of it, on his third motor, and it's still good as new.

Those Scanty White rigs look like they are built like tanks. Price isn't bad either. That may be my next skiff once I pay off my rig, been missing aluminium. Wonder how skinny they could run with a prop.

There's a couple running around here and PIC they'll certainly do the deal. My friends runs a jet it's the only one I've seen that'll run skinnier than mine.

There was a peach for sale about a month ago it lasted 30 minutes.

Have you ever seen the nozzle system that a company call river road jet boats designed. Their jet drive for outboard works very similar to a jet skis giving the boat great maneuverability and less cavitation in rough water. Check it out: https://www.riverroadjetboats.com/nozzle-system.html

Squirt bike type pumps don't work well in the bays. They work great in rivers and such with rocks, but fall dead on their face in grass. We remove the grates and put a welding rod below the impeller to make the pump work like a weedeater, just chops it up and spits it out. A oyster shell will shut me down though, life is full of compromises.

I can run through three inch deep water with foam covered matted grass, hard for anything but an airboat to follow.

Terry's scooter, I think he had it built around '93, third motor but boat is going strong, Scandy was called white line back then.


Mine was built in '94, I wouldn't trade it for a glass hull.

I will throw my 2002 Florida built Scandy White up against any Texas built scooter, and any oyster bed. Love it! It's like an old Timex or an AK-47.

Yep, that is top of the class right there.