Moving the console what would you do?

[Jackwabbit]

Our dive club has a Humber Assault 5.5m & with it being a small boat kiting up is always a problem. Before we purchased this boat we read a report that was praising how much space it had for a small boat, this was due to the console being right at the front.
On picking up our boat we were a little disappointed to see the console was about 18” away from the anchor well, this left just enough room between the bottle rack & engine for one person to kit up at a time. When I asked Humber about the position of the console they said “they had moved the console’s further back because people were complaining of a rough ride”. With 4 divers & a Cox on board we have to have 2 people sitting in the front of the boat to get it on the plain, which obviously gives them a rough ride.
So as far as I can see our options are,
1. put up with it as it is (can’t afford to get another boat for the next 6 years & don’t have space to store a larger one)
2. move the console forward as far as it will go, this will move the weight forward allowing people to sit further back & give more space to kit up.
3. Move the console back & mount the bottle rack in front of the console, This would move weight forward to allow people to sit at the back & get a smother ride, but I don’t think it would help with kiting up.

What would you do in this situation?

[ollyit]

after talking to various people its sounds like a right mission moving the console, depending of course as to how its been fixed down, (screwed or silicafix'd), which is suppose to be a real pig to shift -

I want to move mine forward as I would prefer more room at the back for people where its a bit safer as opposed to bow riding, specially in my little 4metre -

See how its fixed in the 1st instance mate - I reckon move it forward may also help chining if you get any as they'll be more boat in the water - Pete7 is well clued up on this kinda thing, im sure he able to suggest something

[Pete7]

For a dive boat I would shift the console as far forward as you can. This would give you room to carryout diving etc. Any problem with balance of the boat (nose or stern to heavy) can easily be corrected by moving weight belts or people about the boat and means someone doesn't have to site at the bow, never very comfortable. Instead divers could stand up and hold the back of the seat frame.

You limit though might be the length of the steering and throttle cables unless you want to replace them at the same time.

Sounds like a winter job if you can get away with the current set up until then.

Pete

[Jackwabbit]

Yes I agree I was thinking of doing it as a winter job, we want to shift all the cables, fuel line & electric’s any way. Humber in their wisdom took all these out of the back of the console right where the bottle rack was fitted, the throttle & gear cables have already had to be taken out of this routing due to being so stiff they kept braking. These are now routed into the side of the console and the are so much better; the throttle can now be used with only 1 finger (instead of having to jump up & down on it just to get it into neutral)
The console looks as if it’s only held in place by self-taping screws, & after re-routing the rest of the cables etc the only thing we will have to get will be a longer steering cable.
So I’m thinking it wouldn’t be too big a job & would give us another 18” of space to kit up, now all I have to do is convince the rest of the committee (who never go on the boat anyway) that this is the way forward at minimal cost.

[Andy]

I have done exactly this on 2 humbers.

Moving the console forward is the best idea. Just make sure you well seal the old screw holes in the deck.

Pete's advice is spot on.

One other thing to consider. In our humbers the bottle rack although useful was in the way and took up the space. So we took it out. We ran ropes down the deck secured front and aft, then tie the kit into it. The kit lies on the deck down each side starting alongside the console. this can work well and gives you space for kitup etc You can also move the kit about easily. However the foot hold space can be difficult occasionally. Although taking the bottle rack out meant there was less stainless to hold onto!!

[Jackwabbit]

Well the consol has now been moved forward by 18” to 20”, it may not sound a lot but it has doubled the space for kitting up.
The console was screwed down with sikaflex under; this wasn’t too much trouble to shift by using wedges to lift the console a little then running a knife & scraper around the edges it was soon off. The bottle rack was another story; this didn’t have a lot of room under for the scraper or knife so was a little bit more Stubborn. All the old holes were plugged with chop strand soaked in resin then the whole area painted over with gel coat.
As suspected this has moved the weight forward meaning we now have to move the axel on the trailer forward a bit for towing, but because the boat was always very back heavy in the water this will hopefully rectify that problem.
All being well, we’ll see have it performs tomorrow & I’ll let you know with hopefully a few pictures.

[Jackwabbit]

Here are a couple of pictures of the modification.
OK so the before picture has been altered from the after one because I forgot to take a picture before we started work on it, but the position of the console is correct & as can be seen it has given more room for kiting up.

Before

After


We found when we used it after the modification it would get on the plane quicker, & everyone could sit behind the driver giving them a better ride & at last I could actually see where I was going!