So here's the deal, after 20 years of running swamps and living and breathing mud motors(like everyone here) I finally bought a boat. That inspired me to dig deeper about which motor came out on top. It was tough to get good feedback here, but I got it in the end. The Mudbuddys were a known commodity to me, and the hard study was on the PD and GTR. In the end the GTR just wasn't for me. After a few test drives, let's just say I wasn't won over a MB by the GTR, price being equal. The PD however has just jumped out so far ahead that I simply couldn't ignore it. Anyway, enough of that, I made up my mind is the point. At lunch today it just suddenly occurred to me that center console controls is absolutely an option. I used to think that remote controls were for the fancy high-dollar rigs and didn't really have a place on a blue collar rig. I have no facts to back it up, but it seems like for the nasty stuff, you'd rather have direct grip on the tiller handle to muscle out. Is that about right? For a minimal cost difference, I could have a center console steering wheel rig and I want someone to tell me why I would or wouldn't do that. I hunt ducks and fish during the summer (probably 35-50 days/year) and somehow manage to find the gnarliest places to get out of in the process.

tiller handels are much more maneuverable and i hunt the woods more than anything else so I would not go with anything else
One pluss thay I do see with the remote steering is that when you hit a log with a tiller and are not ready it feels like someone is trying to rip your arm off.

Tiller handle gives you much better control and you can get places wit a tiller dat you can't get wit remote steer. How ever if you gotta make long runs like I do then remote steer is sumthin dat you will want.

interesting.... It just seems like when it's rambo time, you'd want to be horsing that motor around by the tiller and wouldn't be able to do that with remote setup. but dang the console looks so awesome.

ok im gonna just come out and say that is bullshit because i have a CC and always will and i do what everyone else does. I can go the same places that tillers can. i have to same turning ability, etc... my steering turns my boat in tight areas and maneuvers the same. i've gone through timber, grass, mud, etc..... never with a prob. my rig is 3 years old with a 32 and runs with em in all the places.

Luvs his cc, with the 13 mile trip one way to the camp and the 5 mile trip from there to the blind, it is a must have for me.

I have a side console rig and have no problems getting where I need to go. Get a spinner knob for the steering wheel and it will help a bunch. Two things to think about however: Without hydraulic steering I've heard they can be a PITA to turn in thick stuff. Also you might want to think about the hydraulic reverse as well. It is by no means cheap to get this stuff but I would hate to be without 'em. If you can afford those two things by all means get 'em.
Also imo it's easier to maneuver a tiller rig but unless you run ALOT of timber I don't think you will be very hindered by a console rig. Like these other guys said the long runs is where a console rig shines. It all boils down to what kind of places do you normally run.

the auto reverse is a must!!!!!!!!!!! i drove 2.5 yrs without it, it wasn't bad i just lifted the motor and spun the lower unit by hand about a min of your time. now that i have the auto-reverse; it's a matter of hitting a button and letting the hydro do the work in a few secs.

the new teleflex isnt bad either it turns pretty well in mud and thick stuff. the anti-feedback teleflex steering is what makes it hard to turn in mud, grass, etc...

I don't mean to hijack this thread and I know this was about a PD, but would it be a lot of trouble for a GTR to be converted from tiller to remote? I also have long runs to the blind and it will be further for fishing in the summer. Thanks.

Get ya a stick steer and a hot foot, leave the tiller handle on and have the best of both worlds.

Its not a bad setup with a tiller but if you get a PD you better get the hyd reverse. If I had a PD I sure as hell wouldn't be reaching back to put it in reverse unless I really need it. Since JP got that hyd reverse I think he used it more in one trip than the 2 years he had the boat. If I get stuck that bad all I gotta do is take out one bolt and back to tiller. Now with that being said that chit ain't gonna happen unless I can't move the boat and I'm by myself lol. Skipr its not a hard job the longest part is running the wires. It can be done in a weekend.

Thanks Blaze, I'll consider doing it after hunting season. It will be a side console if I do go though with it. My boat is only 44" wide.

so the only bad i'm hearing is maybe in shallow hydrilla and timber that the console doesn't shine? My boat's 48" wide is there enough room to squeeze around a center console to get back and forth?

I've seen JP run his rig on a tight trail in the timber. It went everywhere everyone else did. I've driven a couple CC ProDrive rigs and I really liked them. I enjoy having all the extra room in the boat without a console.

I am getting too damn old for the tiller!My new one will have a center console and I am going to install one of them Oh Shit spinner knobs on the steering wheel

Ok thanks guys. I walk away with the impression that CC controls aren't really less capable, but really boils down to whether I want to give up the floor space. The extra cost really isn't even that much and not a determining factor (hell if i can scrape up $7k, what's $500 more?). The biggest plus over just plain being cool is the longer runs are made more comfortable. I can dig it.

Id love to have a 2060 with dual 36's for bowfishin.

hydro reverse for another $1500 is almost a necessity though.....