I know this is something of a preference question but I've answered almost all of my big questions on the new LT 10 build and wanted to know what the opinions were. The new LT 10 will have no electronics, except for maybe an auto bilge pump attached to a 12V or cranking battery if I go with an electric start motor (My other question...worth the $400 extra???). The motor will be a 20 HP Tohatsu. I will use a pole instead of trolling motor. Olive exterior and tan interior. The big question I have left is whether to go with a center box and low front deck or no center box (tie downs on the floor for a cooler/seat when desired) with a high front deck?
Im 56 w bad shoulder. Elec start important to me now.
I think keeping it simple is better, the smaller the skiff , stuff gets cluttered fast. Especially if you need room to move around to pole.
Good luck ,the excitement builds ,enjoy!
I used to have an NMZ with a center box and I would not own one with the center box again. The LT10 is slightly wider, but not enough to make getting around the box easy while on the water. They're stable little boats, but you need to keep to the centerline while moving around.
I had an nmz with raised decks and a center box no grab bar and I'm currently running a Lt25 with the a grab bar. Solo I just step from the beck directly to the box and vise versa. I can go from the front to deck to the rear deck in a few seconds. This method keeps you directly on center line. If you have a passenger do your best lol.
For the LT 10 I'd go with raised front and rear with hatches and use the cooler as a center box. my NMZ with the guide box had an amazing amount of storage, but it would've been nice to remove it at times. IDK your fishing style but for me a trolling motor was a must and the battery helps balance the weight of the fuel and motor.
I'd go no center box and add cooler tie downs. Then you're flexible.
I'd get a high front deck to make up for the lost storage from removing the center box. Hopefully you can get your fuel up there to counteract the motor weight.
Don’t have a LT10 but running an nmz. Raised decks fore and aft, no center box but do have a cooler there. Battery up front . Recommend no tie downs on cooler (get a beefy cooler) so you can slide back and forth to balance the boat based on other passengers or not. 9.8 hatsu on the rear. Runs great.
I wont have any fuel or battery forward options at this point as it will be as bare bones tiller as possible for now. Maybe upgrades later?? I do think though that having the hatch there will make sure that I put stuff in it which should add some weight. I've also heard that fuel forward is tricky because your fuel decreases throughout the day, thus your weight does too?
So no battery up front, again I would strongly advise no center box and get a rotomolded cooler you can fill with beer and move to the front of the boat while under power. Filling a center box is just not going to help keep the front down being in the center of the boat.
Tbh my NMZ with battery in the front and gas in the rear balanced perfectly with me on the standing on the center box paddling/poling. The battery forward helps you when you are by yourself cause with out it the front weigh almost nothing compared to the rest. I had lights, live well and a bilge pump in mine. Even with the battery in front and my yeti on the back as a poling platform it would still get stupid skinny like 4-5 inches.
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