first boat 17ft Lowe roughneck

Hi my name is Zach. I purchased my first boat about two years ago. I picked a 1756 Lowe roughneck with a 60/40 jet. Never running a boat with a jet I researched a lot and talked to a few guys in my area with them. I'm in Washington state and I purchased the boat for running the cowlitz and the lewis ( shallow water in areas ) for salmon and steelhead fishing. I talked to the few guys I seen at the river with similar style boats that I wanted to buy before the purchase and they had nothing but good things to say. So I told my wife I'm buying a new boat and did. I had it on the lakes with my wife and we had a great time. I took it to the river and going up river I had a really hard time getting on plane fast. I got no help from the dealer I bought the boat from and not good suggestions just try standing on top of the bench seat to see over the bow until it planes. I did jot try that and it sounded like a great way to get hurt and hurt my wife if I fell off the back of the boat in a river running the tiller control trying to see over the bow.

Sorry for the lengthy back story but I wanted to try to explain myself and my thinking. So after a lot of thinking the only thing I could figure is the motor 275lbs the fuel and battery along with me @248lbs and no one up front or when my wife can go her in the front @ 150lbs. I am not balanced at all for weight distribution. I have a console on order to put me in the front to get the weight balanced better and also I will be able to see over the bow when starting out and maybe plane out faster. Does this sound like a good plan to everybody?

Both of those rivers can carry a fair amount of current. If your rig performed fine on still water and nothing has changed, that is obviously the problem. Weight redistribution can be a big help and is a great place to start. Easy initial steps would be to move any portable fuel tanks, storage and passenger forward. But I would also talk to some of those folks you spoke with earlier about their experiences.

Thanks for the reply. Yes everything was the same set up in the boat from the lake to the river. When I talked to theguys with similar boats one guy was very small and had a 15 gallon fuel tank in the front and his batteries. The other was about my size but running a 2stroke and fuel tank and a bigger friend in the front. At that time I didn't think much about that being new to boats it came to me after when I had a few runs on the water.

After I the get the console installed and test the boat out to see how it performs I would like to install a kicker for trolling and getting a fish in the boat. Getting a kicker that is light weight and mounting it is going to be my next project.

Smart tabs (or any tab system).

Flotation pods will help you greatly also and you can stay on plane at a slower speed with them good luck whichever way you go

I have the mock up started for the console. I'm going to try the forward side console set up. I like the idea of a forward center console but it doesn't me leave much room on the front for working with the anchor.

From a river fishermens point of view a forward console makes perfect sense. The perspective of your pic may be misleading, but your mocked console looks to far forward. Maybe your front deck is small, hard to tell whats really going on without better pics.

You could consider locating your batteries right behind your present front deck and building an extension of the front deck over them. Then locating your console behind that. This gives you a larger more comfortable front deck, much better weight balance for fishing/running shallow water, and still gives you great site lines.

I would suggest a couple of good pics with the console sitting in 2 or so possible positions and 2 different plans/thoughts of how to go forward if you want better feedback.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Thanks for the reply. I have a couple more pictures. I hope its not to far forward, but if it is I made everything bolt in except the mount on the floor I used rivets so they could be drilled out it if I wanted tomove or remove it. The pictures don't show the floor mount or other side mount its just mock up.


I have a big area behind the rear bench and transom that I was thinking would be a good spot for the fuel and batteries.

So what would be the negative affect if my console is a bit to far forward? Would the bow come down to fast when coming off plane when slowing down? I don't know I'm new to all of this that's why I'm asking. Thanks zach

I think you will be fine. Just balance the starboard and port weight and it will work. What I mean is offset your weight being on the right side by putting more weight on the left so it is even.

"I have a big area behind the rear bench and transom that I was thinking would be a good spot for the fuel and batteries."

On a river boat you plan to run and fish shallow in you want the weight on the boat to be fairly evenly distributed front to back to keep your boat floating fairly level front to back ( helps you float shallower and over shallow rocks instead of banging over them or even getting stuck on them.
Even weight distribution will also allow you to launch and set down in shallower water too. It keep the rear from sinking down deep on take off and coming off plane. Again it just allows you to use your boat in shallower water without damage.

To use a boat that size in a shallow river in moderate current your going to want a 24v trolling motor setup. That means roughly 150# of batteries or more, 70# of gas for 10 gallons, and a 275# motor = 500 all at the rear verses you 250 close to the front. That doesn't take into account any passengers ( like your wife ) who would likely want to sit in the rear where the ride is better.
If you moved your two trolling motor batteries where I suggested then your looking at a better handling and shallower water capable boat. Less than 400 in rear vs 350 close to the front.

"So what would be the negative affect if my console is a bit to far forward? Would the bow come down to fast when coming off plane when slowing down? I don't know I'm new to all of this that's why I'm asking. Thanks zach"

No, mainly about comfort ( both being able to fish comfortably from the front without feeling like the console is right beside you, witch it would be, and a better/more comfortable ride you will have with the console a little further back and better weight distribution from moving the batteries ), and better/wiser use of available space. Being that close to the front without any significant weight around you is going to give you a bit of a rough ride too.

Thanks Va Larry I will mount my batteries up front and use the area behind the bench for the tackle box and maybe a fish if I can do some catching. Keeping the boat level will be really nice and it would make me feel more comfortable not seeing the bow up and the transom going down so deep. I appreciate the advice this is helping a lot. Thanks Zach

So I plan on buying 12 gallon fuel tank. I'm using my 6 for mock up. The battery tray is under the console for mock up also in the picture. What would be the best placement for my fuel and battery. Should I put the tank and the battery on the opposite side of the console to balance side to side weight or put everything on the console side to make getting to the front easier? Thanks zach

They make side mount permanent tanks that r angled to the side of your boat. Might wanna explore that option to save some floor space
That aside I think if it were mine I'd place the console n batteries where u have them planned n leave the 6 gallon tank in the back. I think moving you up front will be enough. Could try that a few trips & move the tank later if need be.

I have a 1652 Roughneck tunnel with a Merc 60/45 jet and with the center console in the middle of the boat, there is too much weight in the back and I had to add transom wedges and put 40-50 lbs up front to keep it from porpoising. I might try moving the conosle forward over the winter if I can find longer cables cheap enough.