Guys that rig boats, I have questions.
I have a 14' aluminum jon boat. Just a standard boat, bench seats, bare floor.
I want to put stick steering on it. I want to take the front seat out and build a deck. That's no problem.
I want to take the middle bench seat out, build an aluminum box in the middle of the boat to mount a seat on. This is where the controls will be.
I can mount the steering on the right gunwale (I don't know how to spell that word) but the boat is to wide to mount the forward controls on the left. I was thinking about putting the gear shifter/tilt trim controls on the left side of the aluminum box that the seat is mounted on.
What would be the best way to get the cable/wires to the motor in back?
I was thinking build a sub floor and run them underneath. Does this sound doable? Can ya'll think of a better way?
TIA for all suggestions.

I would build a center console and build it tall enough to stand up with maybe one of those standing cushions for you to lean back against. If the boat is too wide to reach the controls it’s too wide to see reliably around the bow. I like the pre made console with the live well up front. Just my 0.02’s.

Could it not all go on the right hand side like a Tracker boat?

Keep in mind that a 14' johnboat is going to be fairly sensitive if you add much weight . By sensitive I mean you will start to degrade the performance.

When building stuff you are adding weight piece by piece but it tends to add up.

Some john boats have generous beam and greater weight capacity , some of the more narrow boats have fairly low capacity in a 14' hull.

Of course it also depends on desired use . One guy tearing around a mid sized lake is one thing but two big old bubbas out on a bigger more exposed piece of water
is something else all together.

Good luck with your project , hope you wind up with a fun boat that fits your needs.

@sparkyD
Center console would take up to much room. I'm buliding this as sort of a do-all boat. Marsh hen hunting, shrimping, flounder/frog gigging a scalloping. I need open floor space in the middle.
I only say it's to wide because it would be an awkward stretch to reach the controls.

@ChuckDO5
I've never seen a boat with both steering and controls on the same side. Not sure I'd feel good about taking my hand off the steering stick to make speed adjustments.

@nhsport
Weight is a major consideration. Everything will be aluminum. No built in live well or bait well. This is kind of a minimalist utility build. No frills.
I pretty much have most of it figured out, I just can't come up with a way to route the throttle cable so it's not being kicked or stepped on.

That's the best solution I can come up with. I was hoping someone would have a better idea so I could save the weight. Like I said earlier though, everything will be aluminum so maybe it wo t add to much.

@KB7DX
I've watched most of his videos. TBN pretty much gave me the idea to make this boat perfect for me. There's another guy, Anthony something, I can't remember his name but he has some good videos as well.
I like the concept of figuring out what stuff you want to do and then figuring out how to make a tool to do that stuff.
ETA: Anthony Jones.
https://youtu.be/nExn5feUZXI?si=vU-6yp_7rFcQKXwX

Sounds like you would be better served with a mud motor and to stick with rear tiller stearin.

@KB7DX
I really like that skiff. Having the bench seats up off the floor make cleanup way yonder easier.
Progress will be slow on my boat. I'm working on the trailer now. Pretty much everything that is bolted on will be new. Rewiring and adding an LED lightbar for backing up at night.
I have a 9.9 that I'll probably put on the boat this year just to get through the summer then next winter really get to work on the boat.
I'm trying to plan it out carefully to avoid having alot of problems on the build.

@sparkyD
When I first started thinking about this project a surface drive is what I planned on. For probably 75% of what I like to do a surface drive would be perfect.
The problem is with the way reverse works. On a surface drive the lower unit actually turns around backwards. ProDrive calls it full power reverse.
Sometimes you need to be able to get in reverse in a hurry, like if your running bush hooks in a big river or checking crab traps.
Most of the time when I'm hunting or fishing I'm by myself so stick steering will let me distribute weight better. Instead of having batteries, kicker, fuel tank and my fat ass in the back using a tiller I can move my weight forward and be able to see better without having to stand up.

My stick stear was a 1442 with a tunnel and a 25hp mariner. I loved that boat. But as you are finding out it’s hard to build a shallow water boat without at least having something in the way. Maybe you need to just go with a side console and a good jack plate and a tunnel.

Or maybe spring for a bigger boat that is purpose built for semi commercial fishing. Sounds like you are already worried about running out of room and with a work boat that’s just going to make for a longer day. Good luck.

@sparkyD
Good points.
This weekend I'll get some pictures posted of the boat.
Right now, it has 3 bench seats and that seat in the front where you would sit facing backwards. What I'm planning is to frame up decks, fore and aft, then cut all the benches out. If it needs more bracing for the sides I think I can frame up rod boxes that make the inside walls vertical.
The only thing that will be on the floor of the boat is an aluminum box, maybe 18" square. The box will be slightly offset to one side. This box will be dry storage with a swivel seat mounted on top. This is where the controls will be.
On the back deck will be a mount for another swivel seat.
Really the only extras this boat will have is a trolling motor, good depth finder (with GPS), Power Polls and a polling tower.
I think if it works out like I want the only time I'll run short of space is setting or pulling crab or turtle traps. Them traps take up a bunch of room in a boat.
I wish I knew how to use MS paint. It's hard to describe what I'm thinking.
Oh yeah, I'm figuring on a 25 hp Yamaha. They have a nice one with power tilt and trim ready for controls.
Sorry for the massive wall of txt.

Well for what you described I would totally get out of the stick stear mindset. I know it’s great for shallow water but it’s also a good place to grab lines and pot ropes. Plus if you’re trot lining the open area is great for letting gravity catch the fish off the deck. Personally I’d fix a cooler bracket if I wanted storage and extra seating. That way when I was running crawfish traps I could remove it. Plus when you’re working the closer you are to the water while walking from front to back the less fatigued you will be. Plus if you’re hunting it gives you some extra area to camouflage your movement. You will also need to add pods to offset the weight of your motor. Other wise it’s going to cut into your gear weight. Personally I’d set this boat up for lighter hunting tasks and look seriously at a 1860 or 1872 with a tunnel and center console from weld build or some other welded aluminum boat manufacturer. I hate to say it but sometimes you just need two different boats in the south.

@sparkyD
Oh man, don't put that two boat evil on me! I had a bay boat and an airboat some years ago and intend to never have two boats at the same time again. Having one boat is bad enough, when you have two, they gang up and conspire against you. Neither one ever runs right and stuff breaks ALL. THE. TIME!
I'm gonna do my best to get it all done with this one boat.

Yeah where’s the fun in that. 🫣 Just think with the 1872 you could put kayaks on either side for your kids to be mini torpedoes 🤭 You know there’s a arfcom rule: get both!

Two boats!

Have four in the yard plus a 18ft canoe!
Plus I want another!

@sparkyD
No way, brother. I'm an old man. No kids, my wife doesn't hunt or fish so it's pretty much just me in the boat. Well except Marsh Hen hunting. Pretty much need someone else with you.

@akcaribouhunter
At this point in my life I look at boats like I look at wives. I can only stand one woman in my life. I don't have patience or desire to have two wives or two boats.
Although I will say I don't really think of a canoe or kayak as a boat. I have a 14' Old Town and I love it. I know technically it's a boat, but as long as I don't knock a hole in it the only trouble it gives me is putting it on the roof of the truck. I can live with that aggravation.