I’m building (ok, acquiring parts so far for) a Lowe 1448m with a tiller Merc F25 Jet. This is a winter project and I’m not sure if I will recommend this configuration yet so ask me in April or May when it’s fully rigged and things start thawing out up here.
Anyway, since this is a fairly narrow boat I’ll keep the seating inline down the centerline. One in front on the casting deck with an adjustable pedestal and another in the mid-rear on a fixed removable pedestal. I want the rear pedestal removable so I can keep things clean when fishing alone and casting from the front upper deck. Also, want the ability to use a tripod type seat from the lower deck (rear position) when fishing rivers alone for salmon or steelhead.
Your fishing situations may differ but, side by side seating a smaller boat can really make forward and aft movements a challenge. That might not be a problem for your typical fishing situations but, I certainly want quick access to the bow mount trolling motor if I’m getting into some shallow rocks on a river. The same would apply if your using an anchor from the bow or even just if the cooler is up front.