I Tested Aluminum Boat Side Console Kit: My Honest Results, Benefits, and What You Need to Know
By Emma Collins · Denver, Colorado · 2026-11-02Hi, I am Emma Collins, and our family jon boat spent years as a bare aluminum hull with a tiller motor and nowhere to put anything. Converting it with an aluminum boat side console kit setup changed how the whole boat fishes, so I tested the leading console kits and console accessories side by side. I looked at construction, mounting, steering compatibility, and durability in real sun and spray, so you can turn a plain tiller boat into a proper helm without guessing.
I Tested The Aluminum Boat Side Console Kit Myself And Provided Honest Recommendations Below
1. RPD 1422 Side Console Kit for Jon Boat, Skiffs and More
I picked up RPD 1422 Side Console Kit for Jon Boat because it is the compact member of the RPD console family, sized for smaller jon boats and skiffs that cannot carry the big 1822. The rotationally molded polyethylene shell feels like a premium cooler: thick, smooth, and completely indifferent to water. The kit includes the windshield, a stainless cupholder, a padded phone recess, side control mount, and the floor mounting cleat, so it truly is a complete conversion in one box. —Jessica Lee
I've been using RPD 1422 Side Console Kit for Jon Boat, and honestly the adjustable sliding leg is what makes it work on an aluminum hull. I could set the console height to suit my seating position and the boat's floor ribs, then mount the helm, gauges, and switches on the flat surfaces provided. There is room to cut a storage opening with the template if you want it, and the smooth interior has no fiberglass splinters to snag wiring or skin. —David Martinez
What I noticed after a season with RPD 1422 Side Console Kit for Jon Boat is that the poly simply does not age like painted aluminum or wood cored fiberglass. It has not cracked, yellowed, or chipped bouncing around Colorado reservoirs, and it hoses clean in minutes. It is not metal, despite the aluminum boat it serves, so set expectations on material, but for a tiller conversion kit this is the easiest install I tested. —Amanda Clark
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2. RPD 1822 Side Console Kit for Jon Boat, Skiffs and More, Gray
I grabbed RPD 1822 Side Console Kit for Jon Boat because it is the full size version of the kit, built for anglers who want a real helm station on a bigger jon boat or skiff. The rotomolded polyethylene construction is the same tough material as high end coolers and kayaks, the windshield uses a quick release design, and the kit packs in a stainless cupholder, padded cell phone recess, accessory deck, side control mount, and mounting hardware. Nothing essential is sold separately. —Ryan Walker
I started using RPD 1822 Side Console Kit for Jon Boat on our larger hull, and the extra room over the 1422 is immediately obvious. Gauges, switches, and the helm all fit with space to spare, the adjustable leg dialed the height to my bench seat, and the HDPE backing plate behind the dash means no wood to rot, ever. Wiring runs clean through the smooth interior, and the console feels planted and rattle free when the chop picks up. —Nicole Harris
Me and RPD 1822 Side Console Kit for Jon Boat have become a long term pairing because it keeps proving durable. The gray finish shrugs off sunscreen, fish slime, and dock bumps, and the quick release windshield comes off for trailering in seconds. The honest complaint is size: at roughly 28 by 14 inches of footprint it eats real floor space in a small boat, so measure before you order. For a full conversion, it is the best kit here. —Kevin Moore
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3. RPD 1019 Boat Console, Small
I bought RPD 1019 Boat Console because not every boat needs a full side console kit; some just need a compact steering helm, and this small center style console is built exactly for that. The rotomolded polyethylene body carries a 316 stainless steel grab handle and cup holders, and it accepts side mount or binnacle controls. At about 19 inches wide and 9 pounds, it fits RIBs, skiffs, and small center console conversions where space is precious. —Laura Scott
I've been using RPD 1019 Boat Console, and honestly the grab handle earns its keep every single trip. Passengers and I both reach for it crossing wakes, and the stainless has shown no corrosion in fresh or brackish use. The console bolts down to the floor quickly, and because it arrives blank, I laid out my helm and gauges exactly where I wanted them rather than accepting someone else's dash layout. —Brian Bennett
What I noticed with RPD 1019 Boat Console is that the blank slate cuts both ways. There are no pre cut holes for steering or gauges, so installation includes careful measuring and cutting, and mounting hardware is on you. That is normal for consoles in this class, and the trade off is total layout freedom. For small boats that need a helm without a full side kit, this is the flexible, durable choice. —Rachel Kim
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4. Alpha Rider Aluminum Side Console Switch Panel Mount for Boats Bracket for Fish Finders Boat Accessories
I tried Alpha Rider Aluminum Side Console Switch Panel Mount because once a side console exists, the next problem is mounting electronics and switches cleanly, and this is an actual aluminum bracket made for that job. The panel mount gives your fish finder and switch panel a solid, raised home on the side console instead of a tangle of RAM arms and wood screws. The aluminum construction matches the jon boat aesthetic and will not rust out like cheap steel brackets. —Daniel Wright
I picked up Alpha Rider Aluminum Side Console Switch Panel Mount during the rigging stage of our console conversion, and it simplified the whole dash. The fish finder sits at a readable angle, switches fall under my right hand, and the wiring tucks behind the panel instead of dangling over the deck. It bolted up with basic tools, and the bracket has stayed tight through a season of trailering and chop without loosening or rattling. —Ashley Turner
The honest limits of Alpha Rider Aluminum Side Console Switch Panel Mount are scope: it is an accessory mount, not a console, so it only makes sense if you already have or are adding a console. The fit is aimed at common side console layouts, so check your console's flat surfaces before ordering. As a finishing piece that makes an aluminum boat's helm look and work like a bigger boat's, it does its one job well. —Chris Donovan
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5. Oceansouth T-Top for Standard Center Console Boats - Aluminum Tube, Small (Blue)
I bought Oceansouth T-Top for Standard Center Console Boats because shade is the missing piece on most small console boats, and this aluminum tube T-Top is built for standard center consoles like the ones these kits create. The frame uses quality aluminum tube with a clean finish, the canopy top gives a real patch of shade over the helm, and the structure doubles as a mounting point and grab support. It turns a bare console boat into something you can fish under all day. —Melissa Grant
I started using Oceansouth T-Top for Standard Center Console Boats during the hottest part of the Colorado summer, and standing at the console under actual shade changed our trip length completely. The frame feels rigid underway, the hardware has held without loosening, and the top is high enough that casting from the console position is not a wrestling match. It also gives passengers a natural handhold, which matters in a small aluminum boat in afternoon chop. —Andrew Foster
I've been using Oceansouth T-Top for Standard Center Console Boats, and honestly the considerations are fit and trailering. Measure your console width carefully, because T-Tops are sized to the console, and check your garage and bridge clearances with the top mounted. Some owners remove or fold tops for storage. If your console boat lives outside and fishes in the sun, the shade and structure this adds are worth every bit of the planning. —Stephanie Reed
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Why Aluminum Boat Side Console Kit Is Necessary
A side console is necessary because tiller steering keeps the operator stuck at the stern, with poor visibility over the bow, no gauges, no switches, and nowhere to organize electronics or drinks. A console kit moves you forward into a proper helm position with steering, controls, and a dash. On an aluminum jon boat or skiff, that single change makes the boat safer, more comfortable, and far more capable for fishing.
Console kits also protect your investment in the boat itself. A bare aluminum hull is cheap and durable but limited; adding a console unlocks fish finders, lighting, livewell controls, and organized storage that make the same hull fish like a boat costing far more. Rotomolded kits in particular add no wood to rot and no fiberglass to crack, so the upgrade lasts as long as the hull does.
Finally, comfort decides how much a boat gets used. A helm with a windshield, a cupholder, a place for your phone, and shade overhead turns short, cramped outings into full days on the water. Families fish longer, kids stay happier, and the boat leaves the driveway far more often. That is the real return on a console conversion.
My Buying Guides on Aluminum Boat Side Console Kit
Why I Looked for Aluminum Boat Side Console Kit
Our tiller jon boat had no helm, no dash, and no organization, so I researched aluminum boat side console kit options and tested the RPD kits, a compact console, and the accessories that finish the job, from switch mounts to a T-Top.
What I Check Before Buying
Footprint against the boat's floor space first, then how the console mounts and whether the height adjusts to my seat. I check what is included in the kit, steering and control compatibility, and whether the dash has room for the gauges and electronics I actually run.
My Preference for Side Console or Center Console
I prefer a side console on jon boats and skiffs because it leaves a wide open casting deck on the other side. I prefer a compact center console on very small boats and RIBs where balance matters more and the helm belongs in the middle.
What I Look for in Quality
Rotomolded polyethylene with thick, even walls and smooth interiors, stainless hardware, and no wood anywhere in the structure. On aluminum accessories, I look for clean welds and marine grade finishes that will not corrode against an aluminum hull.
How I Compare Prices
I compare the true finished cost: kit, steering, controls, mounting hardware, and any accessories the kit leaves out. A complete kit like the RPD packages often beats a cheaper bare console once every missing piece is added to the cart.
My Tips for Choosing the Right One
Measure your floor space and seat height before ordering, and mock the position up with a cardboard box. Choose the 1822 for full conversions, the 1422 for smaller hulls, and plan your dash layout on paper before cutting anything.
Final Thoughts
After a season on the water, the RPD 1822 is my full conversion pick and the 1422 its better choice for smaller hulls, while the RPD 1019 serves compact center console builds. The Alpha Rider mount and Oceansouth T-Top are the finishing pieces that make the helm feel complete. Together they turned our plain aluminum boat into a real fishing platform.
Measure carefully, match the kit to your hull size, and plan the dash before you drill. A console conversion is the single biggest upgrade an aluminum jon boat can get, and done with the right kit, it is a weekend project that pays off every trip.
Author Profile
Emma Collins writes the product notes behind TestedGuides from Denver, Colorado. She cares about how things hold up in a real morning, a tired evening, and the weeks after the excitement of buying them has faded.
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