A side console on the HPX-V?
-I personally would not. When I think of side-consoles, I think of skiffs that are used in more sheltered waters than the HPX-V was designed for. If you were considering an HPX-T, then I would say go ahead. What you might gain in weight-savings and deck space with a side-console, you will lose in rough water suitability, which is what the “V” is all about. Let’s assume you have three people onboard. To balance things out you should have one passenger sit in front of the center-console, and the other next to the helmsman behind the console. In bad wind and seas, the forward passenger is surprisingly well protected by the spray rails no matter how hard it blows, and the aft passenger will be well protected sitting to the lee of the helmsman who can easily stand/sit in the center of the bench. Should a strong wind/sea be directly off the beam, then even with the weather side of the boat trimmed up, some water is going to get away from the spray rail before it can be channeled aft of the r
