The Ideal Rescue Boat

I prefer throttle positioning on the left hand side of the console due to the fact that I've been well taught and feel that it's safest to operate powerboats one hand on the throtle and one on the steering wheel. I feel more in control with my right hand steering, hence this preference. On another note, I've worked with Powerboat instructors, previously employed by the Navy and they never sat down at the consoles on the boats and instead had a well balanced upright stance. The reason for this is through their experience, after prolonged work on ribs, sitting at the console caused back problems, especially slamming through waves. When you are sitting down at the console, the base of your spine absorbs most of your bodies energy whilst the boat bounces over waves. By standing up, the energy is less concentrated and is divided up through the whole of your back, legs, etc. For the crew of a rib, sitting down on the inflatable sides of the rib, the slamming effect on the base of the spine has low consequence due to the fact that the inflatable tanks absorb more energy than a console seat.

I'll be different and put my vote for throttle on the right hand side, simply because you can get away with letting go of the throttle for short periods to use the radio, clean your glasses etc. which is suprisingly difficult to do with your left hand (if you're right handed).

As far as the main task of operating the boat is concerned, I find it doesn't really make any difference, and perhaps suprisingly, I don't even notice when swapping between boats which have it on opposite ways round!

With towing, the thing I never understand is the way people don't use the full length of the tow rope you've thrown them and then wonder why their boat ends up in the back of the engine - in a big sea 100 feet of rope can be too short in some cases!

It depends on what you need the rescue boat for really!

On our Inland lake back at home a 4m searider with a 15 on the back would be more than enough (but then the lake is tiny!)

At the outdoor centre i worked at (on the south coast) we had 4m seariders with 25s on the back no prop guard as we are all from the school as as soon as you get near kill the engine!! although the size was great for doing training/safety around picos and 2000's the engine size could have been bigger as its a little difficult towing against tide with 6 x 2000's in tow behind you!! Also out of the harbour with big waves the rib size did make you feel a little dwarfed!

but even then with 25's there were okay, my only gripe was the jeannaus with the 15's on the back! evil little things with no electronic trim so useless in a tidal harbour full of mud

However I work for a Harbour Authority nearby and we run a 5.85m with a 75 on the back... which is great for what we need it for, mostly towing and the occasional rescue (though a slightly bigger engine would be cool to chase those pesky jetskis) but for towing dinghys its fine and you can easy rest a rack over the sponson and tow alongside without it being too bulky! the turning circle is nice too not too wide to make it annoying to drive (though the A frame on the back is useless as we've snapped it off twice) (but then again we have a larger displacement craft for when grunt is needed!)  I find the size is great if you do need to be out of the harbour entrance in the big stuff and the engine is powerful enough so you can get to people in a safety capacity quicky!

i think its all depends on the true use of your boat for the set up really... i've driven throttle left and right and find both as easy as each other... but having the VHF on the console right by you makes it so much easier to hear and i've found the depthsounder (in coastal areas) and GPS invaluable! Also having throw lines on the bow and either side of the A-frame is rear mounted makes it super helpful!

just realised how long this post is!  hope its of some help!