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  1. #1

    Lower/Pilothouse Helm

    Most of these older boats seem to have a bench that's fairly distant from the lower controls. I was thinking this was because of limited space but then I see it on many of the largest motor yachts. I'd love to hear from owners how this works for them, and whether anyone has reconfigured their lower helm to put a chair closer to the wheel. I'm accustomed to sitting directly at the controls, and sliding the chair back on its tracks and standing when docking and maneuvering in tight quarters. I can see sitting back on a bench running offshore on autopilot in calm seas but that's not typical - mindless traffic, beam seas and lots of lobster pots are more like it. Appreciate any thoughts.
    Attached Images

  2. #2

    Re: Lower/Pilothouse Helm

    Unfortunately there is no room for a helm chair unless you remove the bench to allow guests to move around. Removing the bench itself may not be hard unless there is an air handler in the cabinets next to it
    Pascal
    Miami, FL
    1970 53 MY #325 Cummins 6CTAs
    2014 26' gaff rigged sloop
    2007 Sandbarhopper 13
    12' Westphal Cat boat

  3. #3

    Re: Lower/Pilothouse Helm

    My dad's 58 YF had a built-in bench and I used to steer with my feet underway, otherwise it was too far away to touch the wheel. It never bugged my dad, he always drove up top. I like air conditioning. You could put a chair there, but you'll really have to suck it in when you're trying to walk from one side door to the other. Maybe a stand-alone chair that doesn't need a floor mount? Or a barstool?

  4. #4

    Re: Lower/Pilothouse Helm

    Previous owner added this "leaning post/seat" on our 58LRC

    It is nice, but not the most comfortable because of the small surface area or the seating area. I have been thinking about how to make a flip up backrest/sliding bracket that would improve the comfort.
    Attached Images

  5. #5

    Re: Lower/Pilothouse Helm

    We ripped out the bench and put a pedestal mounted captain’s chair in our 67 CMY. The distance back from the helm in the oem bench setup is to allow passage back and forth between the pilothouse doors in my opinion. I considered mounting the chair just behind the wheel but the walkway between pilothouse doors is super convenient for us. The chair is mounted so that at the farthest aft, the front of it is aligned with the aft opening of the pilothouse doors but it can slide forward quite a bit. At the dock, chair is rotated around facing salon and still leaves plenty of room to pass by. I’ll have to wait until I buy something with a pilothouse to have the captain’s chair right at the helm!

  6. #6

    Re: Lower/Pilothouse Helm

    Thanks Jim - it looks like your leaning post or loose stool are about the only options without removing everything to the aft bulkhead. Pascal mentions the possibility of air handling equipment in the cabinet work - do you happen to know if there's much in the way of machinery and equipment there on your 58? Reconfiguring the PH to accept a couple of helm chairs would be high on our to-do list if it's possible. I contacted Hatteras for help engineering a stairway to the bridge but was told post-Covid staffing doesn't allow. I asked if I could purchase copies of structural drawings but was told these were offered to the company by the Hargrave family but were not purchased - believed to be in a maritime museum in VA? Looks like the stairs will require a marine architect starting from scratch. Still looking for the right boat - the nice ones aren't outfitted to our liking and they're too nice to redo, and the rest are suffering from terminal neglect.

  7. #7

    Re: Lower/Pilothouse Helm

    I think I saw some 53's with a bench on wheels, and I think I saw one that swiveled. Not sure if that would work on a pilot house style boat. Telescoping steering wheel? haha.
    1980 53' Hatteras MY, Hull # 592

    "Moon River" <-- Finally picked a name

  8. #8

    Re: Lower/Pilothouse Helm

    I installed a truck sliding bench track so the bench slides forward.
    Attached Images

  9. #9

    Re: Lower/Pilothouse Helm

    Quote Originally Posted by Fcampb1960 View Post
    I installed a truck sliding bench track so the bench slides forward.
    Very cool - would never have thought of that. Makes me wonder if there's a way to convert the bench and back into a berth (too short I know). It would be nice to have the option of sleeping (resting?) in the PH when anchored in less-than-ideal conditions - close to alarms, radios and doors.

  10. #10

    Re: Lower/Pilothouse Helm

    I got a tour of an 87 63CPMY this summer where the owners had made the bench seat motorized, to slide forward a foot or so while actually steering.
    Brett Portzer 1972 Hatteras 43DC331
    2019- SUPERNOVA Waterford, NY
    1977-2019 CAROL-SUE Baltimore, MD
    1972-1977 C.VALPRISANN IV Boston, MA

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