Pete
Legendary Member
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2005
- Messages
- 1,167
- Status
- OWNER - I own a Hatteras Yacht
- Hatteras Model
- 48' LRC (1976 - 1981)
Our 48 LRC does not have a pilot seat at the lower steering station. You can only fit so much in any size boat, and a pilot seat did not make the cut. I believe the same is true for other Hatteras' of similar size.
Since I pilot our boat from this lower station 95% of the time, I use a teak stool, with no back, that the PO left with the boat. But, when you go slow, you spend a lot of time at the steering station and my old back could use some help. Enter Boat International USA, one of those magazines you receive for free, even if you do not send in the free acceptance card. On page 74 of the Sept. 2009 issue is a picture of a pilot house, a little larger than mine, NO, a lot larger than mine, that has a "Pilot Bolster" instead of a seat. Hope I have the spelling correct for "Bolster", it is the lean back support at ass level, but not a seated arrangement that off shore go fast boats use. If you have a copy take a look at this and see what you think. If few HOF members have the magazine, I can try scanning the picture, but it is pretty dark and may not turn out very well.
At any rate, it is simply a piece of U shaped (actually has three straight sides with 90 degree corners) high polish stainless, inverted with the legs of the U mounted to the floor and some padding where you ass would be resting. I can envision a permanent set of flush mount fittings in the pilot house floor (like those used for flag staffs, just larger), into which this bolster fitted for steering and could be removed when the boat was at rest, to facilitate normal traffic in the pilot house.
What do you think? Do you think a bolster actually helps with standing fatigue?
Pete
Since I pilot our boat from this lower station 95% of the time, I use a teak stool, with no back, that the PO left with the boat. But, when you go slow, you spend a lot of time at the steering station and my old back could use some help. Enter Boat International USA, one of those magazines you receive for free, even if you do not send in the free acceptance card. On page 74 of the Sept. 2009 issue is a picture of a pilot house, a little larger than mine, NO, a lot larger than mine, that has a "Pilot Bolster" instead of a seat. Hope I have the spelling correct for "Bolster", it is the lean back support at ass level, but not a seated arrangement that off shore go fast boats use. If you have a copy take a look at this and see what you think. If few HOF members have the magazine, I can try scanning the picture, but it is pretty dark and may not turn out very well.
At any rate, it is simply a piece of U shaped (actually has three straight sides with 90 degree corners) high polish stainless, inverted with the legs of the U mounted to the floor and some padding where you ass would be resting. I can envision a permanent set of flush mount fittings in the pilot house floor (like those used for flag staffs, just larger), into which this bolster fitted for steering and could be removed when the boat was at rest, to facilitate normal traffic in the pilot house.
What do you think? Do you think a bolster actually helps with standing fatigue?
Pete
