Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 03-19-2018, 01:18 PM   #1
Guru
 
City: Melbourne, FL
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,731
Sky lounges showing up everywhere?

Has anyone else started seeing enclosed flybridges on new boat designs? Hampton and McKenna have it as well Grand Banks 650SL, Ocean Alexander, and a few others...

McKenna and Hampton share the same designer and look similar to each other.

https://grandbanks.com/our-yachts/gr...anks60/#gb60sl

I wonder how it handles in a storm, being that high up and no lower helm station to retreat to.
stubones99 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2018, 01:41 PM   #2
Master and Commander
 
markpierce's Avatar
 
City: Vallejo CA
Vessel Name: Carquinez Coot
Vessel Model: penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,559
Seahorse Marine is now offering a flybridge option for Coots.
__________________
Kar-KEEN-ez Koot
markpierce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2018, 02:41 PM   #3
Guru
 
caltexflanc's Avatar
 
City: North Carolina for now
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,348
I personally don't like the idea of no lower helm, but on the other hand have always thought the Krogen Whalebacks and Manatees were pretty nice boats and not too far different from this concept. My aversion is that I think in terms of Ann and I handling the thing, or my single handling, and neither of us beings particularly adept.

I do get the enclosed "sky lounge" bridge concept, though our strong preference is to be out in the unobstructed fresh air on fair weather days.
__________________
George

"There's the Right Way, the Wrong Way, and what some guy says he's gotten away with"
caltexflanc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2018, 02:54 PM   #4
Guru
 
BandB's Avatar
 
City: Fort Lauderdale. Florida, USA
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 21,449
Quote:
Originally Posted by caltexflanc View Post
I personally don't like the idea of no lower helm,

I do get the enclosed "sky lounge" bridge concept, though our strong preference is to be out in the unobstructed fresh air on fair weather days.
The builders of Sportfishing boats led the way as they don't see the point in a lower helm. Hatteras doesn't sell any of their motoryachts with lower helms. The plan is you operate from the bridge and have more room inside. However, most people then want the bridge enclosed one way or another. Doing so with strataglass and such works but not the same as permanent. I'd say 50% of theirs are selling with enclosed bridges/sky lounges.

I still like to be able to get outside and enjoy the feeling of riding in the open air, like a convertible auto, when the weather is good. We kept our loop boat all buttoned up on the bridge until the temperatures crossed 70 degrees, then took the sides and front down and kept them down.
BandB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2018, 03:03 PM   #5
Guru
 
Irish Rambler's Avatar
 
City: NARBONNE
Vessel Name: 'Snow Mouse.'
Vessel Model: BROOM FLYBRIDGE 42.
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,733
We have both upper and lower helms and conning from the fly bridge in rough water you could end up doing yourself a mischief.
We always con at sea from the lower helm for safety as it also lowers the weight distribution.
As for enclosed fly bridges they remind me of a Pope mobile.
Just my opinion as a WASP
Irish Rambler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2018, 03:51 PM   #6
Guru
 
psneeld's Avatar
 
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,119
So many different boats, so many possibilities, so many opinions......

psneeld is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2018, 04:18 PM   #7
Guru
 
Alaskan Sea-Duction's Avatar
 
City: Inside Passage Summer/Columbia River Winter
Vessel Name: Alaskan Sea-Duction
Vessel Model: 1988 M/Y Camargue YachtFisher
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 8,046
I love sky lounges! You can pipe A/C and Heat. Defroster. No lower helm to money with or plastic windows! But my year boat they just didn't do much of that back then.....
Alaskan Sea-Duction is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2018, 04:50 PM   #8
Guru
 
Simi 60's Avatar
 
City: Queensland
Vessel Model: Milkraft 60 converted timber prawn trawler
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 5,482
Sun and heat will be flogging in through that GB windows.

Personally i wouldn't have a live aboard without Portuguese bridge and enclosed helm.
But I will be replacing two of our front windows with top half openers as even with the large eyebrow it gets toasty on an airless summer day but I can always take a step sideways onto the portuguese bridge.
Also considering extending the eyebrow and reflective filming the windows.
Simi 60 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2018, 05:35 PM   #9
Guru
 
CaptTom's Avatar
 
City: Southern Maine
Vessel Model: Prairie 36 Coastal Cruiser
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,714
Sky Lounge. I love that name! I'm going to be using that one.

Seems pretty natural on a 60'er. Even on my tiny 36'er, I leave all the vinyl up most of the time. On hot days I have openings in the fore, aft and side panels, but even then I'll leave the panels themselves zipped in almost all the time.

I always run from the flybridge. Even on the original delivery run, taking spray over the flybridge bimini, it never even occurred to me to run from below.
CaptTom is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2018, 07:24 PM   #10
Guru
 
caltexflanc's Avatar
 
City: North Carolina for now
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,348
We used to call our flying bridge the Lido Deck. We had a full enclosure for it from a PPO, but neither we nor the the PO ever used it. And we used the FB a lot.
__________________
George

"There's the Right Way, the Wrong Way, and what some guy says he's gotten away with"
caltexflanc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2018, 08:14 PM   #11
Guru
 
OldDan1943's Avatar
 
City: Aventura FL
Vessel Name: Kinja
Vessel Model: American Tug 34 #116 2008
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 10,595
Quote:
Originally Posted by stubones99 View Post
Has anyone else started seeing enclosed flybridges on new boat designs? Hampton and McKenna have it as well Grand Banks 650SL, Ocean Alexander, and a few others...

McKenna and Hampton share the same designer and look similar to each other.

https://grandbanks.com/our-yachts/gr...anks60/#gb60sl

I wonder how it handles in a storm, being that high up and no lower helm station to retreat to.
Hmmmm enclosed fly bridge, inside passage to the upper station and a lower station too.

Want a thrill? Try a tuna tower in a storm. I'll be inside.
__________________
Two days out the hospital after a week in the hospital because of a significant heart attack.
OldDan1943 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2018, 08:59 PM   #12
Guru
 
O C Diver's Avatar
 
City: Fort Myers, FL... Summers in the Great Lakes
Vessel Name: Slow Hand
Vessel Model: Cherubini Independence 45
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 12,818
Really not new or a big deal. Take a look at East coast head (charter fishing) boats for the last 60 years. Separate piloting house has been the norm. The object is to keep the live cargo out of the captain's way. They're not much fun to drive in a beam sea, but there's always a few strategicly positioned grab bars to hang on to.

Use to do some second captain trips on a boat called the Seeker. We would leave Montauk, Long Island and go 100 miles SE to a wreck called the Andrea Doria. On one trip coming back we ran into a storm with gale force winds and 15 to 20' seas. The ride in the wheelhouse of that 60' Harkers Island (wood boat) could best be described as 8 hours on a mechanical bull. We refer to it as our "Perfect Storm Trip".

You couldn't give me a boat without a lower helm or a mid level pilothouse. You can pick the weather you will go out in, not what you come back in.

Ted
__________________
Blog: mvslowhand.com
I'm tired of fast moves, I've got a slow groove, on my mind.....
I want to spend some time, Not come and go in a heated rush.....
"Slow Hand" by The Pointer Sisters
O C Diver is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2018, 10:09 PM   #13
Master and Commander
 
markpierce's Avatar
 
City: Vallejo CA
Vessel Name: Carquinez Coot
Vessel Model: penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,559
I'm not a fan of climbing a ladder or stairs to a second story nor the exaggerated motion of a flying bridge underway. A flybridge can be useful at the marina if one doesn't mind the additional windage when leaving and arriving and reduced access to dock and docking lines.
__________________
Kar-KEEN-ez Koot
markpierce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2018, 12:28 AM   #14
Guru
 
ssobol's Avatar
 
City: Southwest MI
Vessel Name: Sobelle
Vessel Model: C-Dory 22 Cruiser
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,229
Boats with flybridges/upper cons enclosed with Isenglass are called "bubbletops" in my area.
ssobol is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2018, 06:25 AM   #15
Guru
 
High Wire's Avatar
 
City: Cape May, NJ
Vessel Name: Irish Lady
Vessel Model: Monk 36
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,947
You're not going to be single-handing one of these, nor crossing the Atlantic. With active stabilizers it will be just fine.
__________________
Archie
Irish Lady
1984 Monk 36 Hull #46
Currently in Cape May, NJ
High Wire is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2018, 07:39 AM   #16
Guru
 
OldDan1943's Avatar
 
City: Aventura FL
Vessel Name: Kinja
Vessel Model: American Tug 34 #116 2008
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 10,595
Quote:
Originally Posted by stubones99 View Post
Has anyone else started seeing enclosed flybridges on new boat designs? Hampton and McKenna have it as well Grand Banks 650SL, Ocean Alexander, and a few others...

McKenna and Hampton share the same designer and look similar to each other.

https://grandbanks.com/our-yachts/gr...anks60/#gb60sl

I wonder how it handles in a storm, being that high up and no lower helm station to retreat to.
GB is trying to enter two different markets. Larger and smaller at the same time.
Remember they made their reputation building very good true trawlers. I hope they dont forget that and spread their facilities and workforce too thin at the loss of quality.

Before they go big, they need to correct the design of the TT
__________________
Two days out the hospital after a week in the hospital because of a significant heart attack.
OldDan1943 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2018, 08:12 AM   #17
Veteran Member
 
KenM's Avatar
 
City: Stockbridge,Vt - Punta Gorda,Fla.
Vessel Name: Satori
Vessel Model: 1984 34 Mainship
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 75
what's in a name?

I call my cockpit, the "back porch" and my flybridge the "lanai"..
KenM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2018, 08:13 AM   #18
Guru
 
BandB's Avatar
 
City: Fort Lauderdale. Florida, USA
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 21,449
Quote:
Originally Posted by OldDan1943 View Post
GB is trying to enter two different markets. Larger and smaller at the same time.
Remember they made their reputation building very good true trawlers. I hope they dont forget that and spread their facilities and workforce too thin at the loss of quality.

Before they go big, they need to correct the design of the TT
I believe you are confusing GB and GH as GB has nothing to do with TT.
BandB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2018, 08:14 AM   #19
Guru
 
OldDan1943's Avatar
 
City: Aventura FL
Vessel Name: Kinja
Vessel Model: American Tug 34 #116 2008
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 10,595
The further up you go, the further you are from the head and that could be disastrous of you are like me, a little old man
__________________
Two days out the hospital after a week in the hospital because of a significant heart attack.
OldDan1943 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2018, 08:15 AM   #20
Guru
 
OldDan1943's Avatar
 
City: Aventura FL
Vessel Name: Kinja
Vessel Model: American Tug 34 #116 2008
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 10,595
Quote:
Originally Posted by KenM View Post
I call my cockpit, the "back porch" and my flybridge the "lanai"..
I'd call it, "a long way to the head"
__________________
Two days out the hospital after a week in the hospital because of a significant heart attack.
OldDan1943 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Trawler Port Captains
Port Captains are TF volunteers who can serve as local guides or assist with local arrangements and information. Search below to locate Port Captains near your destination. To learn more about this program read here: TF Port Captain Program





All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:07 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2006 - 2012