What's in a Pilot House?

[menzies]

I would say that I am comfortable with the pilothouse in Sonas with the exception of rear visibility. The opposite side of the rear pilothouse bulkhead in cabinetry in the galley - so the missus is very happy to have that.

So to resolve that I am adding a rear facing camera feeding to the large monitor in the middle of the helm.

Another item I would add to the list is a good air system to keep the windows and air clear - especially since many times the reason you are in there is because the weather outside in not nice and you may be a bit soggy by the time you get down or need to nip in and out to the fore deck etc.

Oh, and add efficient wipers and window cleaners!

 

[refugio]

I Oh, and add efficient wipers and window cleaners!

Not necessary with forward-raked windows! I have one center wiper and don't need it for rain. Or wind and rain. Only for wind spray.


Keith

 

[FF]

"Seems like the rolling offshore would roll you out of the bunk easier if it is fore to aft, but maybe I'm thinking about it wrong."

The usual fore and aft bunk is not wide , so its easy to pad with a couple of cushons or life preservers to NOT roll.

No way to pad a lubber bunk to not stand you on your head every so often.

 

[menzies]

Not necessary with forward-raked windows! I have one center wiper and don't need it for rain. Or wind and rain. Only for wind spray.


Keith

Interesting. Even if forward raked, if you are running at over 8 kts (sometimes 10-12) wouldn't you get the rain?

 

[refugio]

Interesting. Even if forward raked, if you are running at over 8 kts (sometimes 10-12) wouldn't you get the rain?

I can do 12 kts if I have a 4 kts following current.


Keith

 

[twistedtree]

I'm rebuilding my pilothouse now, so I'm relying on this thread to tell me all I need to include. I already know I need a set of sliding dutch doors with big dogs. The rest of it will be patterned after a Walmart miniature version of 101TUG, a spectacular example.

If you can fit them, sliding/retracting screen doors are a huge plus. Anywhere with bugs, you will thank yourself over and over for having screened doors.

 

[kraftee]

The GH 47 though.....I mean, with a separate head and queen berth, all you'd ever need is right there. Add a microwave and fridge, and the Admiral can have the whole lower deck to herself. Awesome.

Yep. I have spent MANY nights in the watch berths on the various GH47s during boat shows, deliveries, offshore passsages, etc. Certainly my favorite cabin.

Interestingly, 8 of the 9 GH47s built were configured with a large L-settee and chart table aft in the pilothouse. The settee folds down to become a nice queen-bed and the small chart table flips open to become a dining area. Then the watch cabin has an athwartship queen bunk with dresser and half-head (see diagram below.) Great layout.

However, Hull #2 was built with the aft pilothouse bulkhead moved forward a bit, increasing the size of the watch cabin. So, the pilothouse only has room for a bench seat against the aft bulkhead. The watch cabin is really nice though, with fore-aft queen berth and full head with shower (pics.)

 

[78puget-trawler]

Interesting. Even if forward raked, if you are running at over 8 kts (sometimes 10-12) wouldn't you get the rain?

Of course he would! Where is the pipe dream icon? LOL!

 

[dhmeissner]

We've got Port & Starboard sliding doors, 360' visibility, good seating but no bunk, plenty of space for charts and popcorn. The pics below are before our recent electrical upgrades & minor refit. I still need to replace the wipers and some dodads. And we are getting new cushions this year.

 

[dhays]

Menzies, I like your PH. It is very similar to mine except bigger. You have a touch more room for and aft which is nice.

 

[JustBob]

I'd like to see what is in this PH. Full flight of stairs up. Windows going wrong way for my own personal preference. But I think it has that 360 degree view? This boat just went by my house as I was reading the thread!

 

[healhustler]

I'd like to see what is in this PH. Full flight of stairs up. Windows going wrong way for my own personal preference. But I think it has that 360 degree view? This boat just went by my house as I was reading the thread!

Well, here ya go.

 

[JustBob]

Not sure I "get it," Larry?

 

[pearlwindham]

Oscar shame on you blaming all that because of your wife. No worries mate we ain't judging.

 

[pearlwindham]

Acually.........I confess.......that's my prefered way of travel myself.

 

[healhustler]

Not sure I "get it," Larry?

No worries, Bob. You'll learn that I often reverse the angle of windshields through Photoshop to wrangle those that hate that style.

 

[JustBob]

No worries, Bob. You'll learn that I often reverse the angle of windshields through Photoshop to wrangle those that hate that style.

Ah, sorry. When you said "here you go" I thought you meant "I'll show you what is in the PH."

Well, I believe I think it actually looks better! Nice work.

 

[bogranjac1]

Here's my pilot house, just happens to be the main cabin too, although I got a f'wd cabin too.
Now what did you require ?
bunk, chart table (covered in lunch ATM), galley, roof hatch and a rear hatch, 360 visibility, windows sloping backwards, dunno what Dutch doors are but got a door, got a night light too.

 

[healhustler]

Wow,..is that different or what! I'm glad to see this thread alive again cuz I'm making more decisions about how to complete my own. What kind of materials, is there such a thing as too much wood, how about curtains for the ladies, dark colors at the helm?

 

[MurrayM]

Warmth...

 

[ljk]

Other than controls and nav equipment, the best thing in MY pilot house is air conditioning! Especially in Florida in the summers!

 

[N4712]

We have basically everything you stated, and IMO those items make a great pilothouse. The only thing our PH could use is more console space not for displays but for the Black boxes that feed them, as we have enough room for 2 19" & a 24" display.

Our older model N47 doesn't have a overhead hatch in the PH but latter models do, doesn't really make a difference to us a we run the HVAC when ever we're underway or at anchor.

 

[JustBob]

Just for fun, here is a picture of a Nordhavn 63 PH, circa 1999. The older gentleman that had just taken delivery of this yacht hired me to help him sort out the computers and (some) electronics.

It certainly looks "messy" by today's standards. IMHO anyway.

 

[HiDHo]

Larry a dock box aft of the pilothouse turned out to really be a great idea, installed by PO, it hold our inflatable and other stuff for easy access. The 12 volt davit lifts and stows the inflatable in it's bag with no sore backs.