Winter Project Planning Help: Helm Chair

We cruised our new-to-us 1983 CHB for about 200 hours this summer. Overall she is very comfortable on the water in all conditions that the protected waters of Puget Sound threw at us... but we found that sitting for a long time at the lower helm station got uncomfortable. Here is a picture of what we end up doing:


So we thought we'd put a new helm seat in this winter. The problem is what, exactly, to do.

We are not very tall people, so we can't reach the steering wheel while sitting on the built-in helm seat; it's a few inches too far away. So I was thinking of putting in a helm seat that slides forward. But if we mount it on the existing seat top, I'm concerned it will be too high.

If we put a pedestal in, we might be too close. Plus we would block the starboard entryway.

Ideas?

An autopilot would solve most of these problems...

The American Tug has a helm seat that can slide forward. There are foot rests both under the seat and under the wheel depending on where it is positioned. When there is a need to cross through the pilot house, you can just slide the seat back.

You mentioned a sliding seat may be too tall. How about removing the existing seat top and making a longer one(closer to the helm) that folds down on a hinge? When not in use or door access is needed it would simply fold up out of the way. A well fastened piano hinge would help.

That's a comfortable helm Larry!

We use a tall stand-alone swivel chair. This works great but then there's the problem of where to put it when we're not actually using it.

I saw the perfect chair for us a few months ago up the north end of Vancouver on the M/V Gikumi. Tall, folding teak chair with arms that folds flat. Jim told me where he bought it but the store no longer carries this type of chair. As for driving with one's feet, this is how Jin often drives the Gikumi.

Fotoman said:

An autopilot would solve most of these problems...

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That is really the answer here.

I rarely use the wheel on our boat. The autopilot has left and right 1 and 10 degree buttons.

ksanders said:

That is really the answer here.

I rarely use the wheel on our boat. The autopilot has left and right 1 and 10 degree buttons.

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On my boat, it's port and starboard. :lol::lol:

ARoss said:

On my boat, it's port and starboard. :lol::lol:

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ZING! :lol:

ARoss said:

On my boat, it's port and starboard. :lol::lol:

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In the real world rudder commands are right or left... an autopilot is just an electronic helmsman...so right or left is more appropriate than port or starboard....

Rudder commands are traditionally given as right and left.

If there's enough room, there are swinging arms that accept seat bases...look at some sailboat nav station seats...many swing out of the way for different reasons. That would be if there's too little room for a stool like folding chair as been suggested but enough room for one to be swung into a comfortable position to drive and out of the way when needed.

The one on my buddies Catalina 42 is only a tiny, round padded seat but any number of chairs could be mounted. Then it could be removed by lifting it and storing it out of the way. You could make something to fit on the current seat top.

ARoss said:

On my boat, it's port and starboard. :lol::lol:

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I am so busted.

a lot of people rave about the comfort of Honda Odyssey mini van captain's chairs for helm use. They already have a slide mechanism! I like the all mesh office chairs my self and intend to try to concoct a lower helm seat with one at some point. As others have said you could make a hinged plate that would accept a swivel seat base. You could use some type of T-handle bolts so no tools needed to R/R.

Bazinga

Matt, we're struggling with the same issue. Our recently installed Garmin autopilot might make it a moot point. Time will tell. We're considering a sliding seat and with the slider it will be too high. So it will require lowering the existing seat platform. Not too big task. Chuck

Thanks for the responses, all.

There is an older autopilot already on the boat. I spent all of 10 minutes trying it out this summer, but wasn't able to get it to hold a straight course. Probably worthwhile to investigate that. On a quick google search, it looks like a replacement would be on the order of $1000, which is.... unfortunate.

I saw an older thread here that mentioned using car seats for helm chairs too. I like the idea, just not sure if one would be too high.

I really like the idea of the swinging arm base, because I could then use it as a 5th seat at the dinette... definitely need to investigate that.

Once again, thanks for the suggestions!

mattkab :
It looks like you need a higher seatback, and a headrest, and a cup holder, and a place to set the remote, and a folding side table for the snacks, and.....

Have fun with your project.

something like this...it could have a decent nav seat that could lift off to get totally out of the way and yet swing all the way into the cabin to be another seat like you said....

I second the Honda Odyssey seat. Someone on this forum suggested them a while ago. Ebay had brand new ones removed from new vehicles as part of after market customizations. I think they were around $ 150-250.
Hamilton marine has swing away aluminum bases that are used on lobster boats that may work for you.

mattkab said:

Thanks for the responses, all.

There is an older autopilot already on the boat. I spent all of 10 minutes trying it out this summer, but wasn't able to get it to hold a straight course. Probably worthwhile to investigate that. On a quick google search, it looks like a replacement would be on the order of $1000, which is.... unfortunate.

I saw an older thread here that mentioned using car seats for helm chairs too. I like the idea, just not sure if one would be too high.

I really like the idea of the swinging arm base, because I could then use it as a 5th seat at the dinette... definitely need to investigate that.

Once again, thanks for the suggestions!

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Which Auto-Pilot? It took me a solid hour to get the hang of my Benmar 21R Course setter. Once you figure it out, it will change your experience tremendously.