PILOTHOUSE: On deck vs. Raised vs. Full Standing

Mako · Mar 30, 2019

I think about how we used the last few boats we owned and where people congregated. In the big boat, the pilothouse was crowded with guests during parties, but older parents/relatives would be relaxing down in the salon. On my last boat the helm was usually just me and sometimes my wife, but up in the bow would be a gaggle of kids and teenie-boppers laughing and doing their own thing.

One thing that is challenging these days is shifting my brain from the "family" plan to the "couples" plan, since within a couple of years both kids will be away at Uni and we will be approaching an early retirement.

So kids/friends/grandkids/etc., are of secondary importance on the next boat, as opposed to what happily supports just the two of us. Even things like the head - we actually only need 1, since 2 would just be a nice luxury.

FF · Mar 30, 2019

"If visibility aft is a problem with a raised pilothouse, can't you install a backup camera like the ones in pickup trucks to help hook up a trailer?"

We use a repurposed auto mirror , hasn't failed to work yet , no power draw!

OldDan1943 · Mar 30, 2019

I have an AT34/36. I solved the "what's behind me" with a camera.
The galley is 3 steps down so it is not really separates you from the guests. If they really want to talk with me, there is a nice padded 2 or 3 person bench seat.
I do have an upper deck but that is populated with emergency 6 man raft, dock box and 4 SCUBA tanks.
I have never had an fly bridge and dont miss it and dont want one. The A/C or heat, food, head are all inside and closer then using a ladder to get down to everything of importance. The pilot how roof is populated by 2 130amp solar panels.
For me and my house mouse, the boat is perfect except for the hanging closet space. I have added 5 cabinets at various places on the boat and hydraulic lifts to get under the berth. She gets 2 drawers in the stateroom. I get one drawer. That is called "equal rights." She has a sweet, gentle heart of gold so I try to make her comfortable. SMILE
The only problem I cannot over come is that small hanging closet. SIGH

Liz · Mar 30, 2019

Thanks Ted! When I first got the idea of doing the Loop I was worried about a soko trip. However, the lovely people on this Forum have convinced me it is doable and I won't be lonely, either.

Liz

ben2go · Mar 30, 2019

Having bad knees left ankle, and a spinal condition, I find that the less I go up and down when moving through a boat the better off I am. I know it's very difficult to get everything on one level with a boat. I prefer an aft raised pilot house which is hard to find outside of Dutch styled motor barges. See the example below a 32x12 Motor Barge by Selway-Fisher. Three steps down into the cabin and engine room below the pilot house. From my understanding access is two ways to the engine room, hatch under pilothouse and flip up or slide out stairway, ala sailboat companion way.

One thing I do not like is a mid or forward pilot house. It creates to many ups and downs. This Glen L Union Jack design has three sets of steps to move through the boat. I have seen boats with more sets of steps and ladders to get around the boat. I am not supposed to climb ladders. This seems to be the most common set up with boats that would fall in the range most of us will or do own.

dhays · Mar 30, 2019

Liz said:
I'm a newbie and still looking for a boat so this may be an absurd comment.

If visibility aft is a problem with a raised pilothouse, can't you install a backup camera like the ones in pickup trucks to help hook up a trailer?

It is certainly possible, but I think on most boats it would likely take a couple cameras to be able to visualize things adequately. I have a single camera facing after, and while convenient for many things, it is not adequate for docking.

Mako · Mar 31, 2019

dhays said:
It is certainly possible, but I think on most boats it would likely take a couple cameras to be able to visualize things adequately. I have a single camera facing after, and while convenient for many things, it is not adequate for docking.

I'd agree, probably need three: one wide angle to see who's coming up behind, and then #two and three at each quarter, tight angle. Seems like a lot of cameras and wires. Perhaps the idea above about a couple of side view mirrors is best.

OldDan1943 · Mar 31, 2019

makobuilders said:
I'd agree, probably need three: one wide angle to see who's coming up behind, and then #two and three at each quarter, tight angle. Seems like a lot of cameras and wires. Perhaps the idea above about a couple of side view mirrors is best.

There are wireless cameras too.

Mako · Mar 31, 2019

I have four wireless camera on my home, from two different manufacturers. These I need being 8000 miles away. But I have all sorts of ongoing issues with both. In the future I will stick with wired units to a central management unit. I bring this up because most likely your stern backing up camera would likely be part of an overall security system as well. Reliability is key.

sunchaser · Mar 31, 2019

This thread needs a bit more life:

Some of us intentionally opted for a roomy aft master, large easily accessed ER, front staterooms separated from master, high lower helm steerage position, easy fore, aft and side deck access from three deck level doors, large enclosed fly bridge and a lowered CG. The combination of which cannot be found in a pilot house design under 50 feet. :hide:

O C Diver · Mar 31, 2019

sunchaser said:
This thread needs a bit more life:

Some of us intentionally opted for a roomy aft master, large easily accessed ER, front staterooms separated from master, high lower helm steerage position, easy fore, aft and side deck access from three deck level doors, large enclosed fly bridge and a lowered CG. The combination of which cannot be found in a pilot house design under 50 feet.

DeFevers are wonderful boats if you don't mind climbing up over transoms and up a steep ladder to access the upper helm. Then there is that narrow saloon so you can have side decks. I could go on, but I've poked back enough already.

Ted

OldDan1943 · Mar 31, 2019

O C Diver said:
DeFevers are wonderful boats if you don't mind climbing up over transoms and up a steep ladder to access the upper helm. Then there is that narrow saloon so you can have side decks. I could go on, but I've poked back enough already.

Ted

One thing I really liked about the DeFevers is the sea chest ..... You can take the top off to clear the trash aka plastic bags, from the inlets.

Ka_sea_ta · Mar 31, 2019

sunchaser said:
This thread needs a bit more life:

Some of us intentionally opted for a roomy aft master, large easily accessed ER, front staterooms separated from master, high lower helm steerage position, easy fore, aft and side deck access from three deck level doors, large enclosed fly bridge and a lowered CG. The combination of which cannot be found in a pilot house design under 50 feet.

We had a 48 DF I found the lower helm to be just about useless. The visibility is poor at best and the salon is small and the lower helm just took up living space. But the real issue were the multiple levels and steep ladders instead of stairs... On the plus side engine room access and storage were great. Overall I spend more time in the salon then the ER and appreciate the additional salon room that RPH offers not to mention much better visibility. YMMV :hide:

sunchaser · Mar 31, 2019

Ka_sea_ta said:
We had a 48 DF I found the lower helm to be just about useless. The visibility is poor at best and the salon is small and the lower helm just took up living space. But the real issue were the multiple levels and steep ladders instead of stairs... On the plus side engine room access and storage were great. Overall I spend more time in the salon then the ER and appreciate the additional salon room that RPH offers not to mention much better visibility. YMMV

Yeah, you've got to be over 5 feet tall to see out of the lower helm. Art must have made a design error on our boat, we've no ladders. The stairs are steep, about like the numerous Krogens and Nordhavns I've spent time on. BTW KST, what is your current vessel? Hard to sling darts at a ghost.

Ka_sea_ta · Mar 31, 2019

sunchaser said:
Yeah, you've got to be over 5 feet tall to see out of the lower helm. Art must have made a design error on our boat, we've no ladders. The stairs are steep, about like the numerous Krogens and Nordhavns I've spent time on. BTW KST, what is your current vessel? Hard to sling darts at a ghost.[/QUOTE

When we sold the DF we wanted a boat that would fit in our slip, so we bought a Bayliner RPH. It just made more sense for the way we use the boat.. By the way I've got at least a foot more than 5ft and still couldn't see less than 50ft in front of the boat

Codger2 · Mar 31, 2019

GFC said:
Having had a few different design boats I like having the fly bridge up where everyone can see.

After numerous boats I've owned and increasing age (Me!) I prefer all around visibility from the fly bridge. Also, as was mentioned before, Radar & AIS paint a nice picture of traffic coming up on your rear.

drb1025 · Mar 31, 2019

Tony Fleming must have designed my DeFever 46. It has a transom boarding door, no ladders, excellent pilot house visibility, and plenty of room.

PILOTHOUSE: On deck vs. Raised vs. Full Standing

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