How often do you need your lower helm?

[markpierce]

Important question: How old are you? Have you had your first melanoma yet? ...

73. No skin cancer yet despite my younger days spending time in sailboat cockpits and hiking in high altitudes when I was much younger. Meanwhile, staying out of the sun, mostly. Bless my pilothouse.

 

[menzies]

Important question: How old are you? Have you had your first melanoma yet?

.

And you live in the NW?

Hats and sunscreen always.

 

[markpierce]

Let's all have a good laugh.

 

[stroutmail]

I like the lower helm. You are closer to the center of rotation/roll, making the ride more comfortable. Running over a big wake when on the flybridge worries me..the movement is quite violent...feel like I should wear a seat belt up there! And, as I get older, climbing/descending steps gets more dangerous.

 

[Gordon J]

In four years of ownership and over a thousand hours of use, I have never, not a single time, used the lower helm. BUT, we have a hard top, full enclosure and reverse cycle AC in the fly bridge. And even more importantly, the stabilizers keep things nice and calm.

Gordon

 

[Pete Meisinger]

I rarely use my lower helm. In fact I almost never use it. But when I do need it, I really need it. Picture 40 degrees, rain or snow, six foot waves breaking over the deck.

pete

 

[boathealer]

I need mine a LOT ..........it's the only one I have.

 

[markpierce]

I need mine a LOT ..........it's the only one I have.

Ditto, and without regret.

 

[koliver]

Anchors?
Single v twins?
Flybridge or not?

It is a seasonal thing with us. Ours is not enclosed, so when the weather is hot, we are up top, when not, down below. Simple.

 

[Peter B]

Anchors?
Single v twins?
Flybridge or not?

It is a seasonal thing with us. Ours is not enclosed, so when the weather is hot, we are up top, when not, down below. Simple.

I had both. Enjoyed the flybridge sometimes, especially at anchor, especially if there are dolphins, turtles or dugongs, (manatee to yez) around, and if manoeuvring at night in close quarters. But if there is any significant roll, or nasty weather, I'm down below and luvin' it. Besides, whenever up there, and I realise I need something, it's always bl**dy down there..!

 

[bayview]

I had a fully enclosed Fly bridge. We were up there when the weather was bad or in narrow waterways for better visibility. Up again when good weather because it was nicer. the key was having Lexan type polycarbonate fold up widows with smiley openings for air flow and stairs not ladders[/] to get up there.

Lower helms take up critical living space and almost demand duplicate electronics.

 

[Codger2]

I had a fully enclosed Fly bridge. We were up there when the weather was bad or in narrow waterways for better visibility. Up again when good weather because it was nicer. The key was having Lexan type polycarbonate fold up widows with smiley openings for air flow and stairs not ladders[/] to get up there.

Lower helms take up critical living space and almost demand duplicate electronics.

I almost agreed with everything you wrote except "stairs not ladders." I have stairs & if not for them I'd get no exercise at all!

Also, "lower helms take up critical living space & almost demand duplicate electronics." With older electronics on the flybridge I'd agree with that statement but the newer electronics have Bluetooth & WIFI and can send the flybridge data to the salon. Now, for the TV! most people think of the boat's TV as an entertainment & news device where as a smart tv can view everything you have on the flybridge. (HDMI cable from the MFD to the salon TV.) Also, you can do your weather forecasting & route planning on it by switching to the Internet. My boat's lower electronics consists of an iPad, a command mic at the dinette and a 43" smart Tv. Toal cost? About 1/10th the cost of duplicating the flybridge stuff.

 

[BandB]

Wifey B: I would not ever buy a boat for cruising without upper and lower helms. That's why we've not considered Hatteras from 60-100'. We don't want an enclosed upper helm as we want to use upper to enjoy the good weather and get outdoors. We can enclose our upper but only do so once or so per year. We want lower helm for those days it's cold or rains all day or whatever other bad weather.

Many days we use both. Up early and away from a dock while it's still in the 60's so on lower. About 9:00 or 10:00, it's warmed up and beautiful and we move up. We don't want to be hesitant going up the coast in spring for fear of the days of cold weather that occasionally hit.

 

[rslifkin]

Electronics wise, if the lower is the primary bad weather helm, I'd put the bulk of the electronics down there, and then just remote mics for the VHFs and an MFD that can display everything up on the flybridge. Maybe 2 displays depending on your wants / needs.

 

[bayview]

If a boat is 60' or more then the story changes significantly as there is ample room for everything.
Stairs make delivering lunch up top easier. try that with ladders in a seaway.

 

[BandB]

Electronics wise, if the lower is the primary bad weather helm, I'd put the bulk of the electronics down there, and then just remote mics for the VHFs and an MFD that can display everything up on the flybridge. Maybe 2 displays depending on your wants / needs.

Wifey B: If you're planning on using both, then they both need the full range of electronics.

 

[Codger2]

Electronics wise, if the lower is the primary bad weather helm, I'd put the bulk of the electronics down there, and then just remote mics for the VHFs and an MFD that can display everything up on the flybridge. Maybe 2 displays depending on your wants / needs.

rslifkin, You're in Rochester, I'm in San Diego! We drive 100% of the time from the bridge!

 

[rslifkin]

rslifkin, You're in Rochester, I'm in San Diego! We drive 100% of the time from the bridge!

I'm thinking from the perspective of if you typically move down when it's raining, visibility is bad, etc. then that's where you need the more detailed electronics. In good weather, having a single decent size screen with charts, radar if needed, and depth, etc. overlayed on there isn't much of a limitation. But in bad conditions, having separate displays for radar, charts, etc. and ideally having a display for a second person to act as navigator starts to become more important.

So to me, whichever helm is the one you'll go to when conditions get tough is the one where you need the bigger suite of electronics. And which helm that'll be definitely depends on the boat and the conditions you normally boat in.

 

[Codger2]

So to me, whichever helm is the one you'll go to when conditions get tough is the one where you need the bigger suite of electronics. And which helm that'll be definitely depends on the boat and the conditions you normally boat in.

Now I agree with everything you said! We posters frequently view the sea from our own environment and what's logical to us makes absolutely no sense to others on opposite sides of the country or planet. I guess that's one of the things I really love about this forum! BTW, I must add that on my boat I am not navigating from the salon. I am, however, practicing most navigating functions while at anchor, mooring or in the slip. (I don't have to climb the ladder to the bridge. lol)

 

[Nomad Willy]

A lower helm is something one needs.
A FB is something one wants.

 

[Codger2]

A lower helm is something one needs.
A FB is something one wants.

I don't agree!

 

[psneeld]

Wifey B: If you're planning on using both, then they both need the full range of electronics.

I disagree. I have run many boats from either station that had less electronics and indicators as the other station.

Just like running boats with less electronics indicators at any station than another boat that has way more..... Or way less.

 

[psneeld]

I don't agree!

Neither do I.

 

[RonR]

When its just the boy's were all up top. We can also put on the front/side's if its raining hard.

When its the family everyone is down below, so I go there as well.

 

[Greg S]

A lower helm is something one needs.
A FB is something one wants.

I agree!

Greg S

 

[Wood]

Breezy tight conditions while docking I will be on the flybridge. Nice day - on the flybridge.

Rainy. too hot, too cold, too windy- or just because - I'll be at the lower helm.

If I could only have one it would be the lower helm - but raised.

 

[ranger58sb]

Wifey B: I would not ever buy a boat for cruising without upper and lower helms. That's why we've not considered Hatteras from 60-100'. We don't want an enclosed upper helm as we want to use upper to enjoy the good weather and get outdoors. We can enclose our upper but only do so once or so per year. We want lower helm for those days it's cold or rains all day or whatever other bad weather.

Outa our league, but I'd have thought in your situation and in those sizes, Hatteras would build you exactly what you want?

I understand your reasoning, in any case...

-Chris

 

[psneeld]

I agree!

Greg S

What about boats with no lower helm?

 

[BandB]

I disagree. I have run many boats from either station that had less electronics and indicators as the other station.

Just like running boats with less electronics indicators at any station than another boat that has way more..... Or way less.

Wifey B: But that's to the point of what you need on a boat. I'm saying if you need it up, you need it down. I don't argue one can do without, but just is logical to my illogical mind that if you need it, you need it everywhere, if you want it, you want it everywhere.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Originally Posted by Nomad Willy.
A lower helm is something one needs.
A FB is something one wants.

Codger reliied:

I don't agree!

They didn’t have FB’s in the twenties.
Boats wer’nt created w FB’s. At least what we think of as a FB.
They were added on in The late fifties.
They were sort of a fad-like new marketing thing and even came on 23’ boats a bit later. Thankfully evolution took them out. I even suggested to Kieth Walton (NA Uniflite) to build a 42’ flush deck boat w the FB on the deck w nothing else. I even think now at times “why have all that stuff in a boat too small to support it gracefully and visually”. A 38’ boat w the accommodations of a 26’ boat basically.

We didn’t “need” FB’s.
Many people just wanted them.