Sky lounges showing up everywhere?

[stubones99]

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.

[markpierce]

Seahorse Marine is now offering a flybridge option for Coots.

[caltexflanc]

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.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by caltexflanc

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.

[Irish Rambler]

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

[psneeld]

So many different boats, so many possibilities, so many opinions......

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

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.....

[Simi 60]

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.

[CaptTom]

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.

[caltexflanc]

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.

[OldDan1943]

Originally Posted by stubones99

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.

[O C Diver]

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

[markpierce]

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.

[ssobol]

Boats with flybridges/upper cons enclosed with Isenglass are called "bubbletops" in my area.

[High Wire]

You're not going to be single-handing one of these, nor crossing the Atlantic. With active stabilizers it will be just fine.

[OldDan1943]

Originally Posted by stubones99

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

[KenM]

I call my cockpit, the "back porch" and my flybridge the "lanai"..

[BandB]

Originally Posted by OldDan1943

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.

[OldDan1943]

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

[OldDan1943]

Originally Posted by KenM

I call my cockpit, the "back porch" and my flybridge the "lanai"..

I'd call it, "a long way to the head"