Any ideas for a free standing helm chair?

Guys, I'm shortening my dinette table and moving my helm chair to the port side.

I wanna buy a free standing chair that can be used for the helm. I dont want to mount it. Any ideas? Ive seen some Camanos on Yachtworld that have the directors chair style. I kinda want something a bit more substantial and comfy. I'll be using it as an "easy chair" when not underway.

Thanks.

We had one of these on our catamaran a number of years ago. Nice wide base. Worked well and was comfy.

"Springfield Deluxe Captain's Chair And Stand Package, White"

I have a tall 4 legged stool. Half the time I leave it home. The other half it's in the way.

Thanks Boathealer: Those are reasonably priced as well.

https://www.boatersplus.com/springf...DtdfTl77QxyPFDEbYfrdzpJunRw-WQ3saAuD9EALw_wcB

I'm kinda thinking of something a bit more comfy though. I'm envisioning something like a high, leather office chair with reclining possibilities too. I'm gonna be a full time liveaboard starting this fall so I want my helm chair to also be a somewhat comfortable lounger that I can move back aft a few feet if need be.

Here's the problem I found. The seat height...where you actually sit your butt, is pretty tall. Over 30 inches if I recall. Getting a seat tall enough was a chore. I finally went to a mounted one. From Bentley.

good luck

ctjstr said:

Here's the problem I found. The seat height...where you actually sit your butt, is pretty tall. Over 30 inches if I recall. Getting a seat tall enough was a chore. I finally went to a mounted one. From Bentley.

good luck

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Definitely. I totally agree. It's gotta be a high rise seat. I may even go custom if I have to. I need this seat to have dual functions.

Would this work ? ( without the wheels ) ?

https://www.zerogravitytables.com/h...ation-Solutions-Mesh-Fabric-Back-Pain-Relief/

Benthic2 said:

Would this work ? ( without the wheels ) ?

https://www.zerogravitytables.com/h...ation-Solutions-Mesh-Fabric-Back-Pain-Relief/

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That's nice. But if I remove the wheels then what? Can I add something else? I also want a lower section that has some reclining capability.

I remember seeing a nice setup on a downeast boat on YachtWorld. I wish I had bookmarked it. It looked like a regular, leather office chair but it was high and reclined. Also had a flat base. It was a unicorn!! Lol

I"m certain high wakes and waves (not uncommon in my inland waters) would knock me over if the helmsman chair wasn't securely fastened.

markpierce said:

I"m certain high wakes and waves (not uncommon in my inland waters) would knock me over if the helmsman chair wasn't securely fastened.

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I think if the base was wide enough and the chair was substantial enough it would work.

South of Heaven said:

I think if the base was wide enough and the chair was substantial enough it would work.

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It would work until it doesn’t. Last week I was concerned that my mounted helm seat may get ripped out of the floor as my 210 pounds was being thrown around. I was really glad to have a mounted helm chair.

My Camano Seating Adjustments

To starboard, I took a few inches off the pole at the lower helm to improve headroom and make it a little more comfy at the dock. I love the view and don't want to go any lower.

To port, I shortened the table 4+ inches which made the forward settee much more usable. Due to table clearance, I still have a tall helm pole available for that spot for any potential long trip in poor conditions.

I want to modify the center flybridge mount to use the port helm chair versus storing it. At rest, I want to be able to swap in a cocktail table when the weather is nice since we use the side seats to relax and put our feet up.

Shopping for a comfy folder for the starboard side in the cabin.

markpierce said:

I"m certain high wakes and waves (not uncommon in my inland waters) would knock me over if the helmsman chair wasn't securely fastened.

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This is the key to any chair in a boat. I have a metal director's type chair made for a boat. The frame is steel and it has outriggers on each side and the rear. Still, I managed to hit a good wave on a river that nearly knocked the chair over and if I hadn't been holding onto the wheel at the time, I might have been thrown to the floor. As it was, I held onto the wheel and kicked the chair back to maintain control and stay upright.

Ideally, any seats or furniture will be bolted or otherwise fastened to the deck for safety sake. That chair in post #2 would tip in heavy seas.

And keep in mind that a 200 lb (more or less) person sitting 30" above the base puts a lot of strain on a chair or mounting in rough seas.

http://www.foreandaftmarine.com/100-U9705WT.JPG
Google "helm chair" under Images

You could always put some threaded receivers in the floor and have some hand crankable bolts that went through the legs into the sockets. That way you could bolt in if you felt it was necessary.

High Wire said:

http://www.foreandaftmarine.com/100-U9705WT.JPG
Google "helm chair" under Images

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I have a helm chair with a base like this and it’s never come close to tipping over. Plus I can wheel it out of the way if necessary.

I did the free standing chair thing for six years. More than once on severe wakes, I had to abandon the chair to keep from going out the pilothouse door (chair too). The hold down straps work, but make sure to maintain them. First picture below is the Admiral in the old chair. The other two are after putting a in heavy pedestal unit with big starboard load spreader plates, top and bottom.

Guys, I found this example of what I want on the East Coast Camano Owners website. Looks very promising! And comfy! It also appears that the ottoman is underneath?? Not sure how that works.

If sitting at the dock, anything will work. In rough water, any non-mounted helm chair is a dangerous hazard, unless you have a very good stabilizer system.

I'm considering installing a seatbelt for when it gets ugly out there. It wouldn't be much use if the chair wasn't securely attached.

I have found there are usually no suprise wakes that are dangerously big. Sure they are there, but you see the boat before the wakes get there, or you need to scan more, just for safety sake, alerting your whole crew one is coming.

If its rough enough to to tip over those wide based chairs, many stand anyhow as only the really well made helm chairs or equivalents hold you comfortably in place.

In dozens of trips up and down the ICW, I would have no issues with a freestanding chair. If going offshore and enduring rough conditions regularly... figure out a removable tie down system or go permanent.

You won't find a production boat with a helm seat that's not mounted to the boat because the boat manufacturer knows eventually someone will be thrown from the seat and injured and that will likely result in a lawsuit. It doesn't matter what usually happens, it's what might happen.

In my case, I was on the Neuse River in NC and a wave hit me on the beam and rocked the boat severely enough that it overturned a typical West Marine/Igloo cooler and spilled the contents (sodas, ice and water) all over the deck. And as I posted above, nearly threw me to the floor.

Perhaps I need to scan more, but the chances are, you're going to let your guard down a few times in an eight hour day. Perhaps I was checking to see if the boat was still on course and in the channel, perhaps I was checking the gauges or perhaps I was reaching for my cup of coffee.

Standing is one way to deal with rough seas of course but the point in a helm seat is, it's pretty tough to stand for eight hours.

The best plan, of course, is to stay in port and that was my plan that day but when I woke that morning it was calm and other boats were heading out so we did too.

Best and doable are 2 different animals...

But that seems to be a difficult concept to get across all too often here on TF. 2 or more options, let the OP decide.

I usually dont care except to let people know that there is rarely just one option.... and give a few reasons or examples why. Like using a moveable that can still be fastened down.

OP.... go buy a $5000 helm chair with a seatbelt too..... or pick one you like and can work with.

I got this one for Fathers Day last year . It’s comfortable and with the mesh fabric it stays cool. It’s teak and came from defender. It’s pretty stable for our river travels.

Pack Mule said:

I got this one for Fathers Day last year . It’s comfortable and with the mesh fabric it stays cool. It’s teak and came from defender. It’s pretty stable for our river travels.

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I like that one, looks like it could be folded and tossed out of the way.

psneeld said:

Best and doable are 2 different animals...

But that seems to be a difficult concept to get across all too often here on TF. 2 or more options, let the OP decide.

I usually dont care except to let people know that there is rarely just one option.... and give a few reasons or examples why. Like using a moveable that can still be fastened down.

OP.... go buy a $5000 helm chair with a seatbelt too..... or pick one you like and can work with.

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I think folks were just trying to point that that no matter how wide a base, any free standing chair will tip over in the right conditions. I know plenty of boaters that use free standing helm chairs. They just must be good about stowing them in rougher conditions.

And I know tons of boaters that run aground and toss the driver into the dash.

All I usually try to point out is the limited thinking that there is only one way to do anything in boating. Sure there are really good ways and those to a lesser degree, but still diffetent choices....

Those that think there is only one way, have either one of two things, extremely limited thinking, or extremely limited experience.... they can fess up to either if they insist on only one solution to a boating issue.

Still looking....

While you're still looking for that perfect chair,you could be sitting at your helm! Just buy a cheap tall folding directors chair from amazon & be comfortable while looking. $60, your choice of colors, it folds up so you can stow it when it's not needed & if you don'y like it, give it away or donate it!
We have 2 of them & they're fine for us. Can you take a nap in them when running across the Chesapeake Bay in beam seas? Heck no! But they do give us somewhere to plop our butts when we're making runs & if it's rough, we just hold on or stand up.

I found these pictures of the directors chairs we're using. As you see, since they are not fastened down, we move them out of the way when we need to. It's a good height for our 34' boat as we can comfortably see out of the windows at the lower helm. Please ignore the temporary lack of carpet in the salon...

Thanks Boomerang. Well , I still have a decent fixed helm seat. I'm just figuring out my game plan for when we get out of this frozen tundra otherwise known as Boston. Lol