I've got enough experience under my belt on our new (to us) Wellcraft 30 to
have figured this out -- no matter what you're trying to do the layout could
be better.

Not so much down below, that's actually set up quite nicely. I can see one
small improvement I would like in the shape of the dinette seating but the
rest is either well done or satisfactory.

But in the cockpit and helm area, I don't even know where to begin so let's
start with the helm seat ...

First off there's not a drink holder within a mile of it.

The helm seat is wider than necessary for one person but for my wife to sit
with me (and she is quite tiny) I end up with the controls jamming me in the
side. So basically it's not really a two person seat (no, I'm not huge).

It's up on a really good moulded fibreglass base but there's no access to
the base so all that potential storage space is wasted.

Added to that, it's too low to sit and still have a good view unless you're
off plane. For on plane I don't feel I have enough visibility without
sitting on my leg or a cushion.

If I want to stand there's nothing to lean my butt against -- so here is my
idea for a proper helm seat.

* Two person, real two person not 1.5 person.
* Able to raise and lower *easily*, something you can do while underway
without it being a major chore.
* Already slides back and forth and I like that so no change there.
* Flip up seat bottom with built-in bolster for standing.
* Ideally with some type of arm rests that you can move in and out of the
way easily, to hold you snug while sitting if you're getting pushed around
by waves and wakes. Come to think of it, it would be nice if the bolster had
a bit of a "hip rest" on each side of your butt so you could brace your hips
while standing in chop or hard turns.
* Storage underneath
* And ideally, able to swing around so it's parallel to the sides of the
boat to open up the cockpit when anchored or alongside.

I could go through the whole cockpit and write out "what it should be". My
question is this, am I nuts? Does anyone care about this stuff and if they
do, do they care enough for it to help the resale value?

I ask because I've been on some late model boats and they seem sort of the
same -- not quite right. I'm thinking if anyone really cared then this would
move up the priority list of the builders.

I'd really like to hear your comments, if you had a magic wand and could
redo your layout would you? If I did up my helm seat this way would you step
on board and say, "wow, wicked helm seat" or would you say, "geez, got too
much time on your hands there pal?".

But in the cockpit and helm area, I don't even know where to begin so let's
start with the helm seat ...

First off there's not a drink holder within a mile of it.

Solved for $5 in 15 minutes.

It's up on a really good moulded fibreglass base but there's no access to
the base so all that potential storage space is wasted.

Be sure that "potential storage space" doesn't double as headroom in the cabin
or engine room below. If you have a "midcabin" layout, it's 90% likely that it
does.

Added to that, it's too low to sit and still have a good view unless you're
off plane. For on plane I don't feel I have enough visibility without
sitting on my leg or a cushion.

That problem goes beyhond the helm seat.
A person of average stature should be able to see when planing. Do you need to
retrim your load by shifting some weight forward?
Increase the effectiveness of your trim tabs? Could be any number of things,
but if you can see well when idling around, you should be able to see about
that well when completely up on plane.

* Two person, real two person not 1.5 person.
* Able to raise and lower *easily*, something you can do while underway
without it being a major chore.
* Already slides back and forth and I like that so no change there.
* Flip up seat bottom with built-in bolster for standing.

These features are commonly found on many boats. Have recently been aboard a
Sea Ray and a Cruisers Yachts and observed these features. They are useful.



* Ideally with some type of arm rests that you can move in and out of the
way easily, to hold you snug while sitting if you're getting pushed around
by waves and wakes. Come to think of it, it would be nice if the bolster had
a bit of a "hip rest" on each side of your butt so you could brace your hips
while standing in chop or hard turns.
* Storage underneath
* And ideally, able to swing around so it's parallel to the sides of the
boat to open up the cockpit when anchored or alongside.


Be careful with the swinging seat idea. You want the seat to be really well
affixed, and putting it on hinges at one end might compromise that. Begins to
sound wacky, IMO.

Here's an idea:

How practical would it be to remove your present bench seat and install two
adjustable helm chairs instead? You wife isn't going to be able to "cuddle",
but she can sit next to you and the pilot's chair would have many of the
adjustments you're describing. When you have guests aboard, the helm chairs
could be swung 'round 180 degrees and face the cockpit, although up on top of
the pedestal it might be a bit like the king and queen holding court from a
dias.


I could go through the whole cockpit and write out "what it should be". My
question is this, am I nuts? Does anyone care about this stuff and if they
do, do they care enough for it to help the resale value?

I ask because I've been on some late model boats and they seem sort of the
same -- not quite right. I'm thinking if anyone really cared then this would
move up the priority list of the builders.

I'd really like to hear your comments, if you had a magic wand and could
redo your layout would you? If I did up my helm seat this way would you step
on board and say, "wow, wicked helm seat" or would you say, "geez, got too
much time on your hands there pal?".

Dissatisfaction is the impetus for change. You don't like
it? You can see in your mind's eye what would work better?
Design what you want and build it or have it built. See my
website for inspiration.
JR

Paul wrote:

I've got enough experience under my belt on our new (to us) Wellcraft 30 to
have figured this out -- no matter what you're trying to do the layout could
be better.

Not so much down below, that's actually set up quite nicely. I can see one
small improvement I would like in the shape of the dinette seating but the
rest is either well done or satisfactory.

But in the cockpit and helm area, I don't even know where to begin so let's
start with the helm seat ...

First off there's not a drink holder within a mile of it.

The helm seat is wider than necessary for one person but for my wife to sit
with me (and she is quite tiny) I end up with the controls jamming me in the
side. So basically it's not really a two person seat (no, I'm not huge).

It's up on a really good moulded fibreglass base but there's no access to
the base so all that potential storage space is wasted.

Added to that, it's too low to sit and still have a good view unless you're
off plane. For on plane I don't feel I have enough visibility without
sitting on my leg or a cushion.

If I want to stand there's nothing to lean my butt against -- so here is my
idea for a proper helm seat.

* Two person, real two person not 1.5 person.
* Able to raise and lower *easily*, something you can do while underway
without it being a major chore.
* Already slides back and forth and I like that so no change there.
* Flip up seat bottom with built-in bolster for standing.
* Ideally with some type of arm rests that you can move in and out of the
way easily, to hold you snug while sitting if you're getting pushed around
by waves and wakes. Come to think of it, it would be nice if the bolster had
a bit of a "hip rest" on each side of your butt so you could brace your hips
while standing in chop or hard turns.
* Storage underneath
* And ideally, able to swing around so it's parallel to the sides of the
boat to open up the cockpit when anchored or alongside.

I could go through the whole cockpit and write out "what it should be". My
question is this, am I nuts? Does anyone care about this stuff and if they
do, do they care enough for it to help the resale value?

I ask because I've been on some late model boats and they seem sort of the
same -- not quite right. I'm thinking if anyone really cared then this would
move up the priority list of the builders.

I'd really like to hear your comments, if you had a magic wand and could
redo your layout would you? If I did up my helm seat this way would you step
on board and say, "wow, wicked helm seat" or would you say, "geez, got too
much time on your hands there pal?".

--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth

On Thu, 04 Sep 2003 12:12:50 GMT, "Paul" wrote:

Hi JR,

Actually I saw your website earlier this summer and it was inspiring. That's
what made me realize that you can change these "mysterious boat things". I
had sent you an e-mail back then and had Maxum in the subject line but it
must have been sucked into the spam hole.

It's too early for me to decide if this is a project or just idle thinking,
but I'll stew on it until I figure out what my priorities on the boat are.
If I do it I'll add it to my web site.

By the way, up until recently I had a '79 F250 4X4 with a 4 speed manual.
The only consolation in selling it was that it went to a guy who loves
trucks.

Paul,
Put a picture of your boat, especially the helm area, somewhere it can be seen.
Then it would be much easier to provide suggestions. If nothing else, maybe you
can put a couple pics on Lee's site at http://thebayguide.com/rec.boats/ At
least then we'd have an idea of what you're discussing.

John
On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD

JR,

I don't have any good clear shots of the helm area yet, what I have so far
is he

http://members.rogers.com/paulsorichetti/boat/

I'm taking more to give me stuff to think about over the winter, including
my slip which needs some mods as well.

I'll try to post them next week.

Paul.

Paul,
Put a picture of your boat, especially the helm area, somewhere it can be
seen.
Then it would be much easier to provide suggestions. If nothing else,
maybe you
can put a couple pics on Lee's site at http://thebayguide.com/rec.boats/
At
least then we'd have an idea of what you're discussing.

Oops, I think I meant to address that to John and wrote JR. Sorry, I'm a
spaz.

"Paul" wrote in message
able.rogers.com...
JR,

I don't have any good clear shots of the helm area yet, what I have so far
is he

http://members.rogers.com/paulsorichetti/boat/

I'm taking more to give me stuff to think about over the winter, including
my slip which needs some mods as well.

I'll try to post them next week.

Paul.

Paul,
Put a picture of your boat, especially the helm area, somewhere it can
be
seen.
Then it would be much easier to provide suggestions. If nothing else,
maybe you
can put a couple pics on Lee's site at
http://thebayguide.com/rec.boats/
At
least then we'd have an idea of what you're discussing.

WIP
JR
Dweller in the cellar

Gene Kearns wrote:

On Wed, 03 Sep 2003 21:47:14 -0700, JR North
wrote:

Dissatisfaction is the impetus for change. You don't like
it? You can see in your mind's eye what would work better?
Design what you want and build it or have it built. See my
website for inspiration.
JR

Paul wrote:

I've got enough experience under my belt on our new (to us) Wellcraft 30 to
have figured this out -- no matter what you're trying to do the layout could
be better.

Not so much down below, that's actually set up quite nicely. I can see one
small improvement I would like in the shape of the dinette seating but the
rest is either well done or satisfactory.

But in the cockpit and helm area, I don't even know where to begin so let's
start with the helm seat ...

First off there's not a drink holder within a mile of it.

The helm seat is wider than necessary for one person but for my wife to sit
with me (and she is quite tiny) I end up with the controls jamming me in the
side. So basically it's not really a two person seat (no, I'm not huge).

It's up on a really good moulded fibreglass base but there's no access to
the base so all that potential storage space is wasted.

Added to that, it's too low to sit and still have a good view unless you're
off plane. For on plane I don't feel I have enough visibility without
sitting on my leg or a cushion.

If I want to stand there's nothing to lean my butt against -- so here is my
idea for a proper helm seat.

* Two person, real two person not 1.5 person.
* Able to raise and lower *easily*, something you can do while underway
without it being a major chore.
* Already slides back and forth and I like that so no change there.
* Flip up seat bottom with built-in bolster for standing.
* Ideally with some type of arm rests that you can move in and out of the
way easily, to hold you snug while sitting if you're getting pushed around
by waves and wakes. Come to think of it, it would be nice if the bolster had
a bit of a "hip rest" on each side of your butt so you could brace your hips
while standing in chop or hard turns.
* Storage underneath
* And ideally, able to swing around so it's parallel to the sides of the
boat to open up the cockpit when anchored or alongside.

I could go through the whole cockpit and write out "what it should be". My
question is this, am I nuts? Does anyone care about this stuff and if they
do, do they care enough for it to help the resale value?

I ask because I've been on some late model boats and they seem sort of the
same -- not quite right. I'm thinking if anyone really cared then this would
move up the priority list of the builders.

I'd really like to hear your comments, if you had a magic wand and could
redo your layout would you? If I did up my helm seat this way would you step
on board and say, "wow, wicked helm seat" or would you say, "geez, got too
much time on your hands there pal?".

It the "metalworking" link broken.... or a work in progress??

--

Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Southport, NC.

http://myworkshop.idleplay.net/cavern/ Homepage
http://www.southharbourvillage.com/directions.asp Where Southport,NC is located.
http://www.southharbourvillage.com/autoupdater.htm Real Time Pictures at My Marina
http://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguide

--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth