Pilothouses

[spiritbaer]

I am presently in the gutting out and cleaning up of a West Sail 32. The cabin top and deck have some major soft spots so those have to be repaired. My question is,would it be possible for a naval architect to design a pilot house that looks good and is functional. Is this a costly proposition to have this done? My thought on this, it would not add much more to the overall cost to this restoration.

[NotQuiteLost]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

As others have said, pilothouse boats generally need to be larger to elegantly carry the right proportions that will give you comfortable ergonomics in visibility and livability.

You can see from this inside elevation sketch the floor heights needed for

Good headroom inside aft… yet she still has a walk in cockpit

Decent engine room under the pilothouse… although a high crouch…not stand up, it is a good place to work!

Step downs as you go forward to keep the foredeck looking clean yet I have 6’ 4” headroom all the way to the chain locker.

Maximum 4 comfortable steps going aft so I know that this boat will not be a problem if and when my knees start to go out.

The sailing shot shows good visibility from the cockpit and the inside steering.

….. and the sunset shot…. well that just makes me feel good!

Your picture from the bow looking aft to the pilothouse...makes me think of a grey-decked, schooner-rigged version of my boat. Eerie looking. Major difference I can see is in the keel. Mine's 1/3 fin, deep as hell. But from midships back drawing, I could swear it's a doppleganger (or I'm the doppleganger?). Beautiful boat, Pelagic.

[pressuredrop]

Originally Posted by spiritbaer

I am presently in the gutting out and cleaning up of a West Sail 32. The cabin top and deck have some major soft spots so those have to be repaired. My question is,would it be possible for a naval architect to design a pilot house that looks good and is functional. Is this a costly proposition to have this done? My thought on this, it would not add much more to the overall cost to this restoration.

no reason it cant be done, the pilot house on my allied seawind was added sometime in the 80's, see picture in profile, they did a nice job, the roof is aluminum frame with thin pvc board (i think) covering it as to keep the weight up high to a minimum, clever i though... little added windage but over all worth it and i think mine looks just fine on a 30'er

[Redcoat]

Originally Posted by hummingway

Do they attach to the inside of the existing windows or are they a replacement?

The bolts were in place when I bought the boat.They are through bolted and the panels lay about a half inch off the existing dead lights.It took two 4x8 sheets to make them.But I just cut them with my worm drive and used a belt sander to smooth and round the edges.

[Brent Swain]

Originally Posted by jkleins

I find your contradictory statements interesting. In the first paragraph you make an excellent case that the pilothouse is useful or "has substance."

In the second you say they are ugly (no style) on smaller boats so you don't recommend them.

I never said that. I recommend them on any, boat regardless of size. I have drawn one on my 26 footer.

In the third you call your previous statement (that the fact that being ugly on small boats trumps their substance) as "a violation of human rights."

********! I made no such comment.
I stated that leaving the helmsman in an exposed open cockpit in rough weather, with no options , is a violation of human rights.

I guess you are of "two minds" over this issue.

I tend to think that the substance will still be there even on the little boats although I agree that they pretty ugly at times.

Jim

There is no need for a pilothouse to be ugly on any boat.
Leave the "putting of words in someones mouth, so you can have something to argue against", on that other site, where it is encouraged.

I put my engine under the foreward end of the cockpit . Puting it under the wheelhouse makes the wheelhouse exceptionally high and thus unavoidably ugly.
On my centre cockpit 36, I put the wheelhouse in front of the cockpit , on the aft end of the trunk cabin.
Once a pilot house is high enough to see over the fore hatch, there is no benefi, in terms of visibility , in making it any higher.

[YADO]

Two of us delivered a Cabo Rico 47 Pilot House and that was one beautiful boat, inside and out. It has a garage under the settee that is big enough to rebuild just about anything on the boat, with a vice, stainless covered work bench and more. Probably too much wood for me to care for, but the boat was incredibly comfortable and the Pilot House was the place to be in weather.

2006 Cabo Rico 47 Pilothouse Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[jkleins]

Originally Posted by Brent Swain

There is no need for a pilothouse to be ugly on any boat.
Leave the "putting of words in someones mouth, so you can have something to argue against", on that other site, where it is encouraged.

I misread your statement as "there is no reason for a pilothouse on a boat less then 30 ft or less, can't be attractive" instead of there is no reason a pilothouse for boats under 30 feet or less, can't be attractive". The comma threw me off as if you were saying they just couldn't be attractive that small.
I apologize.
You don't need to get nasty about it though. That little smiley face thing meant that I was just joking about what I thought was contradictory statements. I wasn't throwing anything out there to argue against except that I like those little small boats with pilothouses. I just read it wrong. I don't even know what the "other site" is so that went over my head.

Jim

[samson]

there are several pretty pilot house boats under 30ft in my eyes lets see what you guys think. but being smaller boats the pilot house has full standing headroom of 6'6'' but inside i think its it 5'5'' kinda short for me 6'3'' with no shoes

these are same boat different builder. 27ft





and these are 2 different boats one with half a pilot house and one with a full pilot house 28ft

[SaltyMonkey]

OMG georgeous boat Samson!

[samson]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

OMG georgeous boat Samson!

not sure if you think its mine but its not those are boats built by people from the plans from bruce robert.

the first one the 27' one is the one i have been contimplating building but after buying the study guide and pricing it to over 50k thats with full thing built and just begining to outfit it. that is not to bad at all. way cheaper then buying new. i was quoated like 29,0000$ or something along those lines for the pre cut steel dilivered to my door. quoated like 34k for one of the 34ft boats. was told if i got the cutting files and had some one close to me do it i could save several grand.
BOAT PLANS, CRUISING BOATS,* BRUCE ROBERTS, FOUNDED 1966, OFFICIAL SITE, 200 boat plans & boat kits SAILBOATS, POWER BOATS powerboats steel, aluminum, fiberglass, wood epoxy boats

John.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

OMG georgeous boat Samson!

OMG.... Salty's gone Orgasmic.... again.

[samson]

salty which do you like the best?

[S/V Alchemy]

Don't know why I missed this thread, but I've always like the "half-sunken" pilothouse as seen in Nauticats, some Wauquiezes, and my custom steel cutter:

[tomales bay]

i posted in another thread and found this one using search "bruce roberts" any one have any information on the 27' trailerable pilot house pictured earlyer?

thank you.
John

[hard-a-ground]

For some time I have been admiring the Slocum 43 pilothouse for sale in Turkey(YachtWorld.com)... Looks like a comfortable boat to travel in.