Catamaran Helm Design

[SVNeko]

Can anyone point me to an example, or even just give ideas, for a cat helm that accomplishes the following:

- cat has one-piece coachroof/bimini - ie, no view over coachroof from inside cockpit
- single bulkhead wheel
- helm seat with view forward
- protection from sun and rain
- access to sail controls close at hand
- no little bimini over helm area

Thx

[Cotemar]

Antares 44

Antares Yachts: Building the World's Best Liveaboard Catamaran

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Antares 44

Antares Yachts: Building the World's Best Liveaboard Catamaran

The Antares has this... he evidently doesn't want it "- cat has one-piece coachroof/bimini - ie, no view over coachroof from inside cockpit"
Lord knows why.......

[SVNeko]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Lord knows why.......

Because that's how many cats are designed these days. See the Outremer 5X, Nautitech 542/482, Catana 53, etc, etc, etc, for example. However, none of those satisfy the criteria.

[Cotemar]

What's wrong with your Switch 51?

[dpddj]

if you don't count the sliding hatch for sunshine ...


2006 Leopard 40

[Southern Star]

no dpddj, your boat (like the Antares) has a view over the coachroof from inside the cockpit. I would have thought that this was a good thing, but...... I guess what he is referring to is a buikhead mounted wheel with a raised seating area above the coachroof/bimini extension, but that is permanently enclosed rather than just covered by a small flexible bimini. Maybe he is thinking ofl a bomber-type bubble above the bimini in the area of the helm seat?

Brad

[dpddj]

oops, missed that part. thanks
sounds like he is looking for something like a Grainger design, Aussy layout. Personnaly, I like the Grainger designs but I can't get used to looking through the saloon forward.
Oh, man, what can of worms have I opened up?

[Southern Star]

I hadn't thought of the Grainger designs - and of course, Gemini do the same thing. Perhaps he can clarify what he means as we may be missing the point. I do know that I am a big fan of his Switch 51 and, like Cotemar, wonder what he doesn't like about the helm layout.

Brad

[Snowgoose35]

The new Broadblue Rapier 550 - helm is inside at the front like driving a car and all sail controls are inside too

[SVNeko]

We love our Switch. There is nothing wrong with it and we are not seeking to change the helm layout. I am just noodling over design options for a friend.

[colemj]

Why does your friend specifically want a coachroof bimini/enclosure that one cannot see through? That puzzles me also, and seems to be the confusing point here. Having sailed on boats where to see forward while helming, one looks through a rear bulkhead window, through the saloon and out the front cabin windows - I can say this is my least favorite helm design of all. I would pick outboard helms or flybridges over that any day.

Mark

[valhalla360]

You clearly want a gemini...though that will be a lot smaller than a lot of the other boats mentioned.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by colemj

Why does your friend specifically want a coachroof bimini/enclosure that one cannot see through? That puzzles me also, and seems to be the confusing point here. Having sailed on boats where to see forward while helming, one looks through a rear bulkhead window, through the saloon and out the front cabin windows - I can say this is my least favorite helm design of all. I would pick outboard helms or flybridges over that any day.

Mark

Hear, hear! +1

[downunder]

I agree with colemj also.

Like the Helm design of the FF 46.