So Why Aren't there More Interior Helms ?

[kaimusailing]

I have a boat that wasn't designed with a pilothouse, but the cockpit was modified into a pilothouse. This modification has proved to be a great addition. The wheel pilot is there and out of the weather. when the heater failed and I ran aground with an approaching northeaster in January, I retreated to the pilothouse and found it was warmer than the rest of the cabin, hot air rises. I could sleep there, but uncomfortably. It has instant access to the deck, if something should imperil the boat. My nav equipment could run there without getting trashed by the weather. I could listen to the radio out of the wind and look at a chart without getting it wet. Out of the wind and weather hypothermia is less of a threat.
When the boat is plodding along, the pilothouse ends up being the place to sit and view, through the portlights, all around, and have a pot of soup or coffee. I like being on deck and the wind and spray, but that environment impedes some of the activities that are essential to properly operating the boat.

[kaimusailing]

I forgot to add that I have an on deck steering station that is centrally located with access to my main, main traveler, and headsail sheets. I found that some boats that have been modified for singlehanded sailing are congested in the helm area, and if you sail with a crew, they can't all get at things because everything is lead to the helm. Some have a single winch and rope stoppers. Well, it makes sense if you are the only one winching, just choose the one and winch away. If you have a crew, then there is a mess if they need to adjust more than one thing. My inside helm has no engine controls, but the windlass, compass, etc. are duplicated topside. The pilothouse has too much ambient light daytime and the computer displays are not bright enough. We have a separate chartroom on the other side that is much darker, and it has the main nav computer display.

[simonhantler]

Originally Posted by catty

The enclosed interior helm is probably one of the most dangerous design innovations of recent times. With the skipper so well protected from the elements , they are divorced from the tell tale signs of sudden weather changes. The thunderstorm down burst for instance where the first signs are a sudden cool draft before the obligatory high strength blast. Remember "Anna". I'm sure Peter Johnson or Chris white will disagree, but hey, this is the Internet.

Also is it a sail boat or a motor boat. Pretty difficult to see the tell tales from inside. Ok put in a window into the cealing you say, then the boat is a hot house in the tropics.

UTTER RUBBISH

[johngrif]

I love my interior helm. Great visibility, out of the sun, out of the rain. I can go outside whenever I want.

[markpierce]

Although mine is not a sailboat, the clear hatch above helm position provides a good view of the sails' trim. It is not difficult to assess wind/sea conditions from a pilothouse while avoiding the sun's radiation, wind burn, and unwelcome moisture.

[simonhantler]

Originally Posted by johngrif

I love my interior helm. Great visibility, out of the sun, out of the rain. I can go outside whenever I want.

It’s just a matter of time till blue water sailors work out the benefits of inside helm and forward cockpits. If well designed they make a lot of sense.

[Yihang]

Do most interior helms rely on hydraulic steering? If so that can be a con. Since this is 2020 I would imagine alot of people will be going with a version of the versa helm in the future.

I Also like the Seawind twin bulkhead helms. Less lounging space but very yacht-like.

[mglonnro]

Related to this: are there any reliable and user-friendly remote wheels out there?

Instead of having three fixed installations, maybe one fixed and one fly-by-wireless (or wired) with a few different attachment points to secure it? And with force feedback to make it feel real

I've seen a lot of gentlemen (sadly, no women) docking their big motor yachts from the stern with some kind of small remote. If they do it, then ...

Pic from an HH55.

[Yihang]

Originally Posted by mglonnro

Related to this: are there any reliable and user-friendly remote wheels out there?

Instead of having three fixed installations, maybe one fixed and one fly-by-wireless (or wired) with a few different attachment points to secure it? And with force feedback to make it feel real

I've seen a lot of gentlemen (sadly, no women) docking their big motor yachts from the stern with some kind of small remote. If they do it, then ...

Pic from an HH55.

Sirius have been using the raymarine autopilot with rotary knob for awhile. Torsten says it's programmed to basically follow the rotation of the physical wheel outside.

I've heard stories of superyachts crashing because people were using the remote outside without someone at the actual helm and the remote ran out of battery.

[mglonnro]

Originally Posted by Yihang

Sirius have been using the raymarine autopilot with rotary knob for awhile. Torsten says it's programmed to basically follow the rotation of the physical wheel outside.

Yes And I'm thinking about something bigger to get a better feel for it with more precision.

I've heard stories of superyachts crashing because people were using the remote outside without someone at the actual helm and the remote ran out of battery.

Maybe they just said so because they thought it would be less embarrassing than being bad at parking

Anyway, yes, there should be a battery warning sound.

[Yihang]

You should pitch the idea to Logitech. Maybe something can be adapted using their PC GAMING hardware with force feedback. Actually i would love some VR sailing games with force feedback wheel and a fan blowing into my face.

[NevilleCat]

For me the long coach-roof version of the Rapier 400/Format 400 has some appeal.
Enclosed by clears the helm is basically inside.

[Sand crab]

MicroCommamder has been making a full line of controls including handheld remotes for your engine(s) for decades.

[Sand crab]

Link

https://controlmastersinc.com/microcommander.htm

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Yihang

Do most interior helms rely on hydraulic steering? If so that can be a con. Since this is 2020 I would imagine alot of people will be going with a version of the versa helm in the future.

I Also like the Seawind twin bulkhead helms. Less lounging space but very yacht-like.

It was a flybridge sportfish but we had dual helms and the inside helm had 360visibility. In 10yrs of ownership only used it once when we had pulled the flybridge off entirely in order to truck the boat home to refinish the decks over the winter (this included spring and fall use that a few times had snow flurries)

Really it just used up space that could have been better used for other purposes.

Particularly with the option of a remote for the autopilot, I don't really see the benefit for most people.

On our Gemini in cold weather, it wasn't uncommon to stand in the companion way with just a window open and reach an arm out to hold the wheel (non-autopilot situations) but if it came to docking or close quarters maneuvering, I would just step out into the cockpit.

Now if you get up into 50-60ft boats, carving out space for an inside helm is a lot easier to justify.