All About Seaweed

Helm

Summary
(please click on any of the pictures for a larger one - use the BACK button to come back)

This is the construction and ideas page for the interior helm portion of the boat.

This was the starting point.

Here it is as of "today". Everything stripped prior to painting. New cabinet, and access holes cut out.

There are two 1/2" plywood horizontal cleats glassed to the hull on the starboard side. These will be used to mount the electrical panel. A small cabinet with access doors, similar to the original, will be located there.

On my last boat, I had a pilothouse with a seat. I found that I never sat down. I was always standing, leaning back against the seat - never sitting.

I didn't want to waste a lot a precious space with a seat here. Instead, I wanted something really comfortable to lean back on.

I started with a lot of cardboard cutouts and arrived at a design idea.

This is the "jig" I used to laminate the back.

Here is one of five pieces of alternating 1/8" wood panels that will make up the final shape.

Imagine for yourself how long this took for someone who has never done anything like this before.

Man, that is ugly!

Here it is after extracting it from the jig and putting on several coats of varnish. Pretty cool.

Here is the finished helm area with the backrest and the new "console" I built for the engine instruments.

Lessons Learned

Got a better idea? - just GO FOR IT!


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