Helm Seat

[dkinzer]

We've had our H41AC for a little over a year now and our biggest complaint about it is that it is not comfortable at all to be standing at the helm for hours at a time. We do use the auto-pilot and sit on the stern rail seats but we've thought that it would be nice to have a removable seat at the helm to make it more comfortable.

Somewhere, I saw a photo of a seat on a post installed on a boat (see attached photo). Does anyone have a specific recommendation for such a seat that one might install?

 

[jssailem]

I have seen one sailboat with a Captain’s chair.
It may be in the way of crew trying to trim a sail when the gusts blow.

There are chair cushions that work for some skippers.

I use one of the folding boat cushions seats.

 

[RoyS]

 

[Terry Cox]

Gave a thought to mounting one of these by the helm, but it seemed a bit too small. Bigger is better, eh? https://www.amazon.com/Barcalounger...hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583726542935035&psc=1

 

[Sailgunner]

Love the helm seat I installed. Easily removed.

 

[Hollyberry]

How about a larger wheel so you can reach it from the side seats? We rarely steer from directly behind the wheel, and with today's open transom access on most boats any 'chair' will impede that space...

 

[jssailem]

Bigger is better, eh?

Trouble with that is you'll fall asleep at the helm. Then the only solution...

KEEL HAUL THE PERSON AT THE HELM!

 

[RoyS]

My helm seat is shown above and left. I like it a lot. If you are considering one like it keep the following in mind. Having a bucket type seat that you can lean back in is a good idea for long range comfort. Seat should swivel so that you can rotate to a comfortable position when the boat heals, much like a recliner. With the seat I have I can raise the forward bottom edge to create a leaning post if I choose to stand at the helm. The rotating function with the front bottom edge lifted up gives us more room to pass by when we use the drop down swim ladder behind it to get in and out of our inflatable. Such a seat is for cruisers and perhaps not for racers. It can be easily removed without tools (leaving just the pedestal) when I need to access the compartment under. These are old photos and I have since added a bimini. Life is good.