Wheelhouse Woes!

[Donn]

I have a headroom problem in my wheelhouse.

I'm the proud owner of a 1955 30' Eldridge-McInnis designed sedan cruiser. It's in the MyWoodenBoat gallery under "Loon" the red one on the left.

She's a lovely boat, but I lack about an inch or two of headroom at the helm. The wheelhouse top consists of 1x3" oak ribs with mahogany on top.

It has been suggested that I install a hatch right above where I stand at the helm, cutting out the ribs and mahogany, and thus providing a few more inches. Such a project would also provide much needed summertime ventilation in this all fixed-window enclosure.

I've looked at the plastic, filled nylon, aluminum, and SS framed, tinted plexi-filled euroboat crap in BoatUS, etc...and none would look appropriate on this lovely craft.

The wheelhouse top has quite a pronounced crown, and carries only a radome, spotlight, and a squad of antennae. The only time it bears weight is when I climb up onto it to change the flourescent bulbs in my boathouse.

The sole of the wheelhouse can't be lowered, due to the proximity of the twin diesels under it, and raising the entire roof would be a huge chore.

I'm looking for some creative woodbutchery. I'm not adverse to a hatch, as long as it looks appropriate to the boat, but I thought I'd ask the experts on this forum for some other potential fixes.

Perhaps a source for either nice-looking hatches, or plans for same would help.

Thanks in advance.
Donn

[This message has been edited by donnwest (edited 01-05-2002).]

[Rich VanValkenburg]

No disrespect intended, but I immediately thought of the commercial on the TV that shows the owner of some expensive car with her Great Dane's head sticking out the open sunroof. http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/smile.gif

[dasboat]

Strictly personal oppinion.Don't change her lines.Is there not a way to install a high helm seat that gives you the height for seeing to steer,as well as negating the need for more head room?

[Donn]

Rich...no offense taken. I'm a hardheaded Dutchman, but the oak ribs are wearing me down. I know the commercial you mention, but rest assured...a hole in the roof would only expose a shining dome.

Donn Westervelt
(Was Van Westerveldt...Good Ship Hope)

[Scott Rosen]

I suggest you give Taylor and Snedicker a call. They are boatbuilders located in Mystic Connecticut. I worked with them on a new forehatch and also on a seat for my pilot house. They are very creative and understand the need to keep the solution consistent with the style of the yacht. I spent some time faxing drawings back and forth, which may be all you will need if you plan to do the work yourself.

Good luck.

[Donn]

dasboat...I have a helm seat that is just fine when I'm cruising...but 80% of her time is spent working...fishing, potting, etc. During this time, I stow the seat and drive her standing, and scuttling back and forth to the cockpit.

[PugetSound]

A nice looking boat! While a hatch might work, it seems to me that it would look out of place in the wheelhouse roof. Also, a hatch would only work so long as you stayed in that one spot; move around much and you're going to find every headknocker in that wheelhouse. Seems to me that it wouldn't be too expensive to hire a boatbuilder to simply raise the roof 2 inches. The problem would be permanently solved and I doubt that the profile of the boat would suffer that much.


[This message has been edited by PugetSound (edited 01-05-2002).]

[Dale Harvey]

Pick up a copy of Chapelle's "Boatbuilding". No one should be allowed to own a wooden boat unless they have a copy of this book. It shows in explicit detail how to properly build a hatch. No better place to run a boat from in fair weather, than sitting in the hatch steering with one's bare foot. Works somewhat better with a horizontal wheel. All the advantages of a flybridge without the windage.

[Wild Dingo]

So not to be flip or pedantic here what have we offered?

1) contact a designer mob... good idea Scott

2) cut a hole through the roof... interesting but you dont like that idea much nor would many others

3) take out the seat area altogether and stand... okay thats an alright idea

4) wait a few years and you will have shrunk to fit the cabin after having rubbed and shaved that part of your head off... or gotten a permenent bend... problem solved http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/biggrin.gif

5) my personal favorite although unpractical

cut a hatch in the roof put a cushion on the roof and sit with legs dangling into the cabin and steer with feet... I like it!! Not ascthetically too pleasing but hey you'd be on top of everything!! http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/cool.gif and hey you wont remind everyone of the dog with its head out the sunroof! http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/biggrin.gif

Take your pick... and have a great time with her whatever you choose to do... oh a couple of pics would probably be helpfull maybe a couple showing you standing hunched over the wheel standing pointing to the problem areas that sort of thing...

Take it easy
Shane

[Scott Rosen]

Have you considered that maybe you're just too tall? http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/smile.gif

[Ed Harrow]

Further to Scott's comments, that, too, can be changed (your height) but don't do it the way that I did.

Scott's suggestion of T&S is a good one, if you're in that general vicinity. Nice folks. What about a skylight? Presumably your helm is off center and the concept might not work, but it might be worth some thought.

[Eb]

Donn,

The way I read your post, an opening hatch would solve your height problem when at the helm and add the bonus of ventilation, and you indicate that the roof structure is strong enough to allow for the weakening by the hole created. Seems the problem is solved. So the only issues are style and construction. Perhaps you could walk the docks and find a wooden hatch built and trimmed to you liking?

Looking at the photo of Loon, I don't think raising the roof would look as nice as raising the entire pilothouse. Either is a bigger project than building and installing a hatch, and you wouldn't get the ventilation.

Nice boat....

Eb

[rodcross]

Aw nuts! I read this thread, yesterday, and although I had some thoughts, decided to leave it alone. Then it showed up again.
Donn, here's what I think: My grandmother was 4'10" tall and had a George Washington slant-top desk that was made in New York in the 1750's, secret compartments and all. Her chair fit her perfectly, so, George being fairly tall, she had the legs cut off the desk. I hope you get my drift. If you can afford to change the bulbs in a boathouse on the Sound, you may be able to pass the original Eldridge-McInnis on to someone else and find another classic boat that suits your needs. These boats aren't really ours, after all. Sure, we own them and pay taxes on them, but when we pass them on, and we will pass them on, we'll be viewed as stewards, or trustees of something that will never be built again. Do you really want to carve a new hole in this boat?

[Donn]

Thanks for all the interesting replies.

1. Sitting on top and steering with my feet is not an option.

2. I have a quad-base helm chair which works fine for long cruising, but the standing for short trips and when fishing, is the head buster.

3. I found Taylor and Snedikers ad in an old issue, and will call them.

4. Eb...interesting concept, but the boat is already far from it's original self. She originally had an open helm station and a flybridge, a 13' pulpit for swordfish spearing, and a fighting chair in the cockpit. She was built on the cape by a Portuguese as a working fishing boat. Subsequent owners removed the flybridge, pulpit and chair, and built the wheelhouse.

I think I'll prowl the docks and my books for an appropriate wooden hatch, sans lens, and copy it.

Thanks again for all the replies.

[ken mcclure]

Um, if the wheelhouse isn't original, why don't you just raise the wheelhouse a little bit? Clever trim and painting could help keep it from looking too tall.

Even though it's a chore, would it really be that much more chore than trying to build a hatch that doesn't leak? Besides, raising the whole house top would solve the problem in the whole house, not just at the wheel.



[This message has been edited by kwmcclure (edited 01-07-2002).]

[Carl Stone]

If you are disturbed by an off center hatch, why not one on each side? Even better ventilation. I recently did this and it is visually fine. For what it's worth, cut your opening(s) and frame them, then use tounge and groove mahogany (1 1/2") to form a hatch cover. Can be shaped any way you want, beveled edges, etc, requires only a backsaw and jig, with a very reasonable price tag, as well. good luck.

[Carl Stone]

If you are disturbed by an off center hatch, why not one on each side? Even better ventilation. I recently did this and it is visually fine. For what it's worth, cut your opening(s) and frame them, then use tounge and groove mahogany (1 1/2") to form a hatch cover. Can be shaped any way you want, beveled edges, etc, requires only a backsaw and jig, with a very reasonable price tag, as well. good luck.

[Alan D. Hyde]

I have the same problem with the hardtop on my 27' Chris-Craft Sea Skiff.

I am going to insert a sill under the hardtop, on top of the framework which supports it. I have not yet decided whether I will raise the top by two or three inches, but I'm likely to go with three.

Most people won't notice, and I'll save a lot of discomfort (I'm 6'6"). No permanent harm will be done--- if some short subsequent owner wishes it to be "100% original," he can take out the piece that I put in.

Alan

P.S. Donn, from looking at the photo, I can't imagine that a few inches higher cabintop would do her any harm. Just a small mahogony or cherry sill used for a spacer...

A pretty boat, by the way.

[This message has been edited by Alan D. Hyde (edited 01-07-2002).]

[Donn]

Alan,

I'm not sure what you mean by a "sill."

Is this what you're doing?...remove the top from the frame of the house...install a spacer of wood on top of the frame...reinstall the top on the spacer.

On my boat, that would involve not only the carpentry, but re-wiring the radome, searchlight, 2 VHF antennae, a loran antenna, and an AM/FM antenna. It also would not solve my ventilation problem.

Here's a pic that shows some detail of the wheelhouse construction:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid28/pfcf411bc7290388af3954c292d47e254/fe0364b5.jpg.orig.jpg

[Alan D. Hyde]

If I got out my copy of Chappelle (which is at home) I could probably find the proper term--- "sill" certainly isn't very good, "plate" or "girt" might be better: Dave Fleming or someone here likely knows the right word.

Anyway, Donn, you figured out what I meant: a structurally strong spacer under the cabintop (my boat's hardtop is an original curved Fibreglass piece). The Sea Skiff's side windows slide and the front windows hinge open, so I don't have the ventilation problem you do.

It's a good-looking boat, Donn. Well worth the trouble, whatever you decide to do.

Alan


[This message has been edited by Alan D. Hyde (edited 01-08-2002).]

[ken mcclure]

How about just removing the cabin top and replacing it with a canvas "drop top?"

[htom]

The sill idea looks fine. You could raise the roof 3" and install a dozen or two 1" or 1.5" diameter vents in the sill (or whatever it's called).

If you have to re-wire the list of gadgets, remember to allow for six inches or a foot of slack in each so that the roof can be lifted again later without rewiring.