Flybridge modifications (photos included)

Struts and Rudders · Post by **Struts and Rudders** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 10:02 pm

I have posted a few photos of our flybridge. PO had cut out seat bottom and done a very bad job so we have smoothed some of those edges and have filled all the random holes that they had drilled over the years.
We are just in the rough in glass stage at this point.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 10:19 pm

Lot of holes in that helm , I would like to cut out the seat also a lot wasted space in there

Struts and Rudders · Post by **Struts and Rudders** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 10:33 pm

No symmetry in the PO helm layout...mixed up mess.
Were going down to one helm chair with controls ,navigation and communication equipment off to the starboard side and entertainment on the port side of the helm.
PO had cutout the seat bottom and left me no choice to repair or utilize...we choose to utilize fully understanding that it will not be dry storage. Happy at this point to have the extra space.
Doing some finish glass tomorrow...gonna be vacuum bagging!

alexander38 · Post by **alexander38** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 4:11 am

naw keep the seat it's a good spot for things you don't use alot, spare life jackets, spare lines and parts..

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 6:42 am

Why are you going with only 1 helm chair ? The Admiral would not be happy if I did that and if shes not happy ..............

g36 · Post by **g36** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 8:23 am

i think i would get lonely with only 1 chair on the flybridge . not to mention whose going to take care of the wheel while i go get another beer. oh wait, if she has no where to sit she can get my beer. he might be on to something there!!

Vitaliy · Post by **Vitaliy** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 5:02 pm

lol im all for extra seating as well, the f36 only has one chair as well but thankfully there's a bench not to far behind it, thinking of ripping it out and redoing it as well since there's so much wasted space under there

Struts and Rudders · Post by **Struts and Rudders** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 1:44 pm

In my personal opinion there is not really enough room to move around with two seats behind the helm. The bench seat ahead of the wheel allows me to see all bridge riders and places them in a safer seating position.
Another reason we decided to go this route is the boat came with two brand new very nice matching helm chairs...were using one below and one on the bridge.
We only have one admiral on this boat....saying that I must also say we only have one interior designer!

Commissionpoint · Post by **Commissionpoint** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 5:39 pm

Wow. Lots of fill on that bridge helm was needed huh? Looks like the PO had a gadget in almost every possible spot. Nice work reversing that nightmare.

One thing I never really cared for on the F-36 bridge was how the gauges were shifted off to the Stbd. On the 32 they are centered and in front of the operator. Just always thought it was kinda out of your line of sight and forces you to repeatedly look in a place that isn't really intuitive. (down and to the right) Since you are doing the bridge helm completely over, will you be keeping the original location of the gauge clusters, or modifying it to have them in a different location?

Struts and Rudders · Post by **Struts and Rudders** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 5:56 pm

The PO had a huge mess going on at the helm...those larger holes were stereo speakers.
I have bought some single lever electronic controls so that will save some space and we are going back with Murphy Powerview mulit gauges that will be mounted adjacent to the shifter.
We originally discussed making the gauge area into a cooler...now looking at making a new insert and flush mounting a few switches and some electronics over there as things are getting crowded on the gel coated flat panels.
SRD
F36

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 6:56 pm

Commissionpoint wrote:Wow. Lots of fill on that bridge helm was needed huh? Looks like the PO had a gadget in almost every possible spot. Nice work reversing that nightmare.

One thing I never really cared for on the F-36 bridge was how the gauges were shifted off to the Stbd. On the 32 they are centered and in front of the operator. Just always thought it was kinda out of your line of sight and forces you to repeatedly look in a place that isn't really intuitive. (down and to the right) Since you are doing the bridge helm completely over, will you be keeping the original location of the gauge clusters, or modifying it to have them in a different location?

I have seen the same set up on a F32 , the used this style on the F36 for some years then when to a different type with the gages centered and raised . once you get use to them being off centered its OK , but not the best idea they have had .

alexander38 · Post by **alexander38** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 4:52 am

keep the pics coming I'm sure some gears are turning on here wondering how to re-do some helms, mine our

Commissionpoint · Post by **Commissionpoint** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 12:42 pm

alexander38 wrote:keep the pics coming I'm sure some gears are turning on here wondering how to re-do some helms, mine our

Yeh, definately. I didn't spend too much time on the bridge last fall at the showing, but it was long enough to notice there are some radios and such that are ready for the Smithsonian Museum. Luckilly I have a pile (yeh a pile no joke) of Icom products to replace the ancient stuff with. I was thinking of making it simple and installing the IC M602 in the lower station and adding a Command Mic to both the bridge and aft cockpit. Hafta try some different arrangements this spring and see what I like best.

I like the Murphy gauges too, we'll see if an upgrade is in the cards this season or not.

Stripermann2 · Post by **Stripermann2** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 1:15 pm

prowlersfish wrote:
Commissionpoint wrote:Wow. Lots of fill on that bridge helm was needed huh? Looks like the PO had a gadget in almost every possible spot. Nice work reversing that nightmare.

One thing I never really cared for on the F-36 bridge was how the gauges were shifted off to the Stbd. On the 32 they are centered and in front of the operator. Just always thought it was kinda out of your line of sight and forces you to repeatedly look in a place that isn't really intuitive. (down and to the right) Since you are doing the bridge helm completely over, will you be keeping the original location of the gauge clusters, or modifying it to have them in a different location?
I have seen the same set up on a F32 , the used this style on the F36 for some years then when to a different type with the gages centered and raised . once you get use to them being off centered its OK , but not the best idea they have had .

Agreed, 80's (and perhaps from 1978 also) years F36 had same instrumentation as the 32's.

Commissionpoint · Post by **Commissionpoint** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 3:21 pm

Stripermann2 wrote:Agreed, 80's (and perhaps from 1978 also) years F36 had same instrumentation as the 32's.

Yeh, I am familiar with the late style raised panel arrangement of the 1980's. Honestly, its my least favorite permutation of F series bridge helms. I would prefer the offset to Stbd. arrangement of the older models to the 1980's raised panel design. Like Paul already said though, when it came to bridge helms, they didn't always have thier thinking caps on straight it seems.