Portable Helm Chair for A27

[obertra9]

My wife wants to buy me a helm chair in lieu of the bar stool that I am currently using. I like the bar stool because the portability allows me: a) to remove it easily to access the engine, and b) to use it either behind the wheel or in the center of the boat closer to the auto pilot. So does anyone have a recommendation for this?
Roger Obert

[don123]

It would be very interesting to have owners post a photo of whatever they are using at the helm position - I've seen at least a dozen different 'solutions' over the years

My 27 had nothing at the helm when I bought it. I have quite an assortment of hardware on the starboard side wall where the mounts for the original removable bench used to be, but it had already been removed when I got the boat. I'm installing a matched pair of standard helm chairs on adjustable pedestals so I can use them up high facing forward while underway and lowered facing aft while at anchor. We'll see how that works out

Don

[obertra9]

Don, would the pair of standard helm chairs on adjustable pedestals be fastened to the engine hatch covers or on the side of the engine hatch covers?
Roger

[don123]

I saw a photo of someone's boat using standard helm chairs, so I can't take credit for the idea. The pedestals are mounted just beside the hatch covers. There is just enough room for the chair to swivel 360 degrees

Don

[Halcyon]

This reminds me of a story. A drinking buddy of mine was purchasing an old Chris Craft houseboat that he planned on using as a fishing shack. When the PO pointed to the bar stool helm seating and apologetically said it could be easily upgraded my buddy slid onto the stool and said 'this will be just fine, I have been training for this job my whole life!"

[hetek]

That boat with the standard helm seats might have been mine. Here:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=6768

The third photo is with two pedestal helm seats that were originally flybridge seats from Halcyon's Albin. (They came out great by the way!) I did buy new taller pedestals to be able to see over the 27's dash. They have slider bases and are easily adjustable. The pedestals mount to pedestal base rings that are permanently attached to the floor, just outboard of the hatches. The rings are permanent but the pedestal and the seats are removable, with 6 Allen head screws.

The forth photo show the starboard helm seat replaced with the original Albin bench seat. I kept this as an option at the request of my 10 year old daughter who liked to sit next to me. Instead of permanently mounting a base ring to the hatch, I just used the pedestal as a free-standing foot. This seat mounts to the coaming and is securely pinned in place. It does, however, restrict access to the starboard engine hatch. It can be done but is a little fiddly to move the foot. For this reason, I used the two single seats mostly.

Since I was in the market for pedestals anyway, I did look into adjustable height models but could not find any available in 30". I went with the fixed height pedestals, installed Garelick foot rests and both seat and foot rests swivel.

BTW, the seats on "Bunkie" when I purchased her were of the Garelick "bar stool" variety - white vinyl seats with arm rests mounted to swivel bases on legs. Not very secure in rolling seas. Ask me how I know...