How to design an in-cabin helm station for 26X in Alaska?

[TrueNorth]

Am the happy new owner of a used 2000X here in Homer Alaska on Kachemak Bay, having upgraded from sailing a Mac 19. This board is a great resource!

Boat came with wide dodger. Cruising spring and fall (plus some days even in summer!) in northern clime would be much expanded with a second, in-cabin helm station. This mod. would add at least two more months to cruising.

Idea would be to stand on a slightly raised plywood platform at base of the companion way ladder (platform spans from bottom stair to raised ledge on the back of the stern dinette seat and on the outside of head) and I would lean against bottom of the companion way and look out of the dodger. But how to design a steering station?

Can you point me to or help devise a simple, non-hydraulic steering station I could operate from just inside the companion way? Has anyone done this?

[Have thought about wire rope on turning blocks coming out the bottom of the pedestal and forward to edge of companion way. Also thought about a pulley just forward of the steering wheel with rope led to the starboard genoa track and then led forward with turning block to the starboard winch.] Note that this in-cabin helm will used for open water passages, will navigate boat harbor (and bump other boats) while steering from the cockpit helm.

PS. Believe I got the farthest North used 26X deal-- bought the boat in the town of Bethel on Alaska's Bering Sea Coast and had it barged 900 miles to Homer. It was the only sailboat ever seen in that part of the state. With mine, there are now no less than four Mac 26's in the Homer boat harbor (population 6,000)!

[bastonjock]

would an autopilot be a solution?with the remote control unit you could stand out of the cold and control the boat.

If i was in Alaska,id be more interested in fitting a heater

[Deeseas]

Welcome Truenorth, congrats on your purchase, but isn't that a downgrade from sailing a Mac 19
Doug

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

Wish I had a solution or suggestion to your question. Since you have a Dodger enclosure, it would seem functional for the standard steering set up if you had a cockpit heater of some sort.
But, anyway, glad youre also a Mac 26 X happy owner, & Welcome. You have some awesome scenery cruising waters to explore--cold yes, but beautiful.

[Currie]

Hi T.North,

Not sure if you prefer one form of steering over another. Here's a possibility....

http://www.ezyglide.com/

Perhaps it would be less of an obstacle(?) and could just stay mounted just inside the companionway. You'd need to figure out the logistics of mounting/routing it - but it seems doable.

~Bob

[Bawgy]

http://seaweed.thebilge.com/helm Take a look at this NC sailor Compac

[Chinook]

I go along with Louis Holub's suggestion. We cruised the Inside Passage as far as Glacier Bay in 2005. We have the BWY full enclosure, and except for the occasional periods of sunny weather, we kept the bimini and panel connection to the dodger up all the time. We had the side and rear curtains zipped in place, rolled up, and held in position with double sided velcro strips. When it got rainy or uncomfortably cold, we'd quickly roll the curtains down and zip/snap in place. A few times we ran the Wallas Stove in heater mode with the companion way hatch open, and it warmed up both the cabin and cockpit nicely. Operating the boat like this provided good visibility, comfy temperature inside, and comfortable seating while operating the boat.

[Craig LaForce]

. . . Cruising spring and fall ... in northern clime would be much expanded with a second, in-cabin helm station.

Yes, I did exactly that, it is posted in the mods section with photos

http://macgregorsailors.com/cgi-bin/mod ... record=308
http://macgregorsailors.com/cgi-bin/mod ... record=111

[James V]

Hello TrueNorth and welcome.

Not really sure of the setup that you wanted. I have used an auto pilot remote inside and have been happy with it but ONLY when there was nothing in the way and I did not want to use the throtal.

Basicly you are wanting another helm station. The ezygulid stearing style has been around for years. There is even a style that has the throtal in the handle. This might work best with some sort of manual disconnect from one to the other. If you made it swing out or slide out it it might work better. I have no idea of what support you would need if you got into rough weather and fell on it. A small doger with zipper windows would work as well.

The helm station could be mounted on the inside of the cabin top. It would be a head banger. Check with the motor maker and see what they have for a remote throtal and shifter.

And a good heater.