Author Capt. Chris relaxing after his time at the helm on a five-day trip along the Atlantic coast. Very comfortable day bunk and chart table.
The reverse rake windows are seen on the pilothouse of this Krogen Whaleback 48.
gram, and video system faster with less use of to monitor your engine windshield wipers. A room or aft of the vesbigger advantage is sel. Do you prefer two experienced at night. VHFs, one for traffic You may have read and the other for moniabout the red illuminattoring other vessel ed electronics in the operations? Got room helm station at night to for that. What about the prevent temporary night single side band (SSB)? blindness. Did you realGot room for that too. ize that those red lights The RPH even has dry may reflect off a stancounter space for a lapdard style interior windtop and your chart shield glass, giving you table. Wouldn’t it be a different type of blindwonderful to have your ness or glare? Although charts open right next most navigation electo the helm station? No tronics have a dimmer more going below to the control, the glare on a nav station to check traditional lower helm your course or answer windshield can be TrawlerFest in Florida. A wide selection of raised pilothouse trawlers with the radio. Have you slightly different designs. painful on a moonless seen your mate? Kicked night in the ocean. No back snoozing behind problem with the reverse the waterway guide, searching for the evening’s anchorage. rake windshield; the glare faces upward, and there is no Air-conditioning, heater, dehumidifier, window glass reflection to destroy your night vision. defrosters, visibility, dry and comfortable cruising, that’s Now that you’re cruising in comfort, do not forget the what it’s all about. Somebody has to drive, and you may as deluxe helm chair. When I was a kid working in the oil well be comfortable. What about your deckhands? They field, I saw old barber chairs being used at the helm. This have to run around outside in the weather. The pilothouse was mostly because they were big, sturdy and comfortable. usually has a side deck doorway, allowing access for the Fortunately, today we have more choices for helm seats. helmsman to help with the deck work. Some pilothouse Take in the entire package: comfortable helm chair, clitrawlers may have a door on each side deck. matized pilothouse with a day bunk, fully instrumented Another advantage is steps. Since many boats are navigation suite—and ask yourself a question. Why do I multi-level designs, you have to climb up and down across stand out in the rain and cold when I could be cruising engines, staterooms, decks, flybridge and lockers. A pilotalong, warm and toasty or cooled by the A/C in my nice house trawler changes the vessel deck design so you may pilothouse trawler? have a few steps up or down but no straight up-and-down Arrive dry! ladders to climb. This makes navigating the decks easy and more manageable just a few steps at a time. (If you have any ideas for future topics, comments about this artiThe larger RPH trawlers have been designed with the cle, or comments about trawler coverage in SOUTHWINDS, email windshield top leaning forward. This is known as a reverse them to editor@southwindsmagazine.com.) rake window. This design helps rain and sea spray to clear News & Views for Southern Sailors
SOUTHWINDS
July 2013
33