Changing Helm station - method?

  • Thread starter Thread starter mjf
  • Start date Start date
I've been known to go down stairs and completely forget about the throttles upstairs. Then AAAaaaRRRRrGGGG./forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1> No one can force me to come here. I'm a volunteer!!.

Haydn
 
100% correct. In lovely conditions, completely forgot to bring down all the crap - Binos, hand held VHF etc so had to venture up top to get em. (with good fortune my dividers were still by the chart downstairs)

and.......Luckily the saloon door opened on both occasions!


This manouver when its rough must be a nightmare - thinks I just get an umberella and stay in the fresh air

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Absolute must I reckon for UK winters - my demisters work from the HW domestic system ie blows air over coils of HW from the tank.

Works well enough when Mrs mjf is cooking steamy things when alongside and I want to look out of the helm window to see who is about to cock up their berthing and bend my anchor!

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Things used to be much worse with my old P33. The ladder hung behind the fly bridge. The boat would go beam on to the sea emmediately I stopped it. The times I was left dangling from my arms with my legs out at 90deg from the boat, and looking below all I could see was sea!!!

<hr width=100% size=1> No one can force me to come here. I'm a volunteer!!.

Haydn
 
You could try what we did just before Dover ... ...

Crew - "getting busy here better switch off Autopilot .... eeeh ... helm not responding ... and where is all red oily stuff coming from ???? "
Me - "B..ggr.... hydraulics gone on fly and that big thing there is moving fast..." .... "Where is the tool kit ?? (missing wheel after transport through France)... think I need a 22 mill FAST" ... and take the helm downstairs .... YES I know we do not have a wheel down there yet ..., but set the autopilot... "
Crew - "Can we do this at this speed, or will we throttle back.?"
"No I have not tried a on the fly handover yet ... we just started this journey a couple of hours ago.... and YES I will throttle back!."

"thanks .. that's the right one .. 22 mill" and off we go and now I throttle back.

"NOOO b@s... you have to wait until I have put her out of gear before you take over .... and no ... this is four levers, so just pushing the red ones will not do" "and here take the wheel and the spanner ..." ... but de-activate the Autopilot before we throttle up... Now here we go ...."

No big deal really .... have since found out that in the sliders will allow "on the fly" changeover (but will need to have people on both stations, or involve a couple of trips, down, up, down .... and yes .. I now have a wheel at each position as I found changeovers like that a bit disconcerning..... and probably even worse at night or in a force 4 or above...


<hr width=100% size=1>Regards,

Alf
 
You could be right. I have real diificulty seeing my plotter screens which are monochrome, the upper one is usually in direct sunlight and the lower one is under the windscreen so also suffers from reflections. Could be there's a dotted line which I'm missing. I always input the route on the flybridge plotter because thats where I'm usually helming from
I've looked into changing to colour screens but according to Raymarine you have to change everything at about £3k and, to be honest, accurate navigation is much less of an issue in the Med, so it does'nt seem worth it

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suspect some of that is a bit of VW. You need a new upstairs telly - we bought an RL70C for about £1650, and it won't work with the downstairs one unless that's HSB2. We left the black and white one downstairs, but upgraded it to HSB2 (costs a couple of hundred or so, from memory). Unless you've got the big posh RL80's, you should do it for well under 2 grand. Added bonus is that the resolution on the new colour tellies is 4 times higher (though I think the license is cheaper on B/W).

<hr width=100% size=1>Si hoc legere scis, nimium eruditionis habes.
 
I think I've got RC520's or summat like that. When I talked to Raymarine at SIBS they told me none of the components were re-usable and that an equivalent colour plotter with 2 screens was about £2500 plus fitting, so hence £3k

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As long as they're R's not S's (i.e. networked not standalone) I understand you can upgrade the downstairs one to HSB2, and only replace upstairs. Yours would sound like RC520's, the HSB2 version is the RC520+, or RC530+ for colour. Keep the downstairs one, upgrade it to + spec, and add an RL70C+ display for upstairs.

Talk direct to Raymarine's service dept - very helpful, or JG Technology in Weymouth (v cheap, v helpful).

<hr width=100% size=1>Si hoc legere scis, nimium eruditionis habes.
 
Cheers, Wiggo, thats very helpful. I talked to a salesman at SIBS and maybe he didnt know what he was talking about

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Re: Perish the thought!

Reading the posts above about how dreadful it is to stop still for a few seconds whilst changing helm positions makes me wonder what would happen if the boat broke down (rope/net round the props, dodgy fuel, whatever).

If a few seconds is unbearable and unmanagable then what the hell would those people do if they had to attempt a repair or even await a tow?

I think people assume their boats are going to keep going no matter what, but what if they don't...?

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Re: Perish the thought!

Take your point entirely and for me was a very timely reminder how bad things must be under circumstances you describe, but in defence seems particularly unescessary to have to endure "hell" when one has perfectly servicable equipment underneath one, just want to change control position. Found it difficult to believe the manufacturers had not dialled in this eventuality. Fair point though, well made. Paul

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Re: Perish the thought!

Good point. Had to take all way off the boat in a NE6 in Hurst Narrows in the dark, and by teh time I had got downstairs, she had turned beam on and was rolling so badly I had trouble going back up to the flybridge. Stay put and keep going seems the answer, unless you work out an effective (and fast) way of shifting control...

<hr width=100% size=1>Si hoc legere scis, nimium eruditionis habes.
 
Re: Perish the thought!

Looking at this again now I see that what I was putting off is in fact a very common issue - its safer to endure whatever hardship you are facing from where you are currently 'driving' from.

Seems to me then the protocol, if expecting some cold or rough stuff, is to get below when just off the off the berth - if indeed you need to be on the F/B when manouvering (watch this space....) and stay there until you arrive in the nice safe (calm) harbour of your destination- having set up your electronics at both stations beforehand.

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Re: Perish the thought!

Problem when solo for sure but as most of the time is taken by the skipper moving 'tween helms could the situation be improved by having the No2 helmsman take control immediately it is available and getting way back on/keeping course while the skipper makes his/her move???

Obviously not a problem I have experience of on my boat....

<hr width=100% size=1>Rgds

Simon
Its Only Money
Fairline Sprint
Solent-based
 
Re: Perish the thought!

I always thought I would use the hand held walkie talkies when changing helm positions, I keep them charged just in case, however I have never helmed the boat from indoors, must try it one day

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Re: Perish the thought!

It's got to be bad before it's a real issue and if it's that bad, it's better upstairs anyway. Yes some one else can always get you back underway from downstairs. Thats if you trust them enough!!

<hr width=100% size=1> No one can force me to come here. I'm a volunteer!!.

Haydn
 
Re: Perish the thought!

If the No. 2 helms person is ready at the lower helm, I've found stamping on the f/b floor the most effective way of conveying one's readiness for the take over.

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