Fly bridges in the UK

[oldgit]

When its lumpy, want to see as far in front of the boat as possible, good chance to spot any holes in the water before you fall into them.
Fly every time.

 

[volvopaul]

Sold mine to buy a hard top sports boat , reason I thought the summers we’re getting shorter . Didn’t buy anything the end , four and a half years later still boatless .

 

[Momac]

Sold mine to buy a hard top sports boat , reason I thought the summers we’re getting shorter

So much for global warming

 

[Machaseo]

I boat on the West of Scotland, and have owned a cabin rib, a hardtop and 3 flybridges.
I did almost buy a command bridge style boat to keep the wife and I out the weather.
I like the fact we would be warm and dry under a canopy but at the expense of outdoor entertaining space for those 2 days a year we get the weather for it.
95% of the time i helm from up top and only head inside on long wet passages, almost always do my close quarter manoeuvring from the flybridge, better vision and crew communication as someone else has said.
i feel more connected to the environment out side, you see more sea life and bird life from the flybridge.
I am frequently in shorts and a wind proof jumper up top while the Mrs has her foul weather gear on!
i bought her a heated jacket to wear under her foulies, total game changer! She is now warm and doesn't complain as much.
as Billy Connoly once said, there is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes!

 

[NoviceRod]

Went for a flybridge for our third boat, and very glad we did. In nice weather it is great, and we get extra space for socialising or enjoying the ride. The grandchildren love it. The lower helm is fine too if the weather deteriorates, and I find that easier for berthing. This is probably because Nimbus use the 405 Coupé design, and put a flybridge on top, so the lower helm has to be good rather than an afterthought.

 

[Bouba]

Guests love a flybridge in the same way they sit up front on a bow rider

 

[PCUK]

We would always stay on the flybridge, (ten knots cruising) until water started coming over the top. Also superb when anchored in nice weather.

 

[bowler]

Fly for us every time. Plenty of days up top in shorts and a coat and we are on the north coast of ireland. Helm down below when needs be. Everytime we have guests they are itching to get up top. When tied up the fly is a great place to watch the world go by.

D

 

[oldgit]

Guests love a flybridge in the same way they sit up front on a bow rider

Apart from a minor inconvenience regards airdraft, a fly/command bridge is far superior on inland waterways .
A sports boat might be fine for examining the finer stratification of the earth in the riverbank , the fly however, gives panoramic views over the surround countryside, allows you to see stuff coming towards you on other side of a bend in the river and allows you lord it over those walking past on the river bank below.
It is also easier for the skipper on the fly to suggest to his devoted crew exactly what they are doing wrong and patiently and quietly explain using his superior knowledge as to what needs to be done.

 

[Bouba]

There is nothing like sitting up on the flybridge as the summer sun goes down eating a pizza that has just been delivered to your boat???

 

[oldgit]

There is nothing like sitting up on the flybridge as the summer sun goes down eating a pizza that has just been delivered to your boat???☀

Plus a glass of something chilled. ?
The Flybridge.
On a flybridge you can also practice graciously nodding to folks passing by on the path below.
The Tentboat.
Instead of getting neckache looking up at the ankles of passers by who are wondering just how that tangle of "Taupe" canvas and zips hiding a mile of chrome tubes turns into a cover before that thunderstorm arrives. ?
Course, if all of it is stowed away and correctly hidden in the various lockers under the seating cushions, somebody is going to get very wet indeed.

 

[danvan]

We've had a few flybridges in the UK, most recently a Prestige 560. I love flybridges for lots of reasons, most of which have been covered in previous posts. However the issue for me in the UK was that I like the feel the wind in my hair, but my family like to stay warm. So in the colder months, I'd spend my time on the flybridge with the family down below - very unsociable (although peaceful). Not ideal.

Also flybridges, whilst offering tons of extra space, also mean lots of covers to take on and off, and lots more cleaning at the end of the day. So if you just feel like a few hours out on the water one day, there can be quite a bit of faff.

A good friend of ours has a Sunseeker Portfolio 47 with one of those sliding sunroofs, and whilst I originally thought this was all a bit weird and a compromise, I've since changed my mind and really like the flexibility you get with just a push of a sunroof button. Great for the changeable UK weather. I particularly like the various GT boats now with glass back doors and sunroofs - no more covers, a warm boat in the winter, and an open boat for the summer. Awesome.

 

[BruceK]

Plus a glass of something chilled. ?
The Flybridge.
On a flybridge you can also practice graciously nodding to folks passing by on the path below.
The Tentboat.
Instead of getting neckache looking up at the ankles of passers by who are wondering just how that tangle of "Taupe" canvas and zips hiding a mile of chrome tubes turns into a cover before that thunderstorm arrives. ?
Course, if all of it is stowed away correctly hidden in the various lockers under the seating cushions, somebody is going to get very wet indeed.

Ah the confessions of a river rat. ? Trust you to stick an oar in as always

 

[oldgit]

Ah the confessions of a river rat. ? Trust you to stick an oar in as always

Oi.... Do you mind ,the correct term is Ditchcrawler

 

[Momac]

A good friend of ours has a Sunseeker Portfolio 47 with one of those sliding sunroofs, and whilst I originally thought this was all a bit weird and a compromise, I've since changed my mind and really like the flexibility you get with just a push of a sunroof button.

There are quite few boats like that- , although not necessarily with powered roof opening . I do see the attraction
In fact some have been around more than few years .
A friend bought a hardy Seawings 355 in 2020 and hasn't been far in it yet. It would have been built around 1999 . It was ahead of its time

 

[oldgit]

Actually ....Oi.... Do you mind ,the correct term is Mudcrawler

 

[thejonesey]

We have had three flybridge and loved them all. Great on the river for reason stated about views and wonderful for manoeuvring in busy spaces. We did find the flybridge ‘windy’ and ended up in the cockpit a lot. Moved to SC35 with sliding roof two seasons ago and haven’t looked back. Nearly no canvas and can open or shut roof depending on conditions. We have been out on many nice days when it is breezy but we are sweltering in the cockpit. Roof must big big though!

 

[Greenheart]

Fascinating.

The option to cheat our climate, navigating all year in the UK as comfortably as if I were in a Range Rover, is a strong reason why I may buy a motorboat. The idea of stepping into a warm wheelhouse and setting off during a midwinter cloudburst, is gleeful. So it's strange to me, to read the preferences of people who could retreat indoors, yet dress up like sailing men, in order to stay outside.

I guess visibility is the chief benefit. It seems to be the reason why people who buy one of the few sailing yachts with inside helms, rarely steer from below, and possibly that's what discourages the design and uptake of the type. Unless it's a trawler-style boat, the downstairs helm gives such a wretched view.

But it never occurred to me that motorboats may also be so much poorer to helm from below, that owners prefer sitting on the roof.

 

[oldgit]

But it never occurred to me that motorboats may also be so much poorer to helm from below, that owners prefer sitting on the roof.

As the years went by by motor boats went from something where the form of the boat was solely decided by its function, good all round visiblilty, wide side decks with ease of access to all parts of boat, a solid sea kindly hull and probably some care about being able to access the machinery.
The boat would have been designed by a marine architect.

It evolved into fashion statement outside and max volume inside. Everything else just became an irritating annoyance.
It would have been designed by somebody whos previous work included watches or cars.
Ask them about the quarters being visible from the internal helm when going astern and you will be pointed towards the camera options in the brouchure.
No wonder folks to prefer departing and arriving uptop, where you can actually see your crew and the moorings.
It is also an unwritten law that any swim platform must now comprise a least 25% of the hull length.
Never ever ask about fuel consumption.

 

[Momac]

But it never occurred to me that motorboats may also be so much poorer to helm from below, that owners prefer sitting on the roof.

Not sure they are really. Visibility for manoeuvring in a marina is certainly far better from the flybridge.
Otherwise its a matter of preference. If you do not want the flybridge experience it would be better to buy a boat that doesn't have one.